Communication journal Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Communication journal - Article Example After understanding the values and expectation of the audience, it is a little bit easier to settle on a topic to address. Despite of these tips, I was still confused and nervous since the reception of the audients was still unpredictable. This situation can only be salvaged by visionary leadership skills that turn the weakness or challenges them into strength. Moreover, I was visualizing how I could contain them and what if they make feel and look useless before them. These are some of the conflicts that might emerge during the presentation. The sure way to resolve this situation is to sway the audience to coincide with my points of view particularly through reverse psychology technique. Working in a group often needs a guideline; otherwise, a group will do a lot of nothing. The first thing a group of new members should do is to know each other. This provides an avenue for effective and free communication among members. Secondly, the group should select their leader who will help th em manage the group. The group’s leader will run or direct the fairs of the group. He or she will guide the members through formulation of group’s goals and objectives. Through this process, members will be encouraged to express their opinions and ask the question. After the formulation of these rules, all the group members shall be advised to adhere to the set rules. The Effective Area Social presentations are not quite stressful, unlike business and other official presentations. The social presentation often aims addressing or making a presentation to one’s close acquaintances and friends. Therefore, for my last social presentation I was more relaxed and comfortable with the audience and the topic of discuss. Notably, at some points in the presentation, I freely interacted with the audient has I developed my speech. However, prior to the presentation I was quite uneasy and tensed. Notably, I was afraid of the audience; nonetheless, along the way everything whe n imposing and I build confidence and even enjoyed the presentation. The audience expectation seemed high on my presentation, and I was afraid that the stake was too high to achieve. However, their response to the some funny comments and questions built my confidence and I was convinced me that I achieved or met the expectation of my audience  and they enjoyed my presentation. From the video tape review, it is certain that the beginning of the presentation seemed difficult despite that fact that I was addressing my social friends. In fact, from the video it is apparent that I was unable to look straight into my audience and my eyes were only glued onto my prepared speech. Additionally, there were no body movement and the environment looked tensed. However, middle way everything changed and I got used to the being center stage of my audience the environment became friendly, and I could use gesture and body language to stress some of my points. The videotape presentation review chan ged my perception about presentation completely. From the replays, I learnt that presentations might just be treated as talking to individuals but on geared tunes. Presentation is just another way of sharing once fears and concerns about issues that affect people in the presenter knows them best. Furthermore, the video presentation has only left me practicing on how I will make my other presentations better and as interactive as I

College Goals Essay Example for Free

College Goals Essay Attending college is the first step to a better future. Throughout life there will be many goals to accomplish but some of the most important goals to accomplish will be during the time you are in college. My first goal is to pass every class this semester. After completing this goal my next goal to complete will be to graduate from Hudson County Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts. Finally my last goal to complete is to further my education and get the job I want. Passing every class this semester will help me feel positive and confident about my future and future goals. In order to complete this goal I will have to attend every class and be on time. By missing one class I will miss out on a lot of work and may not be able to catch up. I will have to finish every assignment on time because if I write the best essay I could possibly write but hand it in late, my grade will drop dramatically. Finally I will have to ask for help if I need it. Even though it is my first semester of college and I do not know what to expect, asking for help is easy and can help improve my college experience. To be able to obtain my Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts by August 2015 I will have to work harder than I ever have. I will have to be sure to complete all my assignments and be sure to attend all my classes. I will have to put school first in life and avoid activities that will have a negative impact on my education. Prior to achieving this goal I also want to choose the career I want so I can know what direction my life is going. My final long-term college goal is to go on to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree and possibly my Master’s Degree, depending on the career I choose. I have not chosen the career I want yet but I want to have the best education possible to qualify me for the job. To be able to obtain the best education possible I want to keep my grade point average high and be able to attend a good university. I have not really thought about all the details since I have not chosen a career yet but I am going to better my education as much as I possibly can. After completing all my education I will have the job I want and be happy and financially stable. In conclusion, my college goals are some of the most important in my life because they greatly help shape my future. By passing all my classes this semester I will have the confidence to continue my education and do well. By obtaining my Associate’s Degree I will be able to go on and obtain my Bachelor’s and possibly Master’s Degrees. And finally when I finish completing all my education I will be able to get the career I want and be happy with my life. My entire future depends on the choices I make in college.

Infective Endocarditis Caused by Viridans Streptococci

Infective Endocarditis Caused by Viridans Streptococci Case Study 1: Infective endocarditis caused by viridans streptococci Case Study 2: Haemorrhagic fever caused by Ebolavirus Case Study 1 Subject is a 48-year-old man with a history of mitral valve regurgitation who presents with a 10-day history of fatigue, fever and general malaise. Some reddish lesions are noted on his palm, which he has never noticed before. He denies any cough, but has mild new shortness of breath with exertion and with lying down flat at night in bed. He is generally in good health except for a root canal operation approximately 3 weeks previously. The history of mitral valve regurgitation is thought to be secondary to rheumatic fever as a child. Heart examination is notable for a loud systolic murmur best heard at the left sternal border with radiation over to the axilla. Lungs are clear and abdominal examination is normal. Skin examination is significant for several scattered reddish lesions over his palms and soles that are not painful when pressure is applied. Lab tests: Blood count shows WBC 14.8 with 86% neutrophils; blood cultures grew out gram-positive cocci in chains that are alpha haemolytic on horse blood agar. Evidence for Diagnosis Mitral valve regurgitation would account for the fatigue, and also the shortness of breath in the patient, however other symptoms are present that this alone cannot explain. The first of these is the fever suffered by the patient, which would signify an infection. The second is the presence of lesions on the palms and soles; Petechiae such as these, known as Janeway lesions, are an indicator of endocarditis (O’Connor, 2002), and the patient’s history of mitral valve regurgitation, along with a recent history of root canal work confirm that this is a likely diagnosis. The lungs and abdomen of the patient are clear, as would be expected in a case of endocarditis, however examination of the heart sounds displayed a clear murmer. The patient’s blood results showed clear signs of infection, with leukocytosis and elevated neutrophil count. The bacteria cultured from the patient’s blood can be easily identified as Streptococci, and since this is known to be a cau sative organism of endocarditis (Brooks, Butel and Morse, 2004, pp.197), it makes the diagnosis very likely. Further Testing Required While the diagnosis in this case should be straight forward due to bacteraemia and presence of peripheral stigmata, according to the Duke criteria, which is used as a tool for diagnosis of infective endocarditis, this patient would be classified as having only possible infective endocarditis. As they display some of the necessary pathologic and clinical criteria, they would need further tests to determine if it was definitely infective endocarditis (Li et al., 2000). The Duke Criteria was developed by Durack et al. (1994) as a means of better distinguishing infective endocarditis from other causes of cardiac problems; these were evaluated as being superior to previous methods for diagnosis (Bayer et al., 1994)(Cecchi et al., 1997)(Hoen et al., 1995) The criteria have been used since, though there have been studies done into improving the criteria further. According to these criteria, the patient’s diagnosis could be confirmed by carrying out other tests such as an ECG, echocar diogram, and chest x-ray, to exclude other possible cardiac problems. However, the patient would also meet two major criteria, and therefore be classified as definite infective endocarditis if two further cultures of blood grew causative bacteria. While the most likely causative organism is viridans streptococci, as Streptococcus pneumonia is more commonly associated with bacterial pneumonia or meningitis, the two can be differentiated quite simply by testing with optochin. S. pneumonia are susceptible to this microbial agent, where viridans streptococci are resistant. Suspending the bacteria in bile salts would also provide a suitable distinction, as S. pneumonia would lyse, where viridans streptococci are insoluble (Brooks, Butel and Morse, 2004, pp.197). Endocarditis as a result of streptococcal infection Microbiology Many textbooks, and in fact some journal articles refer to the group of streptococci which cause endocarditis by the name Streptococcus viridans, however this is actually a misnomer, as the viridans streptococci are actually a group of several different bacteria, and are referred to as viridans simply because they produce a green halo when grown on blood agar (Elliott et al., 1997, pp.30-1). Viridans streptococci are often found resident in abundance in the mouth, where they are usually commensal, or cause only mild infections; once in the blood stream, these usually passive bacteria can become pathogenic, and lead to endocarditis upon reaching the heart (Brooks, Butel and Morse, 2004, pp.197). The bacteria are able to proliferate in structurally abnormal valve surfaces and gradually lead to the destruction of the valves, resulting in regurgitation (O’Connor, 2002). Those valves damaged by rheumatic fever are particularly prone to infection (Heritage, Evans and Killington, 1999, p.185). Symptoms The physical symptoms suffered by the patient are a result of the body’s response to the infection; the fever and general malaise suffered by the patient would be as a result of cytokine generation from the low-grade infection, and the petechiae in the skin, known as Janeway lesions, are the result of immune complexes being deposited in small vessels there (O’Connor, 2002). Prophylaxis Any patient, such as the one here, assessed from their previous medical history to be at risk from endocarditis, should be given prophylactic treatment before undergoing invasive dental surgery. The current guidelines outlined by Ramsdale et al. (2004) recommend amoxicillin for this purpose, or clindamycin for those allergic to penicillin. This particular patient would only be considered a moderate risk according to the new guidelines, so there would be no need for gentamicin, however those considered at high risk would be given this intravenously in addition to IV amoxicillin/clindamycin. Treatment A combination of penicillin and gentamicin are used to treat streptococcal endocarditis. While studies have found that there is only a limited resistance to penicillin in sufferers at present, vancomycin can be used a viable alternative in those allergic to penicillin and those with more resistant strains (Johnson et al., 2001). For those who do not respond to antimicrobial treatment, surgery is often a viable option, replacing the infected valves. While not always successful, this offers an improved prognosis for those where other treatment is unsuccessful (Moon et al., 1997). Prognosis If left untreated, infective endocarditis is always fatal, as the destruction of a valve will prevent the heart from working. Even if treated, the disease carries a high morbidity and mortality rate. The factors which impact strongest on prognosis are uncontrolled infection and congestive heart failure. It is for this reason that early diagnosis and antimicrobial treatment is necessary. However, constant improvements in surgical procedures are leading to a better prognosis for those not responding to treatment (Karth et al., 2002). It could be reasoned that these advances in surgery will become even more important in prognosis as incidences of antimicrobial resistance increase, which is surely inevitable judging by trends in other bacterial infections such as Staphylococcus aureus. Case Study 4 A 34-year-old woman researcher studying chimpanzee behaviour in the Ivory Coast found several of the animals were dying. She dissected one several hours after it died and found that it had died of haemorrhage, and had non-clotting blood. She wore household gloves, but no mask or gown during the dissection. Eight days later she developed a fever and headache, which did not respond to malaria treatment. Five days into her illness, she developed vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash, and renal failure. Antibiotics did not improve her condition and she was transported home in isolation. The patient is lethargic but communicative. She has lymphadenopathy. Her lung exam is normal. She has a mildly tender and enlarged liver and spleen. Lab tests: She has a white blood cell count of 3.6, haematocrit of 40, and low platelets of 83. She has a low fibrinogen of 0.8. Her clotting times are normal, however. Serological tests for anthrax, dengue fever, chikungunya, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Marburg virus, Rift Valley fever, Lassa fever, and Hantavirus are all negative. Evidence for Diagnosis The history of the patient suggests that she is suffering from something that has arisen from her contact with an infected chimpanzee. While a number of zoonotic diseases are known to be prevalent in the African continent, the majority of those have already been ruled out by negative test results. One which has not is the Ebolavirus, which gives rise to Ebola haemorrhagic fever. Transmission of the Ebolavirus from dead animals has been documented in the past, including in the Ivory Coast (WHO, 2004; CDC, 2005). The onset of the patient’s symptoms fits with the known timescale for the Ebolavirus of 2 to 21 days; the fever and headache which she experienced are classic symptoms. Later in the disease sufferers also usually develop diarrhoea, vomiting, and possibly a rash (CDC, 2005). It would obviously be expected that antibiotics would bring no improvement to the illness, as the infection is viral. In a physical examination, it would be expected that a patient infected with Ebolavirus would have an enlarged liver and spleen, as this is where virus replication is particularly proliferant. Sanchez et al. (2004) also specifies the lungs as also being one of the main sites of virus replication, implying that the patient should be suffering from tenderness of the lungs also, however this evidence is taken from studies into the Sudan strain of Ebolavirus, and this is much more likely to be the Ivory Coast strain, so some symptoms may differ. In the laboratory examination, it is expected to see a normal haemocrit, accompanied by leucopenia and thrombocytopenia as displayed in the patient. It would be usual for the clotting time to be shortened, however this patient has low levels of fibrinogen, possibly due to some secondary cause, which may alter the clotting time, making it higher than expected. Further Testing Required While virus isolation, transmission electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, reverse transcription-PCR, antigen capture ELISA, and IgG or IgM antibody capture ELISA can all been used to show Ebolavirus as the causitive agent, there are conflicting reports over which techniques are preferable for use. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (2005) suggest that in a patient at this stage of the disease, testing should be carried out for IgM and IgG antibodies, Kurosaki et al. (2006) and Towner et al. (2004) recommend RT-PCR as the most efficient technique. Ebolavirus Aetiology Ebola belongs to the filoviruses or Filoviridae, which is divided into two genera, the Ebolavirus and the Marburgvirus. The Ebolavirus genus is split into four separate species: Ivory Coast ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus, Zaire ebolavirus and Reston ebolavirus (Hensley et al., 2005). While the disease is zoonotic, the natural reservoir of the disease is not non-human primates; the actual reservoir and the mode of transition into apes is so far unknown, although studies are currently being undertaken on the suggestion that bats may play a role. Transmission into humans is rare, and is often one isolated case (Peterson et al., 2004), although if the proper precautions are not taken it is possible for the disease to spread in the human population. Epidemiology The disease has appeared sporadically since its initial recognition in 1976, and has occurred only in specific geographical areas as per the names of the different strains (CDC, 2005). It is generally agreed that the virus is transmitted via direct contact with the blood or bodily secretions from another infected person (Dowell et al., 1999; WHO, 2004), due to the extensive viral involvement in the subcutaneous tissue (Peters, 2005). It is believed that this is also the case among non-human primates, such as the chimpanzees, although this is so far unconfirmed (CDC, 2005). In laboratory studies, the virus has shown the ability to be spread via aerosol between rhesus monkeys (Johnson et al., 1995), and while some authors such as Heeney (2006) list the virus as being aerosol, there have so far been no such documented cases in a real-world setting between humans (CDC, 2005; Dowell et al., 1999). Symptoms The World Health Organisation (2004) lists the main symptoms of the Ebolavirus as being a sudden onset of fever, accompanied by intense weakness and muscle pain, headaches and a sore throat. After a few days this is followed by vomiting and diarrhoea, rashes, liver and kidney dysfunction and sometimes also both internal and external bleeding. Pathogenesis The pathogenesis of Ebolavirus is currently very hard to study, due to the rarity of occurrences in humans, and also due to the dangerous nature of collecting, storing and analysing samples from those cases. The illness is severe due to the ability of the virus to supress both adaptive and innate immune responses, and the ability to cause extreme inflammatory responses and intravascular coagulation (Mahanty and Bray, 2004). At the current time it is thought that monocytes and macrophages in the body are infected during the early stages of the virus, and these then carry the virus to other areas (Sanchez et al., 2004). The infected monocytes express large amounts of tissue factor, leading to intravascular coagulation, and causing tissue damage. Infected macrophages secrete cytokines which cause apoptosis of lymphocytes in tissues that are required for the acquired immune response (Peters, 2005), hence the presence of leucopenia in blood count results. The mobile infected cells carry the viral agent to lymph nodes, where the virus further replicates and is spread through the body. Upon reaching the liver, spleen and other tissues, parenchymal cells, including hepatocytes and adrenal cortical cells will become infected (Mahanty and Bray, 2004). This is what leads to the enlarged organs, and will also result in an increase in the levels of liver enzymes in the blood. Prophylaxis and Treatment Some progress has been made in the formation of vaccines, and these have proved successful in testing on non-human primates (Hensley et al., 2005). However other sources report that all attempts so far have met with outright failure (Peters, 2005). Barrier nursing techniques appear to be effective in preventing the spread of the disease (Dowell et al., 1999; Formenty et al., 1999). Prognosis The Zaire strain of Ebolavirus is reportedly the most lethal (Mahanty and Bray, 2004); there is only one reported case of a human contracting the Ivory Coast strain, presenting similarly to the patient, and they survived (Formenty et al., 1999). It is very difficult to form an accurate prognosis however due to the limited results on which to base it. References Bayer A.S., Ward J.I., Ginzton L.E. and Shapiro S.M. (1994) Evaluation of new clinical criteria for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis. American Journal of Medicine, 96 (3), pp.220-2 Brooks G.F., Butel J.S. and Morse S.A. (2004) Medical Microbiology 23rd Edition. McGraw-Hill, p.197 CDC (2005) Centres for Disease Control and Prevention [online]- November 18, 2005.- available from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/ebola/qa.htm [cited February 2, 2007] Cecchi E., Parrini I., Chinaglia A., Pomari F., Brusasco G., Bobbio M., Trinchero R. and Brusca A. (1997) New diagnostic criteria for infective endocarditis. A study of sensitivity and specificity Eureopean Heart Journal, 18 (7), pp. 1149-56 Dowell S. F., Mukunu R., Ksiazek T. G., Khan A. S., Rollin P. E. and Peters C. J. (1999) Transmission of Ebola hemorrhagic fever: A study of risk factors in family members, Kikwit, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1995. Journal of Infectious Disease, 179 Suppl. 1, pp. S87-S91 Durack D.T., Lukes A.S. and Bright D.K. (1994) New criteria for diagnosis of infective endocarditis: utilization of specific echocardiographic findings, American Journal of Medicine, 96 (3), pp. 200-9 Elliott M., Hastings U., Desselberger R. and Reid G. (1997) Lecture Notes on Medical Microbiology Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing, pp.30-1 Formenty P., Hatz C., Le Guenno B., Stoll A., Rogenmoser P. and Widmer A. (1999) Human infection due to Ebola virus, subtype Cote dIvoire: Clinical and biologic presentation. Journal of Infectious Diease, 179 Suppl. 1, pp.S48-S53 Heeney J.L. (2006) Zoonotic viral diseases and the frontier of early diagnosis, control and prevention. Journal of Internal Medicine, 260, pp. 399-408 Hensley L., Jones S., Feldmann H., Jahrling P. and Geisbert T. (2005) Ebola and Marburg viruses: Pathogenesis and development of countermeasures. Current Molecular Medicine, 5, pp. 761 772 Heritage J., Evans E.G.V. and Killington R.A. (1999) Microbiology in Action. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, p. 185 Hoen B., Selton-Suty C., Danchin N., Weber M., Villemot J.P., Mathieu P., Floquet J. and Canton P. (1995) Evaluation of the Duke criteria versus the Beth Israel criteria for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis. Clinical Infectious Disease,21 (4), pp. 905-9 Johnson A.P. [et al.] (2001) Antibiotic susceptibility of streptococci and related genera causing endocarditis: analysis of UK reference laboratory referrals, January 1996 to March 2000. BMJ, 322, p. 7283 Johnson E., Jaax N., White J. and Jahrling P. (1995) Lethal experimental infections of rhesus monkeys by aerosolized Ebola virus. International Journal of Experimental Pathology, 76 (4), pp. 227-236 Karth G.D. [et al.] (2002) Complicated infective endocarditis necessitating ICU admission clinical course and prognosis. Critical Care, 6 (2), pp. 149 154 Kurosaki Y., Takada A., Ebihara H., Grolla A., Kamo N., Feldmann H., Kawaoka Y. and Yasuda J. (2006) Rapid and simple detection of Ebola virus by reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification. Journal of Virological Methods, doi: 10.1016. Li J.S., Sexton D.J., Mick N., Nettles R., Fowler V.G., Ryan T., Bashore T. and Corey G.R. (2000) Proposed modifications to the Duke Criteria for the diagnosis of Infective Endocarditis. Clinical Infectious Disease, 30, pp.633-638 Mahanty S. and Bray M. (2004) Pathogenesis of filoviral haemorrhagic fevers. The Lancet, 4 (8) pp. 487-498 Moon M.R., Stinson E.B. and Miller D.C. (1997) Surgical treatment of endocarditis. Progress in Cardiovascular Diease, 40 (3) pp. 239-64 OConnor D. (2002) Pathology. Elsevier Health Sciences Peters C. J. (2005) Marburg and Ebola Arming ourselves against the deadly filoviruses. New England Journal of Medicine, 325 (25), pp. 2571-2573. Peterson A.T., Bauer J.T. and Mills J.N. (2004) Ecologic and geographic distribution of filovirus disease. Emerging Infectious Dieases, 10 (1), pp. 40-7. Ramsdale D.R. et al (2004) Dental aspects of Endocarditis Prophylaxis : New Recommendations from a Working Group of the British Cardiac Society Clinical Practice Committee and Royal College of Physicians Clinical Effectiveness and Evaluation Unit [Report]: Working Group of the British Cardiac Society Clinical Practice Committee and Royal College of Physicians Clinical Effectiveness and Evaluation, 19 April 2004. Sanchez A., Lukwiya M., Bausch D., Manharty S., Sanchez A., Wagoner K. and Rollin P. (2004) Analysis of human peripheral blood samples from fatal and nonfatl cases of Ebola (Sudan) haemorrhagic fever: Cellular responses, virus oad and nitric oxide levels. Journal of Virology, 78 (19), pp.10370-10377. Towner J.S. [et al.] (2004) Rapid diagnosis of Ebola hemorrhagic fever by reverse transcription-PCR in an outbreak setting and assessment of patient viral load as a predictor of outcome. Journal of Virology, 78 (8), pp. 4330-4341 WHO (2005) World Health Organisation Ebola Factsheet [Online]available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/index.html [cited February 2, 2007]

The Effects of Obesity Essay -- Health and Wellness

Obesity is a well documented problem in the United States. Every year, billions of dollars are spent on this epidemic and the plethora of diseases and issues it causes. This has been shown to be a problem at the state as well as the national level. In order to better understand the impact it has, we will discuss the issue of obesity as a whole, the problems associated with this disease, the costs of those problems, as well as possible solutions to this growing problem in our country. For the purposes of this paper, it is important to give reference points with regards to certain key definitions. The generally accepted way of defining obesity is in the National Institutes of Health Weight Classification system. This system relies on the use of BMI as computed using the weight in kilograms divided by the height in meters squared. The following cutoff points are given for the defined words: underweight- BMI 30.0 kg/m2. These benchmarks will be the defined values for the given words throughout this paper. According to a brief prepared by Dr. Eric Wright for the Indiana Center for Urban Policy and the Environment in May of 2006, nearly 97 million adults in the United States are obese or overweight. That number had doubled in the previous 30 years and is predicted to continue that upward trend. This means that nearly 2 out of every 3 adults in the US are obese or overweight. The surgeon general, Dr. Richard Carmona reported in 2003 that 1 out of every 8 deaths in the US is caused by an illness that is directly correlated to obesity. Obesity is caused by a number of different factors, the main ones being: inacti... ...s, Blacks Had 51% Higher and Hispanics Had 21% Higher Obesity Rates." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC. Web. 1 Jan. 2012. Finkelstein, Eric A., Ian C. Fiebelkorn, and Guijing Wang. "Obesity - State-Level Estimates of Annual Medical Expenditures Attributable to Obesity[ast][ast]." Nature Publishing Group : Science Journals, Jobs, and Information. Web. 1 Jan. 2012. Carmona, Richard H. "The Obesity Crisis in America." Office of the Surgeon General (OSG). Web. 1 Jan. 2012. Paddock, Ph.D, Catherine. "Medical News Today News Article." Medical News Today: Health News. Medical News Today. Web. 1 Jan. 2012.

AIS Implementation Case Study

Steve Cowan is the owner of a distribution company of salon hair products. The company, Professional Salon Concepts, (PSC) was growing and decided to upgrade their AIS to support the demands of the company. Steve hired Mike, his brother-in-law to assist him and the two of them began to research the different products available believing they could better determine the needs of the company than a consultant could. After a short time they bought first one and then changing their minds and bought a second system. After a short training period the new system was installed with some very problematic first few days. Eventually the system was up and running but never fully doing what they had originally wanted from the new system. Romney & Steinbart (2009). Implementing new AIS is something that businesses everywhere have to consider at some point and time. The case of PSC and how they went about choosing and implementing their AIS is what we will be looking at. There are six main points of consideration I will be covering in this study. The first is a look at how good of a job PSC did in selecting, installing and implementing their new system. We will look at what they did wrong and what they could have done differently. We will try to determine how PSC could have avoided the missing features, the conversion and reporting problems they had. Next we will review Steve’s analysis of his numbers and determine if his conclusions were correct. Looking at his new shipping system we want to see if there is a way that PSC’s customers can defraud the company. Finally, we will take a look at the level of service PSC received from the company where they purchased their new AIS and how it could have been improved. Steve’s Assessment Selecting the New AIS PSC spent months researching software and attending demonstrations. While doing research on their own is not a bad thing they however dismissed the possible use of consultants. Again not always a bad thing but when they did their research, it is not clear if they had a confirmed set of requirements of their needs in the new AIS. As a result PSC never compared companies through a request for proposals, (RFP); if they had they could have sent their requirements to the vendors. The vendors would then have sent back their proposals to PSC. After eliminating vendors that do not meet the minimum requirements, PSC could then do a comparison of the remaining vendors before making a final decision. Romney & Steinbart (2009). The key is the set requirements and minimum standards they were willing to settle for. In the end they had decided on one system, paid for it and had started installing it when they changed their minds and went with a different company. The company, DSM was chosen almost on a whim. DSM could not demonstrate all of the features PSC had wanted and took a reassurance that they would get those features without documentation. PSC also did not do an extensive background check into DSM before they purchased the new AIS. Installation Installation and implementing of the new AIS was anything but smooth. In retrospect even Steve knew they did not take the time needed to properly test or to train employees on how to use the new system. Three months was not sufficient time to try and work out the possible problems they would have with the new AIS. While Steve felt that training was very important he greatly underestimated the amount of time that was needed for proper training of employees on the new systems. The operators should have been involved from the beginning to determine what was needed and how it was being implemented into the new AIS. Each of these operators should also have been included in the design of the interface they would be using. If their input was not a possible part of the design they should have at the very least been included in the original installation and testing part of the new systems to determine what the possible problem failures would be and to better learn the new systems. Missing Features How could PSC have avoided the problem of the missing features? If PSC had gotten RFPs the problem of missing features in the system they chose would have been eliminated during the vendor selection process. However, in the route they did take those features that were important to Steve but were not included in the AIS could have been included by having a systems requirements list and a written contract with the specifications explicitly written out. Conversion and Reporting How could PSC have avoided some of the conversion and reporting problems it faced? As I stated before, more time was needed in the testing and training portion of the conversion before the new AIS went online. One trick I learned from our own system change at the city I work in is to train a few operators on the new systems during the testing phase and then have them train a few more in their own departments. By using your own employees to train each other they are gaining a better understanding of how the system works. This way on the day of the change you have more people who understand the system and how to fix or correct the things that can go wrong. The more people you can have trained this way before the system change the better off you will be at the critical moment. Steve’s Analysis Steve’s analysis of the numbers is incomplete in my opinion. Steve looked only at the initial cost of the package but he did not look at recurring costs of up keep of the hardware and software, systems maintenance, conversion cost, training expense, cost of running the testing phase as well as several other things. The conversion alone cost him a 15% drop in sales and none of these expenses were calculated into the cost of the new AIS. Steve and Mike should have consulted an accountant to help with the crunching of numbers before they had purchased the AIS from DSM. One other mistake they made in this purchase was not to have the extra features written into a contract as a part of the cost. Shipping and Fraud Is there a way PSC could be defrauded by the new multi-box shipments? After looking online for ways the only thing I could come up with was for the customers to claim that not all of the boxes were received. Because they only require one packing slip for multiple boxes, one of the boxes could just not make it to the stores or items could go missing from the shipments. I don’t think it would be hard to say that one of four or five boxes was missing an item. Without a packing slip in each box it would be easy for something to be overlooked when they are being packed. I’m not sure if there is another way the multi-box one packing slip approach could be defrauded. Level of Service On a level of one to five, one being the best, I would probably rate DSMs level of service about three. DSM was not the worst company I have read about but they could have stepped up their service. One of the things they could improve on is their training. Training was something of a disaster judging from the first day. More of the employees should have been trained and trained much better than they were. Another area of improvement would be in the testing phase of the installation before the new system went online. The sales person made assurances that it was apparent after the fact that they had no right to made or no intention of keeping. The extra features that PSC was told would be included in their package were only going to be added for an extra fee that PSC would have to shoulder the majority of. One feature was added at an additional cost of ten thousand but the second feature was never added. Conclusions In the end Steve was satisfied with the new AIS. While the new AIS did decrease the turnaround time to only twenty minutes from five hours it never did do all the things they had wanted. PSC is negotiating with DSM to write the programs that will complete the processes he wants the AIS system to do, for an additional cost. Upgrading from the system they had was necessary but, I can’t help wondering if they wouldn’t have been better off sticking with the original $20,000 purchase and having a company write the programs they were missing. The price PSC paid for the AIS from DSM was rather steep in comparison. In the end Steve said he was satisfied but I have to wonder if he really was or if he was just trying to feel ok with what had happened and what he paid.

U.S. Economy and Student Debts Review Essay

U.S. Economy and Student Debts Review Essay U.S. Economy and Student Debts Review Essay Example U.S. Economy and Student Debts Review Essay Example American economy is undeniably the most successful in the world. However, it continues to face diverse problems that need to be urgently addressed before escalating into an uncontrollable crisis that would be difficult to handle. The Obama administration has been trying to solve the matters such as the growing inequalities between wealthy individuals and those who do not have access to the financial and wealth resources. Migrants, such as Latinos, had an opportunity to be integrated into the employment systems in order to solve the widening inequalities. The continuously expanding gap between the rich and the poor will affect the economy in different ways, including changes in the derivatives market and in proprietary trading, the fall in financial regulatory mechanisms, and the decrease of democracy in the country. Moreover, increasing long-term employment for fulltime positions could lead to the increase of family incomes by 2016, improvement of the economy wage bill, and increase of the demand for goods and services. The rising student debt would raise the cost of living for most families, the borrowing of the government, reduced other sectors’ development, and budgetary problems in the state and the entire country. This paper explicates the long-term implications on the U.S. economy of the increasing income and wealth gap, raised employment for fulltime jobs, and growing student debts. The Long-Term Implications for the U.S. Economy of Increasing Income and Wealth Inequality (Gap) The American working culture provides that individuals work for a living as well as feel that it is their moral obligation. Therefore, many Americans regardless of their financial status are employed or working for themselves. According to Steinberg, Porro and Goldberg (2012), the 2007 financial crisis caused a reverse in employment leading to increased poverty and wealth inequalities in the country. Notably, the 2007 economic crisis caused many problems that must be resolved. For example, such events as the housing bubble burst dwindled the financial sector. Therefore, the banks could not afford to lend. The construction workers and their contracting companies lost their jobs. Consequently, tax revenue decreased, which provided the government with less profit to foster development. Shapiro, Meschede and Osoro (2013) assert that most citizens in the U.S. have become affluent over the years since President Lyndon Johnson declared the fight against poverty in 1964. However, the poverty rate in the country amount to 25%, and the declining efforts to fight poverty have continued expanding the gap between the wealthy and the poor in the entire country. As the wealth and income gaps continue to widen, the poor and the middle income workers are forced to work more to pay the elite. Such self-interest contributes to an unprecedented growth in the wealth division since homeowners begin to default on their loans, and shareholders’ securities become worthless. While the elite prosper, a large part of the poorest families will continue suffering in the future. Some of the notable long-term implications of the increasing wealth and income inequality gaps are discussed below. Future changes in the derivatives market From the financial perspective, derivatives comprise the largest part of the unregulated financial sector. The International Monetary Fund (2011) affirms that derivatives offer traders and sellers the opportunity to engage in their transactions at a further date, hence avoiding any complications in their operations. Elliot and Lewis (2013) inform that derivatives have been in use since the 17th century, and most traders have continued relying on them for successful activities in the market. An expanding unregulated sector raises various concerns because it is solely responsible for the growth of institutions and the assurance of a balance between the financially challenged citizens and the wealthy class. Riccards (2012) considers that the elite set of financially able individuals have developed businesses that are mainly focused on the generation of profit,s hence affecting the growth of the entire country. Consequently, the future of the American wealth gap situation is faced by unr eliable housing bubble as well as financial derivatives. It will be difficult to trade in derivatives in the future because only a few individuals will have the capacity to work in such conditions, hence derailing the market. Their success depends on the ability of many people to participate in the market freely. It will not be easy for the poor to get the opportunity to contribute to the growth of such markets because they do not have the resources to engage in them. Apart from their poverty, they will not have the opportunity to visit school and learn about the significance of derivatives in the process of economic growth. Future changes in proprietary trading Sexton (2013) affirms that the income and wealth gaps continue to widen proprietary trading, which is unregulated. Proprietary trading provides banks with the opportunity to trade commercial money in the capacity of investment budget. Therefore, the banks have ability to speculate against derivatives made of sub-prime mortgages that they had lent due to their customers’ commercial money. Shapiro, Meschede and Osoro (2013) agree that in 1929, proprietary trading played a tremendous role in causing the Great Depression, and in 1933, the Congress passed the Glass-Steagall Act to prevent the future use of proprietary trading and help prevent financial crisis. However, the increase of wealth gap gives power to wealthy people who require such actions to safeguard their interest. The passing of proprietary trading legislation will further contribute to the growth of the housing bubble and its subsequent collapse, but will leave the financial sector if the earnings partially decrease due to the effects of the proprietary trading practice. Future fall in democracy Due to the growing division of wealth and incomes witnessed during the financial crisis, it could be noted that the federal government’s ability to work democratically is deteriorating where financial elites are rising to power. Due to its inability to withstand powerful interests from the financial sector, the federal government is losing its ability to govern democratically. According to Schneirov and Fernandez (2013), the citizens consider the government legitimate if it is able to maintain control and stability of its society. In tandem with the growing housing bubble and the Great Recession, the government demonstrated its inability to manage the financial sector and subsequently the entire American economy. The nation’s second worst financial crisis was triggered by deregulating financial sector, which was encouraged by its interests in politics. Doogan (2013) states that the result of the government’s inability to protect the economic well-being of American citizens indicates its fading ability to secure the future of the entire country. According to the definition of democracy as a government that is able to listen to its people objectively and protect their interests adequately, the federal government is unable to represent and protect the best interest of taxpayers from the financial sector interests. This reason should challenge the U.S. government to continue working on decreasing the wealth and income disparities among its citizens. Riccards (2012) insists that the wealthy class will replace the government and will be in a sole position to make economic decisions that favor their trading activities. In this case, fiscal policies that are usually undertaken by the go vernment will be skewed and focused on protecting the interests of the wealthiest and financially powerful individuals, hence impairing democracy of the economy. Fall of the financial regulatory enforcement The financial regulatory enforcement is struggling to follow the increase in wealth and income inequality gap. Therefore, many organizations that it relies on appear to be losing track because they cannot correspond to the financial sector’s growing pace. The financial market has been growing at exorbitant rates. The amount of outstanding credit that sustains the growing financial sector has increased during the past twenty years, and the highest growth occurred in the past decade. Doogan (2013) indicates that much of this increase can be attributed to the expanding derivatives market, which is, as stated earlier, increased by 100% from 1998 to 2008. It is worth noting that the financial sector regulation has continued to lag behind the growing institutions, and the divergence has grown since the escalation of anti-regulatory ideology in politics in the 1980s. Nevertheless, the efforts have been made towards strengthening the regulatory system since the 1980s through adequate financing and support by the government. According to Krueger, Cramer, and Cho (2013), this causes concerns regarding the regulators’ ability to oversee effectively the financial sector and provides insight how the regulators allowed the occurrence of the financial crisis. In the nearest future, the organizations will lack a place to lean the credits in order to boost their business leading to losses or eventually closure. The influence of the wealthy class will overpower the financially challenged citizens, hence making it tough for the financial regulatory mechanism to restore its required efficiency in operations. The Long-Term Effects for the U.S. Economy of Increasing Long-Term Employment for Fulltime Positions Baker and Bernstein (2012) affirm that one of the key long-term effects of increasing employment for full time positions is that the families whose income is below the poverty line will increase triple by 2016. Most families that are currently living in poverty will have an increase of their incomes in the future since parents get the opportunity to work as fulltime employees with a stable salary every month. This implies that the level of poverty could be alleviated, since most families will have access to the decent housing, shelter, and food. The increase in fulltime employment will also mean that these families engage in other business activities due to their financial power and income availability. Kritikos (2014) states that the family businesses will start to emerge in order to increase their income base and meet other rising family needs. The prosperity of families due to the increase in incomes will cause the U.S. economy grow at a desirable level and remain in the dominant position. Continuous dependency of the government and its different projects will gradually reduce, hence leading to stability of the country’s economy. In tandem with the conventional economic analysis, an increase in the minimum wage would have two significant effects on the employment. First, the employers would have to deal with the high costs of producing goods and services. Krueger, Cramer and Cho (2013) confirm that these costs would be passed to consumers, hence affecting their consumption level of different products and services in the economy. For example, they will be required to pay more to cater for the increasing minimum wages paid to fulltime employees in various organizations. Most employers will deal with this effect by producing fewer goods and services using lesser human resources. Baker and Bernstein (2012) agree that this issue is commonly referred to as a scale effect, and it could deny other people the opportunity of getting these jobs in the future. The second way is that the increase in the minimum wage follow the increased costs for additional fulltime employees compared to using other production strategies such as machines and more productive higher-wage workers. It is crucial to note that some employees will continue focusing on the profit motive trying to save on their low-wage workers to accommodate high-wage workers. Riccards (2012) agrees that this is a substitution effect, which plays an instrumental role in boosting the level of the employment among high-wage employees compared to low-wage ones. However, it is imperative to understand that the conventional economic analysis would not be directly efficient in all situations. For example, when the firms plan to acquire new human resources on a fulltime basis and intend to maintain the current staff, they will have to incur more maintenance costs for them. This implies that increasing the number of fulltime jobs will escalate the overall costs of retaining existing employees and motivate them to realize the economic goals of the company. There are cases when searching requires much time and high costs among the workers. Kritikos (2014) indicates that increasing the minimum wage means that the businesses have to pay the existing workers more in any given case. This is beneficial because it leads to the overall reduction of costs for hiring and retaining new employees within the organization. Most low-wage workers who experience a change in their wages due to minimum wage increases work in the public sector and the government tries to protect their interest all the time. After a little increase of the minimum wage, some employers try to maintain different system of payment for their employees as it was before. Baker and Bernstein (2012) confirm that collective bargaining is used in the determination of some salaries. These usually depend on the costs incurred by the state government in relation to the employee protection. Therefore, an increase in the minimum wage would cause some workers become jobless in cases where they are not producing according to the required levels. New fulltime employees will replace them to ensure that the efficiency of the firm is increased at all levels. Additionally, some firms, especially those that do not engage in the employment of many low-wage workers, but that compete with firms that do, would witness a rise in demand for the different goods and services since the costs of their competitors gradually increase. Such firms would hire more low-wage workers as a result. The variation in employment of low-wage workers changes with the course of time. First, when the minimum wage increases, some firms could prefer accommodating fewer low-wage workers on a fulltime basis while others continue to follow their system. Sexton (2013) asserts that the rise in the demand for their goods and services will also be attributed to the increasing incomes among different individuals. Moreover, the production level will increase, hence leading to the mass production of various goods and services within the economy. The increasing levels of demand will mean that businesses make profits from their activities not depending on a small consumer base. M ost families and individuals will have the power to purchase and consume all categories of products, including the luxurious ones in the economy. For example, increasing full time employment could drastically lead to the growth of the products purchase such as cars and other luxurious goods required by the individuals. Employers might approach minimum wage increases in other modified ways that do not necessarily involve increasing prices or substituting low-wage workers with other appropriate inputs such as machines. For example, they might decide to offset increase of the minimum wage through reducing other costs such as fringe benefits with respect to health insurance or pensions as well as job rewards such as free meals. Employers will be willing to reduce the overall costs of production and increase their profitability. Doogan (2013) considers it is obvious that increasing employment for fulltime jobs will require them to incur more costs for sustaining their staff members. Thus, most of them will establish new strategies such as reducing total employee benefits. This will force the U.S. economy to take different direction where most employees are only paid their basic salaries without any form of additionally benefits. However, the reduction of these benefits will take a moderate approach due to the understanding that most of these workers do not have much profit. In addition, Riccards (2012) clarifies that most employers will take a moderate approach because they fear to face unfavorable tax treatment, as provided in the tax policy of the country. They will also reduce the training costs for their employees to ensure they deal with the rising costs of human resources within their organizations. The Long Term Implications for the U.S. Economy of Rising Student Debts Elliot and Lewis (2013) affirm that a consumer finances survey conducted in 2010 indicated that 45% of all American families are burdened with outstanding student loan debts. This rate rose by 33% in 2007. Most of the student debt in America is held by people who are under the age of 35 years. Nevertheless, the economic and financial effects of these debts are felt beyond this age bracket. Currently, most of the people in the United States own a job and receive wages. FICO (2013) reveals that most of the individuals from the age of 18 to 60 receive some form of basic payment for their work and are forced to bear the burden of repaying part of the students’ debts, especially defaulters. The increasing students’ debts emanating from defaulters mean that everyone deducted some amount from their salaries to provide these costs. Therefore, it is difficult for some people to receive the required amount of wages since they have to participate in the repayment of the accumulati ng student loans. The rates at which student debts are being taken and repaid in the American society has a continuously largely fluctuated since 2007. While more students are taking largest student loans, those who have graduated are now paying at a slower rate. The International Monetary Fund (2011) shows that the enrollment level has increased in the past years due to the encouragement for education among the youth. Governmental programs to aid in promoting higher education, such as the GED program amongst others, have also greatly influenced people’s decisions to enhance their education towards higher levels. Consequently, the population of people at schools in the United States is growing, thus increasing the level of student debts owed to the state. Moreover, the states have to compensate on the amount owed to them by the students through borrowings from other sectors. The rising expenses for living in the United States witnessed through high costs of housing, reducing incomes and increasing student debts, merge and lead to severe economic effects in the entire country. Nautet and Meensel (2010) emphasize that the high student debts in the United States is affecting the economy negatively and may increase the living costs of every citizen in the country. This will continue happening if effective measures are not adopted to regulate these debts. In the past, student loan debts did not threaten the economy of the state through balancing effects of income and potential. The accumulation of debts was not so high since the students who completed their studies in universities and colleges could procure jobs immediately and start repaying their loans. Such large percentage was accompanied by high and rising income levels. In fact, most of the students could afford to spare a percentage every month in order to pay their student debts. Therefore, there was a balancing effect in the economy since the borrowed amount was equaled by the amount repaid. The state had to bear the burden of giving loans without necessarily getting them reimbursed at the required time for its activities. The increasing burden will continue in a foreseable future and will lower economic activities in different states in the U.S. The amount that the state is investing in giving students loans is currently higher than the amount being repaid. O’Shea (2013) insists that there will be a deficit every year, hence necessitating the government to borrow funds from the other sectors of the government to meet their need. Borrowing finances from the other sectors of the budget will continue to have economic effect on the state. The government will have to save on its expenditure foreseen for some developmental projects to meet the increasing loans of students in the economy. Thus, other sectors and functions of the state’s budget will suffer due to increased student debts. With the current trend in rise of student debts and costs of living in the state, the projected future threatens the state where the government budget will be stalled. A large percentage of the state’s finances will be delayed due the student debts. The costs of living will increase resulting in lower repayment rates. Moreover, the unfavorable costs of living would raise the debt by forcing students to borrow in order to meet the high fee demands in their respective colleges and universities. Nautet and Meensel (2010) reveals that it is threatening that the population will not be in a position to pay their school fees without assistance of student loans. It will result in high rates of the student loans. The state’s responsibility for this process will force sourcing money from its reserve of the budget. When the budget becomes completely strained beyond the stage for more manipulation, the government will have to surplus its financial deficit through increased taxes fo r its citizens. Moreover, it will be necessary to increase the rate of taxes for its citizens in order to increase the revenue rates and provide the increased budget needs due to the higher rates of student borrowing and lowered repayment rates. Increased tax rates for the citizens could lead to the higher cost of living in the country. Consequently, the effect of high student loans and debts on the economy of the United States has a cyclical effect that influences all sectors of the economy and all levels of individuals. The high rate of student loans is also a threat to the future state of retirement security and insurance programs for the retired and the elderly population. The International Monetary Fund (2011) indicates that a study conducted by the Boston College Center for Retirement indicated that 62% of the American working population aged between 30 to 39 is projected to have insufficient resources to cater for their later retirement ages. Mishory and O’Sullivan (2013) opine that more than 20% of the population at this level has the current debts of more than $50,000. This amount is also at an increasing rate over the years. At the same time, the population ages expected for future retirement is also increased at a large rate. This means that the financial strength and planning required to cater for these individuals when they retire is currently impossible. The inadequacy of retirement savings and planning for the society together with the generally rising costs of living would cause more debts to the citizens, hence leading the country into a financial crisis. Mishory and O’Sullivan (2013) state that families with parents aged between 65 and 74 years with a housing debt carry an average median debt load of $70,000. In addition to the student loan debts, these debts amounts to huge sums that cannot be repaid from the retirement benefits, pensions, and insurance payoffs. Considering the current situation, most families will not be able to receive adequate retirement benefits, hence leading to the persistence of debts in the economy. The trend at which the state is heading in terms of loans is one that threatens the ability of the government to support effectively its citizens and ensure the modest standards of living to its citizens. It is vital that the state and trend of student loans as well as their effects on the economy are mitigated to save on the potential terminal future. According to Elliot and Lewis (2013), the state needs to invest hastily in programs and initiatives that will lower the cost of educational tuition. This is especially common in institutions of higher learning. The beginning of the challenge of high student loans and its effects on the economy of the state is the fact that student’s education in these institutions of education is high. The programs, such as offering incentives to the institutions and building more educational establishments, will reduce the costs at which they price their education. The cheaper university education in the country will be more affordable for students and their families. Nautet and Meensel (2010) observe that this step will be instrumental in reducing the number of people who require students’ loans to get higher education. Therefore, this will reduce its effect on the economy and large population of the country since there will be small amounts of unpaid student loans. The burden on the government to provide fees for the students’ tuition would be also alleviated, hence eliminating the need for the government to continuously engage in educational support programs for the students. It is imperative to continue ensuring that students meet their debt obligations to eliminate uncertainties about government finances. In conclusion, the U.S. government has the responsibility of ensuring that its citizens fulfill their lives in the economy. The government has the duty to ensure that the economy is performing for the benefit of everyone in the country. Increasing the wealth and income inequality gap will harm the economy in the future due to the reduced activities in the derivative markets that require participation of everyone in the entire country. Moreover, it will be difficult for the government to have the democracy of protecting its citizens through fiscal policies due the domination of the economy by the wealthy individuals who use their financial power to rule over others. Institutional regulatory systems in the financial sector will also be weakened due to the control of wealthy individuals. Additionally, increasing opportunities for fulltime employment will have both positive and negative long-term consequences. Concerning its positive side, there will be increased incomes for families, he nce improving their living standards and ability to purchase different products. In addition, there will be situations where firms will have to deal with high costs of labor in the economy and might regulate it by reducing the benefits and allowances that these employees get from the provision of their services. Increasing student loans would overburden other citizens through higher taxation to meet these costs. The effect exceeds the defaulters or those who require more time to settle their loans. Moreover, the government might be forced to stall some of its projects to meet the student loans in the best possible manner. With these events, the government should work in cooperation with economists to ensure that the future of the U.S economy is secured through sound economic policies that capture each of these ideas. Overlooking any of these issues could plunge the economy into a crisis that would need more time to be solved, hence missing other developmental opportunities for the U.S. economy.

Genre conventions in the films Control, Dead mans shoes and Casino Royale Essays

Genre conventions in the films Control, Dead mans shoes and Casino Royale Essays Genre conventions in the films Control, Dead mans shoes and Casino Royale Essay Genre conventions in the films Control, Dead mans shoes and Casino Royale Essay Essay Topic: Gun Control There are many different genres of film and each has its own set of generic conventions, films will follow these conventions to a certain degree. For example many mainstream Hollywood films will follow these conventions almost fully; films with a niche audience will often stray away from these generic conventions. A film that follows these conventions too strictly may be said to be boring and predictable however the audience may take pleasure from seeing conventions they know and take comfort from it. I am going to look at the films I am studying in terms of generic conventions and how they make use of them. The most conventional film is Casino Royale; it is a typical action film featuring almost everything the viewer would expect from an action film. One convention of an action film is that the character faces challenges and dangerous enemies. This is definitely true for this film with the protagonist facing many dangerous challenges such as gun fights and car chases. He also has dangerous human enemies such as Le Chiffre. : As this is a mainstream film with a high budget it will need to recoup this budget from sales and because of this the films producers will make sure the film follows generic conventions that they know the audience should enjoy instead of trying something new which may fail. Another generic convention of action films is beautiful women; this is also seen in Casino Royale with Vesper. Some scenes focus on her as a sexual object and this can be related to the male gaze theory. The main convention of an action film in my opinion is the following of the protagonist on his journey as he faces challenges; this hero will always succeed in conventional action films. This makes it very predictable for the audience who will often know for sure the hero is going to win and in a lot of cases the beautiful female (if there is one) will fall in love with him. However if the film breaks these conventions the viewer expects to see it will surprise them making the film more interesting and exciting. The least generic of these films in my opinion is Control, firstly because of its genre classification it is a biography, drama and music film. This is not a common form of film in comparison to the very popular action/adventure genre and this is why it is harder to say if it follows generic genre conventions. It is a lower budget independent film and I would say that it doesnt follow many typical mainstream conventions. One thing that makes this film less generic is that it is in black and white, this is to fit in with the time period the film is portraying and to make it more realistic. However this is something that a lot of mainstream films wouldnt use because their viewers may not appreciate it. A film on the same subject is Joy Division it gives the viewer an insight into the band and their lifestyle but in a different way. This shows how different films on the same subject can be as they follow conventions of different genres. Dead mans shoes is also a low budget film like control but in contrast it is fairly generic in its conventions. The main idea of the plot is of a man taking revenge on people by killing them. This basic idea can be found in many horror films and as the viewer may expect he does kill all of the people who had abused his brother. However the plot does have an unexpected twist with Richard getting the last victim to instead kill him. This is an example of how a typical plot can be changed to add excitement. A typical feature of this film is the violence and bloodshed featured, it is seen in most horror films and will be expected by the audience. For example in the scene when Richard drugs the victims he shoots one of them in the head, this is brutal and realistic violence. It could be compared to violence seen in Hollywood horror films such as saw, although these films are entirely different.

The eNotes Blog Do You Live in Americas Least, or Most, LiterateCities

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Strategic forecasting in support of proactive engagement Responding to uncertainty in Somalia - Essay Example Much as the western civilization is so prolific in the accumulation of economic prowess it no doubt that the civilization is condemned by itself. Crisis prevention, conflict transformation and peace-building should be at the centre stage in Somalia. The world at large should come out clear to fight this crisis. Restoration of sanity in Somalia should borrow a leaflet from post-conflict countries, where all warring factions. To this end, it is taken into account, for instance, that all population groups must have equal access to inputs, and every effort is made to ensure that the weaker party to the conflict is not disadvantaged. The need for a comprehensive strategy is needed with all the urgency. War is simply a disease of the body politics; a pathological condition which can be traced to abnormalities in the social or economic structures or to the racial characteristics of particular peoples. Historians on the other hand do not discuss war from the aspect of good or evil normality or abnormality, health or disease. For them it is simply the use of violence by states for enforcement, the protection or extension of their political power. War in Somalia has left an estimated 400,000 Somali's displaced since the (IFG) backed by the Ethiopian army entered Mogadishu last December to eject Islamic courts union (ICU) The UNHCR estimate 124,000 people have fled Mogadishu since Feb. 2004 while 73,000 are reported to have left capital Mogadishu. 1.2 Definition of the Anomaly. Conflicts in Africa date back to 1884 when the continent was balkanized into colonies by European powers. The state, in trying to assist to bring order amid disorder, merely adds another dimension to the conflict. External actors to a conflict should be identified and brought to participate in the conflict resolution. The mind must be decolonized so that conflict resolution and peace building and dialogue can be regionalized and, where appropriate globalize. Early warning responding units involving CSO, up to the community level, should be in a position to soften the edges between groups. This includes suggesting other ways of resolving issues that recourse to arms. There is need to study the countries success stories. In cases where there is internalization of conflict international actors are quick to respond to bring peace to the area. Consideration, therefore ought to be given to the internationalization of peace building process. The presence of the UN force and the Ethiopian military occupation is a reflection of a political hostility. However, this is to be blamed on external forces reverberating waves of fear in the Nation of Somalia, consequently, it is futile to try to regulate or reduce military forces separately from their underlying political issues. Basically hostility should be resolved, through the reduction in arms. This will bring sanity and a sense of security among residents. To attempt control of military forces before removing the political sources of friction or threat is to put the cart before the horse. 1.3 Rationale. The basic point should be stressed again no arms-control plaint will remain effective and dependable unless it continues to serve the national interest of Somalia and its warring factions as its leaders conceive those interest. In reaching their judgments they would however appraise the alternatives. The main function of inspection and of remedies available to the other parties is to make

Anwar Elsadat Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Anwar Elsadat - Essay Example The second figure was Kemel Ataturk, who is known to have created the modern state of Turkey, by liberating it from the Ottoman Empire. Ataturk managed to lead Turkey from colonization and mainly, for impressively establishing a number of crucial civil service reforms. This shows that Sadat admired leaders who put citizen interests first. The third figure was Mohandas Gandhi. While touring Egypt in 1932, Gandhi preached what he was famously known for, the power of peaceful fight for justice. This shows that Sadat was an admirer of people who advocated for peace in combating a vice in society. The final figure was Adolf Hitler, and this was because Hitler was a rival to the British. Sadat was an anti- colonialist, thus he hated the British for what they were doing to his fellow countrymen (Meital 12). Sadat attended a military school, where he was taught math and science, and learned to analyze battles. This shows that Sadat was exposed to military training at a very young age, and was among the very first to have this privilege. His postings due to military training led him to meet with other young officers including Gamel Abdel Nasser, who was to become the first president of Egypt. Sadat with his revolutionary group, was determined to overthrow British rule. His active participation landed him in jail twice. Later on after taking over as president, Saddat at the aftermath of the Six Day War with Egypt, offered Israel a peace treaty. Here, we see how Sadat emulated his mentors. By going to jail due to his liberation efforts, he emulated Zahran’s courage, and by building Egypt and his efforts pertaining to the Suez Canal, he emulated Ataturk. By negotiating a peace deal with Egypt, he demonstrated his love for peace like Gandhi, and by his passionate dislike of the Britis h, he emulated his mentor, Hitler (Meital

Automotive Vs. Computers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Automotive Vs. Computers - Essay Example The paper is going to focus on Toyota and Dell as the products of these industries. Toyota has in the past been depending on its o its major supplier in Japan. However, Toyota being the current leading automotive supplier of cars in the world embarked on a competitive strategy that involved the production of quality cars hence utilized a reliable approach. In addition, Toyota’s supply chain called for responsiveness and efficiency. Moreover, its supply chain necessitates decentralization therefore many production units in various locations all over the world. However, these decentralized units must also the interlinked. This ensures that information flows consecutively throughout all available units. In fact there are four key feature of Toyota’s supply chain. These features include, inventory, transportation, facility and information. Therefore, it is prudent to conclude that Toyota involves numerous production plants; a number of storage facilities, a well-defined tra nsportation mechanism, and reliable information relaying procedures. ( Dudovskiy). This chain ensures that the end consumer gets a quality product and on time regardless of their location since decentralization takes care of it. On the other hand, Dell relies on an exceptional supply chain whose strategy depends on information gathering from its large customer capacity. As such, Dell uses a direct- sale strategy and the information attained are passed on to both the sales and the procurement sections in addition to its external suppliers. The advantage of an information approach strategy is that it allows for timely supply of the product. More so Dell has identified two channels, through which information is acquired such as amongst the customers and the sales personnel’s, and equally, amidst the sales, procurement and suppliers departments. Hence, this approach has helps the company to sell its products in large quantities and with required quality since there is information flow (Gilmore). The automotive industry can be said to stick to its unique supply chain because of the nature of its product. Automotive is bulky, this makes expensive to assemble in a single location. Moreover, car models are rigid to change because there are a variety of models that a customer can chose from. More so, car parts are expensive to make hence changing any part will most likely result to recalling all previously produced vehicles. Therefore, an automotive industry remains competitive only if it produces different car model that suits the needs of its many customers. In addition, the quality, engine performance and fuel consumption are the factors that customers are after in any car mode. Therefore it is only through decentralization that an automotive producer can understand well the needs and requirements of the market. On the contrary, computer producers are better place to use an interactive supply chain approach because their products can be produced from a central location and easily transported to the consumers. Hence, such compa nies will invest more in both the sales and procurement teams to get the market requirements and they will deliver easily on such demands. Consequently, this is an industry that deals more with technology hence they are aware that technology is dynamic. When it comes to the product, the producer mainly evaluates the production cost. In this regards, automotive produce

What are the moral responsibilities of managers Essay

What are the moral responsibilities of managers - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the moral responsibilities of managers’ whether in the private sector or public sector should be characterized with a manager perpetuating the law, fulfilling the legitimate duties of their position, observing the relevant codes of ethics and otherwise abiding by generally held moral principles such as honesty and not knowingly doing harm. A manager will be held liable for an immoral act if he had knowledge of it and had the ability to prevent it from happening. Moral managers subscribe to ethical leadership which requires the manager to be a moral person as well as moral managers. A   moral manager should possess traits such as honesty, integrity and trustworthy. This involves respecting the soundness of organization and adherence to the codes set by the organization. This allows the managers to do the right thing, reason well and uphold the highest level of justice even in the most difficult circumstances. A   moral manage r learns from multiple social situations which allow him to have a vast knowledge of conflict resolution skills without harming any party in case a dispute arises. The personal standards developed by a moral manager enables him to be fair and considerate by making clear justifications in his mind. For example, a moral manager will solve a   dispute between two staff members by being fair and sticking to their values and objectivity without compromising on the basis of relations or closeness to either party.

Anwar Elsadat Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Anwar Elsadat - Essay Example The second figure was Kemel Ataturk, who is known to have created the modern state of Turkey, by liberating it from the Ottoman Empire. Ataturk managed to lead Turkey from colonization and mainly, for impressively establishing a number of crucial civil service reforms. This shows that Sadat admired leaders who put citizen interests first. The third figure was Mohandas Gandhi. While touring Egypt in 1932, Gandhi preached what he was famously known for, the power of peaceful fight for justice. This shows that Sadat was an admirer of people who advocated for peace in combating a vice in society. The final figure was Adolf Hitler, and this was because Hitler was a rival to the British. Sadat was an anti- colonialist, thus he hated the British for what they were doing to his fellow countrymen (Meital 12). Sadat attended a military school, where he was taught math and science, and learned to analyze battles. This shows that Sadat was exposed to military training at a very young age, and was among the very first to have this privilege. His postings due to military training led him to meet with other young officers including Gamel Abdel Nasser, who was to become the first president of Egypt. Sadat with his revolutionary group, was determined to overthrow British rule. His active participation landed him in jail twice. Later on after taking over as president, Saddat at the aftermath of the Six Day War with Egypt, offered Israel a peace treaty. Here, we see how Sadat emulated his mentors. By going to jail due to his liberation efforts, he emulated Zahran’s courage, and by building Egypt and his efforts pertaining to the Suez Canal, he emulated Ataturk. By negotiating a peace deal with Egypt, he demonstrated his love for peace like Gandhi, and by his passionate dislike of the Britis h, he emulated his mentor, Hitler (Meital

What are the moral responsibilities of managers Essay

What are the moral responsibilities of managers - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the moral responsibilities of managers’ whether in the private sector or public sector should be characterized with a manager perpetuating the law, fulfilling the legitimate duties of their position, observing the relevant codes of ethics and otherwise abiding by generally held moral principles such as honesty and not knowingly doing harm. A manager will be held liable for an immoral act if he had knowledge of it and had the ability to prevent it from happening. Moral managers subscribe to ethical leadership which requires the manager to be a moral person as well as moral managers. A   moral manager should possess traits such as honesty, integrity and trustworthy. This involves respecting the soundness of organization and adherence to the codes set by the organization. This allows the managers to do the right thing, reason well and uphold the highest level of justice even in the most difficult circumstances. A   moral manage r learns from multiple social situations which allow him to have a vast knowledge of conflict resolution skills without harming any party in case a dispute arises. The personal standards developed by a moral manager enables him to be fair and considerate by making clear justifications in his mind. For example, a moral manager will solve a   dispute between two staff members by being fair and sticking to their values and objectivity without compromising on the basis of relations or closeness to either party.

Obligation Definition Essay Example for Free

Obligation Definition Essay The question presented in this discussion is definitely one that has no easy answer. I will start by saying, a obligation is defined by what a person is bound to from either tradition or law. If I took a relative approach I would say that morals and ethical obligation are subjective. I personally believe that to a extent humans do have a obligation to animals. To go out of your way to depict cruelty to any creature illustrates a flaw in your own character. However, humans dont have to have a diet that includes meat but most do. Even in these cases the way that the livestock is going to be treated does not have to be treated cruelly, or put in discomfort. I remember watching a show in which the farmer said, that his cows tasted so good because they lived a happy life. In many ways he treated the cows akin to a pet, by feeding them properly, making sure their living quarters are clean, and showing them affection. His belief was that by doing this his cows meat was more tender, then if he hadnt done these practices. Do I believe this maybe, maybe not. However, this does illustrate that the livestock that we consume does not have to be treated in a cruel manner. Yet, in theory in our society animals do not perform any function but companionship and food, which means humans really dont have a obligation to them. However, I feel it is boorish to depict cruelty to any creature or anyone.

Features of Effective Communication in Healthcare

Features of Effective Communication in Healthcare Laura Abayomi This essay shall discuss the act of communication as it relates to the health care industry. Communication is described as the act of sending and receiving information and this could either be verbal, non verbal or written. Communication in the Health care industry is very vital for effective health care delivery. This need cannot be over emphasized in that it is the only means by which appraisal can be made to determine the level of performance and success of both the health professional and the establishment. There are different methods of communication suitable for different range of situations for example, under verbal, in order to effectively communicate with the blind and partially sighted patients, there is the need to use large print fonts size to enable them read without further strain to the eye Information that is being communicated via the written format should be legible and accurate especially for people with sight difficulty. The use of Braille, audiotapes, electronic text can be very helpful. Health care organisations such as NHS also make use of telephone and voice mail when booking and confirming appointments in order to effectively communicate with this and other group of people. Patients with hearing difficulties can be assisted by making available written material that convey information and also the use of BSI and text phone could be very helpful. Signs, symbols, gestures and body language can also be used in this situation. Communicating with individuals with impaired speech could pose some form of challenge however; technological aid such as a special computer in which the patient can type in their thoughts or feelings and this message will then be spoken out loud can be used. Patients with learning disability can be supported through their care givers and also by using illustrations, videos and audio tape and pictured pamphlets. People whose first language is not English could find it difficult communicating in a care setting. For this set of individuals, language translator and the use of audio and videotapes that addresses that individuals need can be of immense help. Communication is considered as the act of transferring information between two or more individuals. It is like two way traffic. For communication to be said to have taken place, information must have been exchanged that is, the sender and the receiver must have benefited mutually. There are many factors that constitute a barrier to communication, among these are; Language: This could be a serious barrier to communication. There is the need for both the sender and the receiver to understand each other in order for communication to be effective and to avoid misunderstanding. Environment: The environment in which communication takes place matters a lot and determines how effective the communication will be for example, carrying out conversation or trying to pass on information in a crowded and noisy ward could be quite distracting and this could act as a barrier. The use of Jargons is another factor that constitutes a barrier to communication for example, when professionals use technical jargons or unfamiliar and overcomplicated terminologies when dealing with patients. Experience has revealed that when health practitioners use medical terminologies that the patient is not used to, communication will not be effective and this could even lead to confusion and misunderstanding Culture is another aspect that could be a form of barrier to communication for example, in some culture it is deemed as inappropriate for a male health practitioner to relate in any capacity with a female patient and this could be a barrier. Also, some matters are considered taboos in some cultures therefore communicating such matters could be difficult to the person concerned Emotional factors such as anger, stress or even ill health could act as a barrier to communication for example, the emotional state of mind of the receiver at the time the information is being relayed will determine if the massage is understood or accepted. Also excessive shyness could act as barrier to communication because this could prevent the patient from expressing him or herself clearly. Barriers to communication can be overcome by addressing each barrier as it relates to the situation and environment one is dealing with which in this case is the health sector. Language as a communication barrier is prevalent among individuals from the ethnic minority whose first language is not English. This group of people may find it difficult to communicate and express themselve adequately. To overcome this barrier, it is best to get a language interpreter and translator. Also leaflets and picture pamphlets can be used. Overcoming environmental barrier to communication can be achieved through creating an atmosphere that is free of external distractions such as noise; when this cannot be effectively controlled, Individuals and organisations can adopt the use of earplugs and earphones in order to cut out outside noise. Health practitioners should avoid the use of difficult terminologies and medical jargons when dealing with patients to avoid misunderstanding and confusion. Speaking in simple English or the agreed mode of communication will help eradicate communication barrier. Inability to read could be a barrier to communication and this may be due to poor sight or too small letters (fonts) or illegibility of printed materials. To overcome this barrier, audio and video tapes as well as vocal interpretation can be used. Printed materials with large fonts will help alleviate the difficulty and promote good communication Hearing Difficulties: This form of challenge can be taken care of by using of BSL and text phones. Learning disability could be a barrier to communication. To overcome this, illustrations, videos and audio tapes can be used to simplify and make communication better. From the tone of the first response, one can sense cheerfulness because of the sing song tone of the voice. The message that comes across to the listener is that of a satisfied patient. The second voice sounds angry. This deduction is due to the sharp and abrupt tone of response to the greeting. The signal that comes across is that of a dissatisfied and angry patient. This anger could be the result of lack of adequate care given. The third tone evidenced an emotional tone. It reveals that of a person with a broken spirit which may be due to a loss or having received bad news concerning a diagnosis such as Cancer. Having considered the different tone of voice, it can be concluded that words as a medium of communication is the outward or verbal expression of what a person is actually thinking or feeling and this feeling can be interpreted in different ways judging from the tone of voice and response to even simple greetings. â€Å"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (The Bible,NKJV). The health professional’s approach to these different responses will differ. While the individual with the angry tone will be approach with caution, the other two tones are more welcoming however; they all need our understanding, re-assurance and empathy. The Oxford dictionary defines empathy as â€Å"the ability to understand and share the feelings of another† (oxford dictionary 2015). This definition of empathy is very important in the health care sector because it truly mirrors how the health practitioner’s role should be seen and carried out. The ability to feel another person’s pain as if it is yours is a virtue that is essential in efficiently carrying out ones role as a health practitioner. The patient or family member that comes to the hospital is in most cases at a very vulnerable state and needs all the support and understanding they can receive at this time. The ability to do this can only happen if the practitioner can understand and puts himself in the place of the patient. Evidence has shown instances where care practitioners have failed in doing this for example, the Winterbourne case where â€Å"vulnerable people were mocked and even tortured by the very staff that should have been supporting them†. (BBC news) At the end, eleven workers from the care home were convicted and six were sent to prison Another example that made headlines was the Stafford Hospital case in which it was revealed through the help of hidden cameras how patients were rough handled, treated without dignity and left unattended to for hours and some were â€Å"left sitting on their own urine†( the guardian 2015) The failure to listen empathically by people from whom this virtue is expected can be ascribed to several reasons. Firstly, it is best to understand that the ability to empathise can come naturally as an instinct or could also be learnt as a skill and through life experiences. While some people find it easy to show empathy, others find it a struggle and a challenge. Though this is a skill that is required in this sector, some practitioners lack it both as a skill and as an instinct. Empathy emanates from truly listening to and giving of one’s time but when the professional is constrained for time, he or she may be distracted and thus be able to understand the patient’s pain. The inability or failure to listen to others empathically could be the result of the individual’s upbringing such as growing up in a home devoid of outward show of emotions or empathy or may be due to some psychological disorder such as â€Å"antisocial personality disorder† or ASPD (psych central 2015) Confidentiality is an essential part of the act of communication. In large establishments such as NHS, there are sets of rules or policy put in place to protect the privacy of patients. The health care sector as a people centered organisation is built on trust therefore, there is the need for the patient to know for certain that every information that he or she has divulged in moments of vulnerability is handled with utmost care and used solely for the purpose for which it was given. It is therefore the responsibility of the health care practitioner to safeguard information that is given. Personal medical records are of enormous importance and should be so treated; however; statistics has revealed breeches in NHS data record. According to big brother watch; â€Å"between 2011 to 2014, there have been at least 7,255 breaches†. (Big Brother watch 2015) The list of breeches includes: â€Å"At least 103 instances of data loss or theft. At least 206 instances of data being shared inappropriately via e-mail, letter or fax. At least 251 instances of data being inappropriately shared with a third party† (Big brother watch 2015) The breech of a patient’s confidentiality could lead to lack of trust in the system. The consequence of broken confidentiality can be far reaching in that it affects not just the patient, but the institution and the individual through which the breech was committed. It will cause the patient to lose faith in the system and may want to press charges and take legal proceedings against the health organisation and this could be costly and will affect the public image of the health organisation. Also, records have revealed that disciplinary actions have been taken against the individuals that have been found guilty of breeching confidentiality laws and some have been sacked from their jobs and some of them prosecuted. (Big brother watch 2015) There are instances where it is permissible to break confidentiality. In situations where the person divulging the information is perceived by the health practitioner as a possible threat either to himself or to someone else for example, if the person is suicidal or has revealed that a crime has been committed or there is the intention of committing one it is therefore the responsibility if the practitioner to break confidentiality and report the matter to the appropriate authority. (Answers.com 2015) Besides the need for privacy and confidentiality, the need for a thorough record keeping in the health care setting is crucial for several reasons; 1. Records serve as Proof and evidence of medical procedure and medication that has been carried out on a patient. It helps to further Continuity: In a hospital setting were drugs are administered, proper record should be kept so that the next practitioner that takes over will know what sort of medication had been administered to a patient. Record keeping also helps scientists in their medical research to evaluating precedence in patient treatment and their reaction to drug and medication. In conclusion, man as a social being had learnt to rely on each other through the ages and to do this; there is the need to communicate. The desire to meet this need has evolved from sheer words of mouth to include more sophisticated means and channels of transferring and receiving information thanks to modern technological advancement which has helped in no small measure in reducing the barriers which had hindered communication in the past. Communication as one of the underlying aspect of human existence can be said to be dynamic and forward looking in its evolution and now includes other aspects such as record keeping for the sake of posterity, confidentiality and empathy. In the health care sector, these aspects of communication are paramount in effectively carrying out ones role as a professional. References: Bbc.co.uk, (2015). [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-2277304 [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Answers.com, (2015).When can confidentiality be broken. [online] Available at: http://www.answers.com/Q/When_can_confidentiality_be_broken [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Belsten, L. (2015).Can Empathy Be Learned?. [online] The-iseiblog.com. Available at: http://the-iseiblog.com/communication-skills/can-empathy-be-learned/ [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Bigbrotherwatch.org.uk, (2014).New Report: Patient confidentiality broken 6 times a day | Big Brother Watch. [online] Available at: http://www.bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/home/2014/11/new-report-patient-confidentiality-broken-6-times-day.html [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Nugent, H. (2012).Care home worker jailed for abuse of 89-year-old caught on hidden camera. [online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/aug/29/care-home-worker-hidden-camera [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Oxforddictionaries.com, (2015).Oxford Dictionaries. [online] Available at: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/ [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015]. Matthew 12:34 The Holy Bible, The new king James version. Psych Central.com, (2015).Antisocial Personality Disorder Symptoms. [online] Available at: http://psychcentral.com/disorders/antisocial-personality-disorder-symptoms/ [Accessed 24 Jan. 2015].