Lucy - 645 Words

Journal for â€Å"The Handmaid’s Tale† by Margaret Atwood Within the first few pages, possibly even within the first few sentences, you can sense the theme of this novel. A dystopian future, possibly post-apocalyptic, and full of fear. Oppression, tyranny, freedom (or lack thereof); all of these things become so plainly present that its almost painful. The intensity of the situation multiplies when it is revealed, slowly, that this isnt thousands of years into the future. In this time, democratic and liberal past wasnt just a myth or whisper, its actually a memory, and a not-so-distant one at that. Whatever happened to cause this new medieval dictatorship is recent and, luckily, still being challenged. Minute, silent victories are being†¦show more content†¦She eats breakfast each morning, lunch each afternoon, and supper each evening. She sleeps in her bedroom and wears a red dress. This is how some perceive her; this is how she was taught to be perceived. But, that is not who she is, and who she never wants to truly become. She p artakes in the underground grapevine, passing on tidbits of information and gossip to other handmaids, the Marthas, anyone who is able to keep the secrets going, and yet stay safe. She has not yet succumed to the ways of the world. She still challenges each decision, and finds small ways to defy the irrational laws. This is how some perceive her; this is the perception very few can see, very few can know about. And then, there is her final identity; whoever she used to be. Whoever she still longs to be. The woman with a husband and a daughter, with a job, a house, rights, freedoms, and even a family cat. In her mind she still is this woman, she cannot forget this woman, and she is doing her best to remember her. Only she can perceive herself like this, and she can never let anyone else see it. It is the most hidden identity she has, and yet it is the most vital one to keep alive. This makes the reader question what it is that defines us as the person we think we are. If everything w e have, everything we love and and cherish, anyone who means something to us, was taken away, would we still be the same person? Would the memory of our past selves be all that we need to define our currentShow MoreRelatedLucy by Jamaica Kincaid Essay1613 Words   |  7 Pagesthroughout our life and this is no more evident than in the writings of Jamaica Kincaid. Her novel ‘Lucy’ explored the characters Lucy’s life experience in flashback of growing up on a small island and her present life in the United States as well as the relationship between the mother and daughter. This portrayal echoes similarities to that of Kincaid life. Like Kincaid, the character in her book ‘Lucy’ were taught to read early in her childhood. As a child, Kincaid found solace in the books she readRead MoreI love Lucy: Lucy Ball1481 Words   |  6 PagesAs the narrator in, If youve never failed, youve never lived quoted, â€Å"You’re wasting your time, she is too shy to put her best foot forward,† this was in reference to Lucille Ball. Ball will forever be known as the crazy and lovable, Lucy Ricardo, in â€Å"I Love Lucy†. In her youth, Ball entered a drama school in New York City; however, while her classmates blossomed, Ball was sent home for being too shy. In the beginning, Ball failed at being outspoken; how ever, she learned, got back on her feetRead MoreThe House On A Rainy Day And Lucy1300 Words   |  6 PagesSusan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie are four siblings sent to live in the country with the eccentric Professor Kirke during World War II. The children explore the house on a rainy day and Lucy, the youngest, finds an enormous wardrobe. Lucy steps inside and finds herself in a strange, snowy wood. Lucy encounters the Faun Tumnus, who is surprised to meet a human girl. Tumnus tells Lucy that she has entered Narnia, a different world. Tumnus invites Lucy to tea, and she accepts. Lucy and Tumnus have a wonderfulRead More Mirrorings by Lucy Grealy Essay900 Words   |  4 Pages Mirrorings by Lucy Grealy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sure, some of us have this great confidence within ourselves about looking great, but that does not hold true for everyone. I understand the pain or disgust, or even disappointment one feels when they look in the mirror and say, â€Å"I wish I could change this or that about myself†. Although this piece is written about the author’s life, it holds meaning and connects with for many people; one only has to dig deep enough to find one. For me, it was to realize whatRead MoreDracula: Mina Harker and Lucy Westenra1127 Words   |  5 PagesMina Harker and Lucy Westenra. The purpose for these two women was for Stoke to clearly depict the two types of women: the innocent and the contaminated. In the beginning, the women were both examples of the stereotypical flawless women of this time period. However, as the novel seems to progress, major differences are bound to arise. Although both women, Lucy and Mina, share the same innocent characteristics, itâ€⠄¢s more ascertain that with naà ¯ve and inability of self control, Lucy creates a boundaryRead MoreAnalysis of Lucy Gayheart by Willa Cather492 Words   |  2 PagesAnalysis of Lucy Gayheart by Willa Cather Lucy Gayheart is a young, spirited, intelligent music student from Havorford, on the South Platte River. In the winters, she attends a conservatory in Chicago, under the tutelage of Professor Auerbach. In Chicago, she lives in a room above a German bakery, where she takes her breakfasts and suppers. These small quarters do not distress her; indeed, she craves the solitude of her own will, her own piano, her own bed. She walks hungrily through Chicago,Read MoreAnalysis Of I Love Lucy 1118 Words   |  5 Pages What are audience of this text persuaded to believe, think, or do and how is this persuasion accomplished? I love Lucy is one of the most popular and legendary television shows from the 50 s with a large audience. As well as it has played an important role on the basic element of the sitcom genre. The fame of this comedy show is for the skills of the actors like Lucille Ball (Lucy) and Ricky Ricardo. This show is about the daily life of marriage. Through this show the audience can relate to middle-classRead MoreLucy, discovered by Donald C. Johanson and Tom Gray, is Our Oldest and Most Complete Human Ancestor991 Words   |  4 PagesLucy The discovery of Lucy is our oldest and most complete human ancestor. She is less than 3.8 million years old hominid of Australopithecus afarensis, which was discovered in November 24, 1974 by Donald C. Johanson and Tom Gray in the Hadar region of Ethiopia. They named her Lucy in reference to the well-known Beatles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, which played over and over as they celebrated their findings. This uncovering of Lucy was very fascinating and answered many questions toRead MoreLucy in the Sky with Diamonds Journeys Essay661 Words   |  3 PagesEnglish Assessment Task 1 Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds Song – Imaginative Journey The Beatles - primarily John Lennon. The song â€Å"Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds†, performed by The Beatles, written in the year 1967, by John Lennon, takes the listener on a journey into the imagination. The most common interpretation of â€Å"Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds† is that the lyrics of the song follow the journey that one would embark on after taking the drug LSD which would project wild imaginings. OtherRead MoreAnalysis Of Color And I Love Lucy1588 Words   |  7 PagesColor Lighting: How To Get Away With Murder I Love Lucy How To Get Away With Murder, a modern 2015 law and murder television drama, and I Love Lucy, a 1951 live audience comedic sitcom, hold many differences in regards to color and lighting usage. However, if thoroughly analyzed similarities can be discovered. In the season finale of How To Get Away With Murder, the director makes great use of color by means of transitional color, surrealism, color as a symbol, special effect colors, atmospheric

Antigone vs. Juliet Free Essays

Written by Sophocles, Antigone is an ancient Greek tragedy that discusses two girls’ decision to bury their dead brother despite the fact that the king will execute anyone who tries to do so. Should they honor the god’s laws, but risk their own lives in the process? On the other hand, Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare about two young lovers from feuding families. The play ends in much grief as both of the lovers die due to unfortunate circumstances. We will write a custom essay sample on Antigone vs. Juliet or any similar topic only for you Order Now While these two pieces of text are very different, they still share certain commonalities. For instance, the two main female characters, Antigone and Juliet, possess similar personality characteristics, such as rashness, loyalty, and courage, which help classify them in the archetype of a tragic heroine. To begin with, both Antigone and Juliet are very brave and rebellious. They are strong characters who fight for what they want and what they feel is right. For example, Antigone is willing to bury her brother Polyneices even though she knows that she is putting her own life on the line. Her sister Ismene warns her of the risks, but Antigone knows that she will put into action what she feels she is morally obligated to do. Similarly, Juliet shows these daring personality traits. During Shakespearean times, parents arranged marriages for their children, and daughters were expected to be obedient and respectful towards their parents. However, Juliet goes against her father because of her love for Romeo. She openly disrespects her authority, which leads to her being threatened of being left out on the streets; these actions certainly take a lot of bravery. Additionally, both of these characters use their fearlessness to rebel against fate when they commit suicide. Antigone is caught for burying Polyneices, but Antigone kills herself first so that she can die at her own hand. Juliet stabs herself with a dagger so that she can die with Romeo, her one true love. Both of these stubborn and defiant women refused to accept their fate, so they took it into their own hands. Clearly, these two ladies are strong and act on their own terms. Added to that, Antigone and Juliet are both impatient in their behavior. Their reckless and impulsive choices lead to misery in their lives. For example, Antigone is being rash when she decides to bury her brother. Instead of thinking of a logical and practical plan, she wants to immediately break the law to get it done. If Antigone had talked to Creon about her thoughts, she might have swayed his decision. After all, they are family, and Creon does understand that it would be the moral thing to do. Unfortunately, Antigone acts too quickly, and the tragic events unravel soon afterwards. Furthermore, Antigone kills herself in the tomb before she can be saved by Creon. She makes the hasty choice to end her life, but is unaware of the fact her life could have been saved just a few moments later. Comparatively, Juliet also shows that she is an impatient person. Firstly, her love with Romeo was very rushed. They meet, pronounce their love, and marry all in just a couple of days. The rational thing to do would be to slow down their relationship; Friar Lawrence advises them to do so because long love prospers. However, Juliet and Romeo disregard his advice, and they quickly profess to each other and become husband and wife. Their hurried actions create problems in the future. Sadly, both of the characters must suffer for the choices that they make. Lastly, Antigone and Juliet are very loyal. While they are rash and rebellious, they are still very honorable people. Being a tragic heroine, it’s important to be respected by the audience. Antigone shows her loyalty when she wants to bury her brother. Firstly, her strong desire to honor her sibling displays the love that she has for her family. Furthermore, she shows how noble she is because she wants to do the right thing no matter what. She chooses to honor the god’s laws instead of King Creon’s law. Juliet is also a loyal character because she always stays true to Romeo. Her love lies with her husband, and she does everything she can to be with him and she never betrays him. For instance, she disobeys her parents by choosing not to marry Paris, and she also takes a potion to fake her death despite her many fears. She fears that she will be killed by the potion, wake up before Romeo arrives to her in the tomb, or go insane because of it, but she throws her fears away and drinks it anyways because of her loyalty to Romeo. This shows a lot of her character and who she really is. Furthermore, she even goes as far as killing herself to be with her husband, even in the afterlife. No one can say that these two characters don’t stay true to what they believe in. In summary, these two characters’ rashness, bravery, and honor demonstrate how they are perfect examples of a tragic heroine. Their flaws have led them to mistakes in judgment and other future complications. In this case, both of these females are rash and impatient. However, they are still respected and are good people despite their faults, so they are still liked by the audience. These qualities, found in Juliet and Antigone, represent the epitome of the tragic heroine archetype. How to cite Antigone vs. Juliet, Papers

Quietdrive free essay sample

From my home town, but brand new to me, Minneapoliss own Quietdrives new release â€Å"Deliverance† poses as a pleasant refresher from todays negativity. The album opens with a powerful, guitar infused pop-punk anthem titled â€Å"Believe†. Thrown in the mix is â€Å"Birthday†, beginning with an upbeat acoustic guitar sound, turning to a more electric rhythm. Along with â€Å"Birthday† are slow jams â€Å"Daddys little girl†, â€Å"Secret†, and â€Å"Starbright† touching my emotions without sounding too â€Å"emo†. The lead singer, Kevin Truckenmiller showcases his outstanding vocal range, transitioning from an aggressive powerhouse voice, to more soft melodic notes with ease throughout the CD. Their drive to give each listener a moment of peace, a chance to be uplifted, shows through in 13 catchy songs. The over all vibe of the CD is very inspirational; the type of music that encourages listeners to get up and do something. I r ecommend getting up and buying this great CD. We will write a custom essay sample on Quietdrive or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page http://www.quietdrivemusic.com

Online School Portal Essay Example

Online School Portal Essay ASP. NET PROJECT DOCUMENTATION QUEZON CITY POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ONLINE STUDENT PORTAL FOR QUEZON CITY POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY DEVELOPERS Argete, Elma R. Chenilla, Jomar P. Duran, Mel Jane A. Junio, Jeno I. Osorio, Shekinah Roebec M. Tabotabo, Robin James A. Table of Contents Page 1 INTRODUCTION1 1. 1Background of the Company2 1. 2Rationale3 1. 3General Objectives3 2SCOPE OF THEPROJECT4 2. 1Website Design and Development4 2. 2Information System6 2. 3Maintenance, Repair, and Operations7 2. 4Documentation8 3TECHNICAL STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS8 3. 1System Architecture8 3. Application Features and Capabilities9 4FINANCIAL ASPECT9 ANNEX A10 ANNEX B11 1 INTRODUCTION Nowadays, we are living in a fast paced world where everything is done instantly; from computing of single datum to complex calculations that human mind can imagine. The turn of the century can be marked as a revolution of information. The switch from manual to computerized recording and distribution o f records and information has led to a significant increase in public knowledge. Many institutions and organizations benefit greatly from this information which needed to be stored processed and distributed. A very good example of institution that needs to handle vast amount of information are the school universities. An online student portal is one of the essential parts of a school. As technology evolves alongside, the information revolution, the power of computer makes it easy to distribute and view information needed with just a few clicks. Quezon City Polytechnic University handles a lot of students, since it increases annually, the dissemination of information can be very hard. Handling large amount of information can be managed with the use of a computerized system. We, the proponents, decided to propose an Online Student Portal for Quezon City Polytechnic University. This system will help the school to get-in-touch with their students and also increase the enrollment for the coming years because the school profile can be easily promoted via internet. 1. 1 Background of the Company Quezon City Polytechnic University (QCPU) is a Local university founded by Quezon City government. QCPU was established on March 1, 1994 and formerly known as the Quezon City Polytechnic. The Quezon City Polytechnic came into existence on March 1, 1994  by virtue of the City Council Ordinance No. We will write a custom essay sample on Online School Portal specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Online School Portal specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Online School Portal specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer SP-171 an institution to primarily undertake the training and development of qualified technicians and skilled workers. The Three-Year Technician Curriculum was introduced in the SY 1994-1995 designed to develop highly competent technicians for industry in the areas of Automotive Technology, Electrical Technology, Welding Technology, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Technology, and Fashion Technology. Added to the Three-Year Curriculum in the school year that followed were Electronics Technology, Mechanical Technology or Machine Shop, Computer Technology and an industry-led pilot course in Boiler Technology. The QCP established its reputation among local government units as a show window and model technology-based institution paving the way for its recognition of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and developing a strong alliance with the Korea-Philippines Information Technology Center (KorPhil). KorPhil is a premier ICT training center in the Asia-Pacific region, powered by state-of-the-art Korean technology complemented by Filipino ingenuity. It was facilitated by a $4. million grant from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to the Philippines Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). This center was officially inaugurated by His Excellency President ROH MOO HYUN of the Republic of Korea and Her Excellency President GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO of the Republic of the Philippines on December 16, 2005 during the incumbency of Hon. Secretary AUGUSTO BOY SYJUCO, Tesda Director General and Hon. FELICIANO R. BELMONTE JR. , Mayor of Quezo n City. In 2001, Ordinance SP – 1030 created a charter for the establishment of  Quezon City  Polytechnic  University. QCPU started its operation by offering one (1) year programs and short term courses. By the year 2005, QCPU started offering college degree courses. Right now, QCPU prides itself in providing employment to its graduates and serves as a tool for national development, particularly in Quezon City. At present, under the leadership of Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. , starting SY 2005, meaningful access to higher education is now possible with a ladderized concept of pursuing higher education. The idea is that every person should have the opportunity for education and training commensurate to his abilities. 1. 2 Rationale The development of this study is done for the Quezon City Polytechnic University to have a student portal that will enable students access various information regarding school activities, announcements and even have their own account with the use of a website. 1. 3 General Objectives The study aims to provide an on-line student portal for QCPU in helping them to access their school information anytime with the use of internet. Specific Objectives To let the student view study-related information, allowing them to update their personal details online to ensure they won’t miss any important University correspondence. * To be able to access Student Portal from any computer within the University or off-campus at any time with an internet connection. * To store and retrieve data of the student. * To integrate information into a systematic way of browsin g the schools updates of events using World Wide Web. * To develop portals in online scheme to link the students and the university departments regarding with the enrollment process. SCOPE OF THEPROJECT 2. 4 Website Design and Development Using the Student Portal, the service provider will make available the following during the development of the website: * The system provides log-in and log-out for security purposes. * Covers information of the students including their exams results, grades, schedules, and their school profiles. * Provides posting of announcement to update every student about school events, activities and programs. Specifically, it will provide facility on the following sections: Main Page Home: is the main page of a website which gives detailed information of the company, it also provides links to its other parts. * Latest News: This section they post the latest news about the school. School Profile Section * These sections have a sub link which includes the comp any information, company hymn, department and offices, mission, vision, core values, university officials, and student council. Academics Section * These sections have a sub link which includes the Bachelor degrees, 5 months programs, admissions, technical and vocational studies, 2 months programs, and entrance exam results. Students Section * Have a sub links which includes the organizations, publications, enrollment dates, and SIS. SIS Modules Section * Have a sub link named student. QCPU Campuses Section * In these sections you’ll see the pictures of every campus. 2. 5 Information System Information system is any written electronic or graphical method of communicating information. The basis of information system is the sharing and processing of information and ideas. Computer and telecommunication technologies have become essential information system components. Information systems are combinations of hardware, software, and telecommunications networks that people build and use to collect, create and distribute useful data, information and knowledge, typically in organizational settings. Organization use information system for a variety of reasons: to gain competitive advantage, reach more customers, or improve services. Most modern business depends heavily on information system, from employee e-mail to database management to e-commerce websites. Some IT folks work behind the scenes to make sure that all the information systems being taken for granted run smoothly. Others help design these information systems according to an organization’s needs. And still others make sure that this information to the user in a clear, useful, and dynamic way. 2. 6 Maintenance, Repair, and Operations Supplies consumed in the production process but which do not either become part of the end product or are not central to the firm’s output. MRO items include consumables (such as cleaning, laboratory, or office supplies), industrial equipment (such as compressors, pump valves) and plant upkeep (such as gaskets, lubricants, repair tools), and computers, fixtures, furniture, etc. MRO items are used in production and maintenance and can be items such as maintenance supplies, spare parts, and consumables used in the production process. These items can be either valuated or non-valuated and depending on the value of the items no physical in inventory performed. MRO in business context, it is a catch-all term for the sourcing and procurement of miscellaneous, such as spare parts, stationery and ink cartridges. Maintenance, Repair and Operation work keeps a business run smoothly. A computer manufacturing business, for example, could not function without ready supply spare components for faulty or broken machines. . 7 Documentation Documentation is the usually printed instructions, comments, and information for using a particular piece or system of computer software or hardware. It is the materials that provides official information or evidences that serves as a records. Documentation is the written specifications and instructions accompanying a product, especially a computer program or hardware. Documentation is now often built directly into the product as part of the users interface and in help pages. 2 TECHNICAL STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS 3. 8 System Architecture ) Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) which specifically uses Structured Query Language (SQL) to access and manipulate the databases for rapid generation of exception and on-demand reports and development or other query programs. b) Client/Server Architecture where application subsystems integrate with the workflow and information are easily accessed and retrieved through the LAN 3. 9 Application Features and Capabilities The applications have the following features and capabilities: A) The application is fully developed, running, customizable, and have the following features: i) Secured Login. The system will authorized users of the application to log in with their student number and password in order to enter the portal. Without the right combination of these two login requirements, any unauthorized access of the portal will be impossible. ii) Access Rights. This involves the granting of rights of access to the system or command of the application of authorized users by the designated System Administrator. The system also limits or widens the admission of specific users to specific activities or transactions without the assistance of the designated computer programmer. FINANCIAL ASPECT ANNEX A ESTIMATED PROJECT COST ASSUMPTIONS Requirement| No. of Unit| Unit Cost| Total Cost| Application Systems-Web Development-Information System| | | | Maintenance Cost| | | | Documentation and User Training| | | | Total Cost| | | | ANNEX B GANTT CHART Activity| Month 1| Month 2| Month 3| Month 4| Website Design and Development| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Information System| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Maintenance, Repair and Operation| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Documentation| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Julius Ceasar essays

Julius Ceasar essays Julius Caesar was born on the 13th of Quintilis, which is now July in 100 BCE to Gaius Caesar, which became part of his full name, Gaius Julius Caesar. When Caesar was born, the city of Rome was flourishing, becoming a rich culture, and an advanced government of democracy governed by Nobles. Caesar's birth was very interesting. His mother did not have a vaginal birth, but had the first Caesarian C-section, hence the name C-section. Caesar was born into a well-bred family called "the Julian clan". As he started to grow up, he understood that his family was important and that he had to appreciate the historical importance of the parent's claim, of being of a Noble birth and a decendant of Venus. Since he was a noble child, he was to take his father's place in Rome's government. Until the age of seven, Caesar was in the care of his mother and his education was done at home. There he was taught the traditional Roman way of living. Some of the things he was taught were endurance, sympath y for others, religion, and the right way of doing things. He was also told a story about Roman war heroes and through that he was taught to respect the achievements of his Uncle Marius, a general and a senator. When Caesar reached the age of seven, he attended a public school in the towns' business district. The school was very difficult and disciplined. Caesar had to memorize and dictate back to his teacher many things with the threat of being beaten if he made a mistake. He had to memorize Roman law, and had to learn how to be a public speaker. Julius Caesar was popular in school, making friends with many of the other noble students. He was also very interested in his father's work. He would always go to political events with his father and learned how the Roman government worked. This would help Caesar when he would eventually take over the Roman Empire. When Caesar was 15, the king of Rome, Marius died and Lucius Cornelius Cinna replaced him. ...

A Brief Look at Italian History

A Brief Look at Italian History The history of Italy is characterized by two periods of unity- the Roman Empire (27 BCE–476 CE) and the modern democratic republic formed after the end of World War II. Between those two periods may have been a millennium and a half of division and disruption, but that disruption saw one of the worlds great flowering of art, the Renaissance (circa 1400–1600 CE). Italy, sitting in southwestern Europe, is comprised largely of a boot-shaped peninsula that extends out into the Mediterranean, as well as a region on the core landmass of the continent. It is bordered by Switzerland and Austria to the north, Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea to the east, France and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, and the Ionian Sea and the Mediterranean to the south. Italy also includes the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Roman Empire Between the sixth to third centuries BCE, the Italian city of Rome conquered Peninsular Italy; over the next few centuries, this empire spread to dominate the Mediterranean and Western Europe. The Roman Empire would go on to define much of Europes history, leaving a mark on culture and society that outlasted the military and political machinations of its leadership. After the Italian part of the Roman Empire declined and â€Å"fell† in the fifth century (an event no one at the time realized was so significant), Italy was the target of several invasions. The previously united region broke apart into several smaller bodies, including the Papal States, governed by the Catholic Pope. Renaissance and the Kingdom of Italy By the eighth and ninth centuries, a number of powerful and trading-oriented city-states emerged, including Florence, Venice, and Genoa; these were the forces that incubated the Renaissance. Italy and its smaller states also went through stages of foreign domination. These smaller states were the fertile grounds of the Renaissance, which changed Europe massively once more and owed a lot to the competing states trying to outspend each other on glorious art and architecture. Unification and independence movements throughout Italy developed ever stronger voices in the 19th century after Napoleon created the short-lived Kingdom of Italy. A war between Austria and France in 1859 allowed several small states to merge with Piedmont; a tipping point had been reached and the Kingdom of Italy was formed in 1861, growing by 1870- when the Papal States joined- to cover almost all of what we now call Italy. Mussolini and Modern Italy The Kingdom of Italy was subverted when Mussolini took power as a fascist dictator, and although he was initially skeptical of German dictator Adolf Hitler, Mussolini took Italy into World War II rather than risk losing out on what he perceived as a land grab. That choice caused his downfall. Modern Italy is now a democratic republic and has been since the modern constitution came into effect in 1948. This followed a referendum in 1946, which voted to abolish the previous monarchy by 12.7 million to 10.7 million votes. Key Rulers Julius Caesar c. 100 BCE–44 BCE A great general and statesman, Julius Caesar won a civil war to become both sole ruler of the extensive Roman domains and dictator for life, setting in motion a process of transformation that led to the creation of the Roman Empire. He was assassinated by enemies and is arguably the most famous ancient Roman. Giuseppe Garibaldi 1807–1882 After exile in South America, forced upon him because of his role in an attempted republican revolution, Guiseppi Garibaldi commanded forces in several Italian conflicts of the 19th century. He played an important role in Italian unification when he and his volunteer army of â€Å"Redshirts† captured Sicily and Naples and allowed them to join the Kingdom of Italy. Although Garibaldi fell out with the new king, in 1862, he was offered a command in the U.S. Civil War by President Abraham Lincoln. That never occurred because Lincoln wouldnt agree to abolish slavery at that early date. Benito Mussolini 1883–1945 Mussolini became the youngest-ever prime minister of Italy in 1922, using his fascist organization of â€Å"Blackshirts† to propel him to power. He transformed the office into a dictatorship and allied with Hitler’s Germany, but was forced to flee when World War II turned Italy against him. He was captured and executed.

Case study draper Manufacturing Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Draper Manufacturing - Case Study Example Additionally, the company does not enjoy financial stability and growth, but is facing some serious financial, economic and environmental challenges. On the economic front, the increase in the oil price passing the point of $60 per barrel negatively impacts over the cost of the company as the petroleum is a basic raw material component for mattress. Second, the Gulf hurricanes severely damage the TDI, the chemical consumed to develop polyurethane foam. In addition, the Draper manufacturing also faces some competitive challenges from the competitors. In the recent times, there has been growing tendency to import low priced Asian products, which bring more challenges for the company. Workforce diversity is going to be there, and it cannot be termed as a problem for the growth of the company. In conclusion, the Draper manufacturing faces business challenges rather workforce diversity

Financial resource management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Financial resource management - Assignment Example From the year 2010 the company has focused in launching range of its venture brands. For the first half of 2011 the company profits were ?1.9 billion, there followed a period of low growth of sales attributed by the changing consumer behavior switching to budget rivals. The market in which this company operates is considered to be competitive. Its major competitors being Asda, Sainsbury, the Co-operative Food Plc. and Morrison’s and as by 2011 the market share standings in the context of United Kingdom were as follows (Schuh 2012). Tesco Company 30.6%, Asda Company 17.3, Sainsbury plc. 16.6% and the Co-operative Food Plc. 7.3%. Tesco plc. Financial performance The financial year for Tesco comes to an end on 27 February, thus the financial year 2010 covers 2010/2011. In this financial year there had been a registered total sales increasing by 8.3% in its first half and 8.8% in the third quarter (Infinancials 2012). For the case of international sales it increased by 15.7%. The return on equity has also increased significantly putting into consideration the impacts of the financial crisis. The company has engaged on big expansive programs notably on international markets using both retained earnings and debt financing for these projects. As at August 2010 the company balance sheet indicated a short-term debt of ?1.6 billion, ?10.5 billion long term debts with an offset of ?1.977 billion cash position which gives a net debt of ?10.1 billion (Schuh 2012). Thus the company is committed in paying down the debts. The company has greatly diversified its property assets having a gained greatly in comparison with its book value. Attributing to this is that it has provided a buffer to the current company leverage position. Better financial position of this company is attributed by the predictable and reliable earnings as well as profitability. The major products that the company is consumer staples and personal goods and the implication of recession may not signifi cantly affect its sales and profits respectively. J Sainsbury plc. J Sainsbury plc is the parent company of a chain of supermarkets in United Kingdom also referred to as Sainsbury’s. The company is the third largest chain of supermarkets thus considered to have a significant market share in the United Kingdom domestic market. This company currently operates 1012 convenience stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets and a bank as well which sells financial services. In UK market the company is ranked third as it offers high quality grocery compared to its rivals. The company controls a market share of 16.4% coming fourth after its competitors Morrison’s, Asda’s and Tesco respectively (Infinancials 2012). Subsidiary businesses include Sainsbury’s local, Sainsbury’s online, Sainsbury’s Active Kids, Sainsbury’s Local and Sainsbury’s Bank. J Sainsbury plc. Financial performance For the past years the financial performance of this compan y has been characterized with increased turnover. From 1990 to 2010 the turnover has increased significantly from ?6.9 billion to ?21.4 billion with a fall in 2005 when the company way in the transition of restructuring itself (Schuh 2012). It is notable that for most of the years the company had a pre-tax profit of between ?500 million to ?700 million. The earnings per share have also increased significantly except in 2005 and 2006 (Infinancials 201

The Impact of Martin Luther King’s Philosophy of non-violence Essay Example for Free

The Impact of Martin Luther King’s Philosophy of non-violence Essay Introduction Martin Luther King Jnr. is perhaps one of the greatest and most remembered black leader to have walked the face of America. He was and still is one of the most revered public figure not only in America, but across the world as well. He is credited greatly to the end of racial segregation in America.   Ã‚   King was born on 15th January 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia and was the son Reverend Martin Luther King. He played a very instrumental in bringing to an end racial segregation on all public transport especially after the infamous Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955. King is credited for the speech â€Å"I had a Dream† that was delivered to close to a quarter a million people who had assembled at the Lincoln Memorial Park in Washington in 1963 during the March on Washington for jobs and freedom. The â€Å"I have a dream† speech is classified as on of the finest speeches in America’s history. King’s eventful and fruitful carrier in the civil rights was characterized by many instances of resistance to the effects of racial segregation, this would eventually lead to his life being cut short by an assassin’s bullet at Memphis on 4th April 1968. The world lost one of the most valuable renowned persons. Despite of his short carrier, King left a mark that has continued to impact the world even today almost half a century after his death. Therefore much of his legacy has continued to impact and influence the direction of some world events even today. The philosophy of non-violence resistance is one of the legacies that King left behind. At this time and age the ideology of non- resistance has been exposed to so much resistance and criticism especially from scholars who see it as a term that is often hijacked by â€Å"social opportunists and unethical politicians† who threaten to end any form of civil liberties in America. (http://www.mcsm.org/disease.html). Non-violence as practiced by Gandhi or King they argue has no place in the contemporary world. Analogues are even drawn to even prove indeed that non-violence does not necessarily bring about desired change, in fact sometimes it does harm than good. For example Fred Handschumacher illustrates this with the HIV virus that eventually causes great harm to the victim (http://www.mcsm.org/disease.html) To be able to understand clearly the non-violence resistance ideology, it is important first to understand the history behind it and especially how it is related to Martin Luther King. Non- violence had always been considered by many across the world as on of the many options to bring about change in the social, political and economic environment. Martin Luther King on his part saw it as â€Å"the only road to freedom†. Martin Luther King saw 3 ways of responding to any form of injustice, first was to accept it, the second was to resort to brutality and use of force and the third was to practice non- violence resistance. The power behind the third option depended so much on the power of the moral conscious. (http://www.ncs.pvt.k12.va.us/ryerbury/king-12/king-12.htm ) It was while he was still a student at Crozer Theological Seminary in September 1948 that he came to learn about the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi the great Indian leader. In Gandhi’s ideology of Satyagraha that espoused the need for resistance without violence, Kings saw the answer to his quest o eliminate the economic and social injustices not only in America, but in the world as well. After this encounter King laboriously studied this ideology that advocated the virtues of â€Å"turning the other cheek† and today has become the â€Å"predominant way in which people overthrow tyrannical governments and make their lives better†. (King, 1958) Soon afterwards Kings was to successfully implement the theoretical aspect of the ideology during the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955. Racial segregation by the end of the boycott was done with, without any form of violent resistance or confrontation. The ideology as developed by Gandhi and practiced by King had six principal points that the resister had to adhere to, they included: One can always resist evil without using or being violent Non- violence chooses to win the â€Å"friendship and understanding† of the opponent and not humiliate him (King, 1958) Oppose evil itself not the person(s) committing the evil acts Suffering is very redemptive and anyone committed to non-violence must be ready to suffer without any form of retaliation. At all costs the non-violent resister should both avoid hurting the opponent and himself. To avoid hurting oneself spiritually. Love should always be the sole motivator not to revenge. â€Å" The universe is on the side of justice† ((King, 1958)) thus for the resister to persevere he/ she must have great faith for the future King was so much indoctrinated in these virtues and this is what made him so successful in utilizing this method of resistance to an extent it has such a level of impact across the globe. Democracy The major impact where the non-violent resistance bore much fruit is in America itself. It was through the civil rights movements during King’s time that would eventually bring to an end racial segregation. Previously the blacks did not have the opportunity to elect directly or even participate in important issues regarding their nation. Blacks today have King’s form of non- violent resistance to thank for what they enjoy today. It is only through such ideals that today Barrack Obama (an African- American) can pursue the dream to become the president of the world’s super power without any form of discrimination. Democracy in way is a non-violent way of changing the way things a run in any government. America being one of the major proponents of democracy has continued to influence the world over to adopt this nonviolent way of giving the masses the opportunity to express their choice of leadership and exercise their rights. In America also although overall success is sometimes hard to quantify, nonviolence was the only way or option to for the blacks to retain their jobs, lives or even homes and thus retain their â€Å"dignity and still fight for what they believed in† (http://www.ncs.pvt.k12.va.us/ryerbury/king-12/king-12.htm). The Caucasian majority at that time possessed all the resources and they were the majority. The blacks could have easily been wiped out if they resorted to any form of violence because it would have been a perfect excuse to fight them back. http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4794 The situation that faced the blacks at that time can be equated to what is happening in the Israel/ Palestinian conflict today. The Israel Government has an obvious upper hand in this conflict because of its resources and strength. It has continued to engage in acts that clearly border on human abuse, the Palestinians use violence to retaliate, usually with deadly results. The Israelis use this as a very perfect excuse to continue suppressing the Palestinians. Conclusion Non-violent resistance as practiced by Martin Luther King contributed greatly towards the liberation of the minority groups the US. America could not have achieved its superpower status if it its leaders chose to ignore the wind of change that was flowing in its direction. Probably US would still be yoked in the chains of racial segregation if ignored the calls for change even though they were non-violent. Nevertheless, probably today America would not be what it is if King resorted to violent means of achieving the desired change. The conflict in the Middle East would likely be the scenario America would be facing today; but thanks to Martin Luther King Jnr.(http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4794)             REFERENCES Martin Luther King Jnr, (1958) Stride Toward Freedom,. http://www.ncs.pvt.k12.va.us/ryerbury/king-12/king-12.htm: Accessed on 24th February 2008     http://www.mcsm.org/disease.html Accessed on 24th February 2008   http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4794 Accessed on 24th February 2008

The Guitar and Its Effect on My Life Essay -- Papers Personal Narrativ

The Guitar and Its Effect on My Life The time was Christmas morning 2003, the ambience was silent and tranquil; not a sound could be heard. All of a sudden, I was woken from my eternal slumber. With awareness of the significance of the time and event, I leaped out of bed and rushed into the living room where a Christmas tree stood tall. Beneath the tree there lay my precious presents. Rummaging through these random gifts that had been awarded to me, I was disappointed to see that there were few that specifically appealed to me. Yet being the foolish child I was, I had overlooked one of them. In the corner of the room was one unwrapped box; upon it labelled â€Å"Electric Guitar and Amplifier†. Although it had not appeared to be something as momentous at first, little had I known that this object was something that would soon turn out to have a highly significant effect on my life†¦ From that point on, the guitar seemed to turn the tables for me. It was highly unlike any other musical instruments I have ever played before, it had seemed to be something that I had become completely attached and addicted to. In spite of all the offers my father had given to me about guitar lessons, I had intentionally turned them down. As puzzled as my father was to my decision, I explained to him that this was an instrument I wanted to play in the form of an enjoyable activity. Having a guitar teacher would give me consistent blocks of homework on specific set pieces, thus turning practice into a task. I wanted to learn to play this instrument at my own pace and I wanted to learn to play this instrument in a manner that I would regard it as something ... ...sion with practicing the guitar has almost reached the point that my parents have had no choice but to enforce a maximum practice time of 3 hours per day on the guitar. They have also warned me that should my grades drop, my guitar would be the first possession of mine that would be confiscated. This in one sense could also be a good thing considering the fact that it does give me more incentive to achieve higher academic grades. After weighing out the pros and cons, I would definitely say that playing the guitar has had a favourably positive effect both psychologically and physically upon my life. With aid of my guitar I was able to release the stresses of everyday life, learn new ideas about music and make new friends. Of all the greatest gifts that anyone has ever bought me, my guitar is definitely among the top.

Patient-Physician Relationship Essay

The functional perspective is a perspective theory based on the following hypotheses. First, a society is made up of several institution which works together to promote the integration, balance, stability and consensus building within the said society, thus, the society’s main aim is to maintain social order. The society, as a system is made up of different parts each of which has a dysfunction, latent and manifest functions. Health is a very important aspect of the human life. From a functional perspective it is quite clear that the subject of health is integrated into every aspect of life from work to leisure. The manifest function of the institution of health care is the provision of health services to the people. The institution has other latent functions, for instance, the creation of employment to lecturers, doctors, surgeons and nurses. A common dysfunction in the health care institution is the failure to provide its services even though it is in a position to bring about the misunderstandings between the practitioners and the patients. There are thus several proposals that have been brought forward to deal with the situation which brings about the dysfunctional aspect of the health care sector. It is clear that, the health care sector has been a constituent part of the society from time immemorial. This sector has also been integrating with other aspects of life for instance, education from which the qualified physicians are made. The health care sector is also responsible for the stability of the society by ensuring that other aspects of the society are attended to by providing the health of the work force. The heath care sector of the society brings about consensus in the society by integrating other constituent areas of the society in it’s decision making and ensuring the decisions made are for the goodness of the society at large. Traditionally, physicians were seen as properly having total control over their patients; now the pendulum is swinging the other way and patients are demanding substantially more power in the relationship. In the past, the relationship between the patient and the physician was strained as the physician was viewed as the superior of the two. This made the physicians arrogant as the patients became more frustrated. The importance of health care and the dependence of other sectors on it has brought about the need for reforms in the sector thus, bringing about the dysfunction aspect of the health sector. According to the function perspective, any constituent part of a society should have a mechanism for trouble shooting as the occurrence of inconsistencies is inevitable. This is the dysfunction characteristic of the functional perspective. Great changes in politics, social lifestyles and technology have greatly affected the communication between the physician and the patients. The complexity of the heath care system, and it’s need for a lot of decision making, cost of health care coupled with the hard economic terms have all driven people to seek information on alternative sources of health care. The current advocacy for informed consent, patient’s rights and access to medical records is viewed as a need by the customer to defend themselves from the predatory nature of heath care providers. Patients are keen on getting information regarding signs and symptoms of diseases, medical tests, drugs and alternative treatment options. The information obtained has been the main source of the revolution as the patients are more informed about the available options and their patients rights. This further goes on to prove that the society is an integrated setting because changes in areas like social lifestyle and technology have brought about the need for change in health care. This further pushes forward the agenda of viewing the society from a functional perspective. There are several issues that affect a patient- physician relationship. The issues that affect the relationship between a physician and a doctor includes: First, there is need for trust between the doctor and the patient, as this is very important to the diagnostic and therapeutic process. It is of critical importance for the communication between the patient and the physician if they can develop a feeling of mutual trust between them. This in turn perfects the diagnostic process and eventually eases the healing process. This clearly shows the need to integrate every aspect of the society’s daily life to smoothen the daily flow of the society. In the past, patients relied on the physician to do all the work, thus, there was heavy reliance on the practitioner’s professional authority. This trend, which did not in any way consider the patient’s preferences, has been around for quite a long time. In the later stages of the twentieth century, this trend seemed to change as the patient was brought into play. This changes have continued and currently the patient almost have as much say on the mode of his treatment as the physician. Physician-patient communication is mainly in two aspects: the Technical and the Samaritan aspects. The technical aspect is concerned with coming up with a proper diagnosis and prescribing a proper remedy, whereas, the humanitarian aspect is mainly concerned with supportive care. Patients are increasingly looking for information on supportive care. Traditionally, the patient was viewed as unable to cope with the medical information and his knowledge of medical issues was viewed as a threat to the profession. Presently, it is mandatory to consult the patient and seek her consent for any decision on a treatment plan, thus, the patient should be well informed in order to make rational choices and implement them correctly. This is a clear demonstration of the consensus building aspect as demonstrated by the view of the society from a functional perspective. To ensure that the patient benefits from the health care sector, there is need to ensure the provision of adequate information on various health issues, and the physician should ensure a patient is well briefed on his condition, what caused it and the recuperation period. Libraries should provide information that support the improvement of physician-patient relationship. The range of information available to consumers needs to be widened. A mechanism should be put in place to disseminate findings related to clinical practice. The creation of a decision making software for use by the consumers will also go a long way in enlightening and helping the patients to make informed decisions. Bodies that deals with the provision of information to the professional societies should have their mandate extended to enable them provide information that will help the consumers on their services in decision making. The above demonstrates some ways in which the various aspects of the system works together in a harmonious manner in order to create a more stable society. This is an aspect of the functional perspective of the society. The other issue is based on the question is â€Å"can students be trusted? †. Medical students find it hard when placed in a position of a patient as they generally have trust issues. There is a need to find ways to ease the treatment process of such students. Moreover, some patients, especially the youth, are more comfortable in dealing with physicians of their age with whom they feel they can easily relate to. Furthermore, bringing a personal touch puts the patients at ease with physicians. The physician may relay relevant aspects of his experiences on the patient. This helps the patient to feel at ease, knowing that, the physician has been in his shoes and is therefore more qualified to deal with his situation. This also facilitates the ease of communication between the concerned parties. The other issue affecting the provision of health care services is a decision on a physician’s beliefs and feelings which affects his or her decisions and judgment on clinical issues. It is quite important to find out the patient’s beliefs and thus be informed of what other suitable avenues there are to the solution of his health problems. Furthermore, some patients are quite demanding and may unnecessarily take up clinical time. In dealing with such patients, a physician is advised to kindly state to them the situation and give them a few alternatives or means to reach to a compromise. These mechanisms, used to smoothen the provision of health services and promote the patient -doctor relationship, are characterized by a balancing process in which the physician is forced to abandon his beliefs for the good of the patients and thus of the society as a whole. Creation of balance is a key characteristic in parties involved in a society from a functional perspective. The other issues that needs to be addressed in the bid to improve the patient-physician relationship are factors that hinder the communication between a physician and his patient. Communication between a doctor and a patient can be hindered by either parties for instance, patients may omit some details of their medical history which they consider embarrassing or private. On the other side, the physician may not be keen on the patient’s narration or accounts especially if he is judgmental. To facilitate the ease of communication between the two, there is a need for the physicist to make the patient aware that he has his full attention, ensure they are both comfortable, and ask explicitly on the key areas of concern. Moreover, it is believed that a third of the patients disagree with the doctor’s analysis and recommendation, this pose a great risk to the patient’s health (Armstrong, 1991). To reduce such cases, there is need for the patient and the physician to both participate in the decision making process. A patient has the right to refuse some forms of medical interventions prescribed to him by the physician based on his beliefs and personal preferences. There is need to determine a set point after which the decision to override a patient’s preferences should be reached. It is agreed that the influence of the patient’s preferences to the physician’s course of action should be limited. This creates an avenue to help patients who for one reason or the another, are unwilling to help themselves by consenting to the physician’s prescribed course of action. At times, the practitioners may even be forced to go to court in order to force the patients to accept treatment. The other key issue is confidentiality, information on a person’s health status is very secretive and personal and should be kept as secure and confidential as possible. The knowledge that his medical information is confidential, helps the patient develop a feeling of trust in the physician which leads to improved provision of health services. Confidentiality may cause a problem in cases where the practitioner is legally obliged to give an account on a patient’s health record. These issues addressed above, clearly demonstrate how various building blocks of the society interact in order to come up with a stable, balanced and integrated society in which balance, stability and consensus building are the main mechanisms used in dealing with any anomalies that may befall the constituent parties. This is the key principle in the functional perspective view of a society. The issues addressed above are currently being addressed by several countries. Some countries started addressing these issues in the seventies leading to the marking the start of a revolution, as other countries emulated their example. These reforms have led to patients wanting to know more about matters affecting their health. Currently, there is a need for doctors to be on the forefront in empowering their patients by advising them on suitable sources of information (Burnum, 1985). The nineties witnessed the commercialization of medical services bringing the need to better customer relations. This in medical terms refers to better patient-physician relationship. The commercialization has empowered patients as they are now treated with much respect and their needs are adhered to promptly (Eysenbach & Diepgen, 1998). This trend is expected to continue for a few couple of years as the world becomes more and more commercialized. The downside of the above improved relations are considerable. First, it is quite true that the improved patient-physician relationship is closely associated with commercialization of medical services. In a commercialized setting, the patients preferences will be put before his actual medical needs. This will eventually lead to the erosion of medical ethics, as the commercial code will come in play (Robinson & Gustafson,1988). Secondly, access to basic medical care will be above the reach of the average person as the health providing institution will only aim at larger profit margins rather than provision of affordable services. Lastly, the increased power given to the patient will eventually lead to low morale in medical workers as the patients will be so bossy, this will lead to poor service delivery (Lazare, 1987). The improvement of patient-physician relationship has associated pros and cons. There is thus an urgent need for medical governing bodies and governments to come up with legislations that will ensure that the medical code of conduct and ethics are adhered to and medical services are within the reach of the poor and thus regulating medical services while at the same time, ensuring the said improvements thrive.

Decision Making Process WRT Consumer Behavior

Question 1. Explain Decision making process and various types of decision with examples? Ans: Decision making can be regarded as the mental processes (Cognitive process) resulting in the selection of a course of action among several alternative scenarios. Every decision making process produces a final choice. The output can be an action or an opinion of choice. Developed by B. Aubrey Fisher, there are four stages that should be involved in all group decision making.These stages, or sometimes called phases, are important for the decision-making process to begin Orientation stage- This phase is where members meet for the first time and start to get to know each other. Conflict stage- Once group members become familiar with each other, disputes, little fights and arguments occur. Group members eventually work it out. Emergence stage- The group begins to clear up vague opinions by talking about them. Reinforcement stage- Members finally make a decision, while justifying themselves that i t was the right decision.When in an organization and faced with a difficult decision, there are several steps one can take to ensure the best possible solutions will be decided. These steps are put into seven effective ways to go about this decision making process. An Example illustrating Decision Making Process in an Organization * The first step – Outline your goal and outcome. This will enable decision makers to see exactly what they are trying to accomplish and keep them on a specific path. * The second step – Gather data. This will help decision makers have actual evidence to help them come up with a solution. The third step – Brainstorm to develop alternatives. Coming up with more than one solution ables you to see which one can actually work. * The fourth step – List pros and cons of each alternative. With the list of pros and cons, you can eliminate the solutions that have more cons than pros, making your decision easier. * The fifth step – Make the decision. Once you analyze each solution, you should pick the one that has many pros (or the pros that are most significant), and is a solution that everyone can agree with. * The sixth step – Immediately take action.Once the decision is picked, you should implement it right away. * The seventh step – Learn from, and reflect on the decision making. This step allows you to see what you did right and wrong when coming up, and putting the decision to use. Another example showing Decision Making Process with respect to consumer behavior. This model is important for anyone making marketing decisions. It forces the marketer to consider the whole buying process rather than just the purchase decision (when it may be too late for a business to influence the choice! The model implies that customers pass through all stages in every purchase. However, in more routine purchases, customers often skip or reverse some of the stages. For example, a student buying a favourite hamburger would recognise the need (hunger) and go right to the purchase decision, skipping information search and evaluation. However, the model is very useful when it comes to understanding any purchase that requires some thought and deliberation.The buying process starts with need recognition. At this stage, the buyer recognises a problem or need (e. g. I am hungry, we need a new sofa, I have a headache) or responds to a marketing stimulus (e. g. you pass Starbucks and are attracted by the aroma of coffee and chocolate muffins). An â€Å"aroused† customer then needs to decide how much information (if any) is required. If the need is strong and there is a product or service that meets the need close to hand, then a purchase decision is likely to be made there and then. If not, then the process of information search begins. A customer can obtain information from several sources: †¢ Personal sources: family, friends, neighbours etc Commercial sources: advertising; salesp eople; retailers; dealers; packaging; point-of-sale displays †¢ Public sources: newspapers, radio, television, consumer organisations; specialist magazines †¢ Experiential sources: handling, examining, using the product The usefulness and influence of these sources of information will vary by product and by customer. Research suggests that customer’s value and respect personal sources more than commercial sources (the influence of â€Å"word of mouth†). The challenge for the marketing team is to identify which information sources are most influential in their target markets.In the evaluation stage, the customer must choose between the alternative brands, products and services. An important determinant of the extent of evaluation is whether the customer feels â€Å"involved† in the product. By involvement, we mean the degree of perceived relevance and personal importance that accompanies the choice. Where a purchase is â€Å"highly involving†, th e customer is likely to carry out extensive evaluation. High-involvement purchases include those involving high expenditure or personal risk – for example buying a house, a car or making investments. Low involvement purchases (e. . buying a soft drink, choosing some breakfast cereals in the supermarket) have very simple evaluation processes. Post-purchase evaluation – Cognitive Dissonance The final stage is the post-purchase evaluation of the decision. It is common for customers to experience concerns after making a purchase decision. This arises from a concept that is known as â€Å"cognitive dissonance†. The customer, having bought a product, may feel that an alternative would have been preferable. In these circumstances that customer will not repurchase immediately, but is likely to switch brands next time.To manage the post-purchase stage, it is the job of the marketing team to persuade the potential customer that the product will satisfy his or her needs. T hen after having made a purchase, the customer should be encouraged that he or she has made the right decision. Question 2. Take any international country of your choice and list down their social, cultural, lifestyle, business etiquettes and trade practices in detail? Ans: Country in Discussion: Nigeria Social / Cultural and Life Style Background The culture of Nigeria is shaped by Nigeria's multiple ethnic groups. The country has over 50 languages and over 250 dialects and ethnic groups.The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausa-Fulani who are predominant in the north, the Igbo who are predominant in the south-east, and the Yoruba who are predominant in the southwest. The Edo people are predominant in the region between Yorubaland and Igboland. Much of the Edo tends to be Christian while the remaining 20 percent worship deities called Ogu. This group is followed by the Ibibio/Annang/Efik people of the coastal southeastern Nigeria and the Ijaw of the Niger Delta. The rest of Nig eria's ethnic groups (sometimes called ‘minorities') are found all over the country but especially in the middle belt and north.The Hausa tend to be Muslim and the Igbo are predominantly Christian. The Efik, Ibibio, Annang people are mainly Christian. The Yoruba have a balance of members that are adherent to both Islam and Christianity. Indigenous religious practices remain important in all of Nigeria's ethnic groups, these beliefs are often blended with Christian beliefs. Nigeria is famous for its English language literature and its popular music. Since the 1990s the Nigerian movie industry, sometimes called " Nollywood" has emerged as a fast-growing cultural force all over the continent.All over the country, and even increasingly in the conservative north, western music, dresses and movies are ever popular. The music of Nigeria includes many kinds of folk and popular music, some of which are known worldwide. Traditional musicians use a number of diverse instruments , such as the Gongon drums Football (soccer) is extremely popular throughout the country and especially among the youth, both field soccer and professional international soccer, has developed into a cult of unity and division.Supporters of English football clubs Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea often segregate beyond the traditional tribal and even religious divide to share their common cause in Premier League teams. The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Nigerian food embellishes a rich blend of traditionally African carbohydrates such as Yam and Cassava as well as vegetable soups made from native green leaves.Praised by Nigerians for the strength it gives, Garri is a powdered Cassava Grain that can be readily eaten as a meal and is quite cheap. Yam is either fried in oil or pounded to make a Mashed Potato like Yam pottage. Nigerian beans, quite diff erent from green peas, is widely popular. Meat is also popular and Nigerian Suya, a barbecue like method of roasting meat, is a well known delicacy. Bush meat, meat from wild game like deer and giraffes is also popular. Fermented palm products is used to make a traditional liquor, Palm Wine, as is fermented Cassava.Business Background in Nigeria The fact that Nigeria is not a magnet for international investment could be seen as a tragedy of immense proportions. Years of political instability, regional strife and the weakening influence of massive corruption have resulted in the country failing to capitalize on its many advantages; leaving the mass of the population in relative poverty and the country enormously infra-structure poor. A large number of international organizations and business people have been wary of doing business in Nigeria for many years.This may seem strange given that Nigeria is one of the most populous countries in Africa as well as being one of the most oil-ric h places in the world. Couple this with the fact that the country is abundant in many other natural resources and has good port facilities and you might think that international business would be fighting for a piece of the action in Nigeria. Huge strides have been made in the last few years to try to tackle the many endemic problems which assail the country — with political and economic stability being seen as the key weapons in attacking the corrosive influence of corruption.Whether the actions being taken on the ground now lead to dramatic improvements in levels of transparency and levels of corporate governance remain to be seen — in the meantime, the country struggles along and those doing business in Nigeria need to be aware of the issues that await them. Business Etiquettes Nigerians like to use language in a fairly flowery fashion and will often address you with great courtesy and overt signs of respect. This desire to show respect to people is shown in the Nig erian use of titles and honorifics.People will often be addressed as Uncle, Auntie, Chief, Mazi, Doctor etc. rather than by the use of first names. Business conversations will often veer towards the personal and you may be asked questions about family, hobbies and other interests within business meetings. This is an important section of the meeting and should be treated as such. It is not seen as overly personal but rather as a signal of warmth and friendship. Handshaking is very important and it is usual to exchange long, lingering handshakes with everybody you meet. Nigerian Management StyleAs you would expect in a strictly hierarchical culture, managers are expected to lead quite strongly. The boss is expected to make decisions (with or without wider consultation) and the decisions of the boss are expected to be carried out to the letter. Directions should be given in a polite and friendly but definitive fashion. Spell out in detail what needs to be done — anything which i s not explicitly requested, is likely to remain undone. This does not mean that subordinates are inefficient or lazy, merely that they expect the boss to know exactly what he wants to happen and to explain things to them fully.It is important to dress well in Nigeria as the way you are dressed will signal your relative level of importance. Men should wear dark suits and ties and women should wear dark, demure business-style suits. In return for loyalty, the manager will often take on a paternalistic role with regard to colleagues. The manager is expected to take an interest in subordinates beyond their directly work-related duties. People are as likely to ask the boss advice on personal matters as they are on business issues. Indigenous Nigerian companies will, however, have an approach and flavor all of their own.All native Nigerian companies will display massively hierarchical tendencies as befits a country rich in tribal tradition and culture. Thus the boss expects and receives r espect from those below them in the structure. As age is highly valued in Nigerian culture, managers are often of the older generation — age brings wisdom. Although people at a middle-management level will like to give the impression that they have great power in the organization, they rarely do. Decisions are invariably made right at the top, so try not to waste too much time trying to force decisions out of more junior employees.If possible, go right to the top. This does not, however, mean that people lower down the corporate structure can be ignored as they may very well be pivotal in influencing the eventual decision-maker. As a relationship-oriented culture, it is important to be seen to be trying hard to develop good relationships at all levels within the organization. Economic Facts previously hindered by years of mismanagement, economic reforms of the past decade have put Nigeria back on track towards achieving its full economic potential. Nigerian GDP at purchasing power parity more than doubled from $170. 7 billion in 2005 to $374. billion in 2010, although estimates of the size of the informal sector (which is not included in official figures) put the actual numbers closer to $520 billion. Correspondingly, the GDP per capita doubled from $1200 per person in 2005 to an estimated $2,500 per person in 2009 (again, with the inclusion of the informal sector, it is estimated that GDP per capita hovers around $3,500 per person). It is the largest economy in the West Africa Region, 3rd largest economy in Africa (behind South Africa and Egypt), and on track to becoming one of the top 30 economies in the world in the early part of 2011.Although much has been made of its status as a major exporter of oil, Nigeria produces only about 3. 3% of the world's supply, and though it is ranked as 15th in production at 2. 2 million barrels per day (mbpd), the top 3 producers Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United States produce 10. 7mbpd (16. 8%), 9. 8mbpd (15. 4% ), and 8. 5mbpd (13. 4%) respectively, collectively accounting for 63. 6mpd (45. 4%) of the world's total production. [2] To put oil revenues in perspective: at an estimated export rate of 1. 9mbd, with a projected sales price of $65 per barrel in 2011, Nigeria's anticipated revenue from petroleum is about $52. billion. This accounts for less than 14% of official GDP figures (and drops to 10% when the informal economy is included in these calculations). Therefore, though the petroleum sector is important, it remains in fact a small part of the country's overall vibrant and diversified economy. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has not kept up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now imports some of its food products. In 2006, Nigeria successfully convinced the Paris Club to let it buy back the bulk of its debts owed to the Paris Club for a cash payment of roughly $12 billion (USD).Trade Practices: The Federal Government plays the ro le of protecting local industries and the labor market from unfair competitions and trade practices of developed countries. While Nigerian government appreciates that the world is a global village, in terms of exchange of goods, services and persons, it will not open the nation‘s borders to the influx of foreigners in whatever guise without considering the security and economic implication inherent in the administration of Expatriate Quota and other immigration formality. While it is true that Nigeria as a developing country needs to benefit from the xperiences and technology of the advanced nations, it is important that we protect our local manpower by ensuring that jobs that are meant for Nigerians are not occupied by foreigners in order to stem the unemployment rate in the country. Although the world is a global village and the WTO preaches free trade or liberalization of trade, it is the government’s duty both individually and as government to protect our local indu stries and markets in order to avoid being reduced to mere consumers of labor and technology of the advanced nations.Their focus at all times should be to develop indigenous technology, local capacity building for both our industries and markets". Also, the administration of Expatriate Quota helps attract foreign direct investment; fast track economic development; transfer technology through importation of modern machinery and equipment; build and enhance local capacity and skills; institutionalize Nigerian understudies attached to Expatriates and for appropriate documentation.ALTERNATIVE TRADE NETWORK OF NIGERIA (ATNN) The Alternative Trade Network of Nigeria (ATNN) was established in 1994 with 25 artisans drawn from different parts of Nigeria as a Non Governmental Trade and Development Network. It was formerly registered with Corporate Affairs Commissions Abuja on the 7th January 1999 as an Incorporated Trustee with a five member Governing Board. The daily operations of the n etwork are coordinated by program staff and team of volunteers under the leadership of the Director.ATNN is a registered pioneer member of the International Fair Trade Association (IFAT) formed in 1994 now the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and also a founding member of the Cooperation for Fair Trade in Africa (COFTA) with its Africa Regional Office based in Nairobi, Kenya. With a founding membership of 25 artisans and groups, ATNN membership has grown to 120 cooperatives, groups and individuals (over 3616 individuals) engage in both food and Non food products from different parts of Nigeria who are grass root based and committed to the principles and standards of fair trade. 3% of the current membership is women, employing over 3616 people. 1774 apprentices have also been trained and are now self employed and running their business in different areas of micro enterprises. ATNN has the following thematic areas of intervention 1. Fair Trade Market Access, Retailing and Export T rading†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ This program provides unique solutions to specific members based on identified needs, level of business development, size, structure, markets, retailing and other trading opportunities. 2. Producer Development, Community Mobilization and Empowerment.This program engages participatory method of development of both formal and informal groups of producers and communities in identifying and establishing core strength and weaknesses and collective designing of sustainable and achievable business solutions. 3. Fair Trade Advocacy and Economic Rights†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The objective of this program is to develop and disseminate appropriate fair trade information to raise beneficiary's awareness and stake holder's interest and support for effective and proactive fair trade participations.It also highlights and lobby against unethical business, production and trade practices and policies that are detrimental to community growth, environmental protection and other impacts that are related to sustainable production and development. The Alternative Trade Network of Nigeria believes in fostering an accelerated producers businesses development and sustainable income through developing, consolidating and advancing the core mission and objectives of the global fair Trade Movement within Nigeria, Africa and the world over.This is achieved through the offering and provision of technical guidance, market support, networking and awareness rising for favorable trade policies and micro business development measures. ATNN, in its business development services also ensures that producers do not just access profitable markets, but produce quality products and get appropriate value for their labor. ATNN generally desires to achieve the following: 1. Increased and improved business skills

The wasp factory essays

The wasp factory essays Ian Banks novel The Wasp Factory explores the strange, sadly comic, offbeat world of a sixteen year old boy called Frank who lives with his dislocated father and psychotic brother, Eric, in an isolated area of Scotland. As I read the novel I find Franks life consists of grotesque behaviour worthy of any horror story, yet cruelly humorous. My essay will explore the way in which I believe Banks allows the character of Frank to perpetrate macabre, wicked deeds while still managing to engage my sympathy, support and amusement for this tortured soul. For me, Banks has achieved this, by portraying Frank as someone whose behaviour is merely a logical defence to the people and events that surround him in his chaotic life. The novel is written in the first person narrative, giving I feel, a real insight into Franks thoughts and strange reasoning. I am made to feel like his supporter, his confidante, one of only a few he can trust. I was never registered. I have no birth certificate, no national insurance number and nothing to say I am alive or have ever existed. By sharing this with me I understand Frank is declaring his difference, his isolation. As I read on I realise Frank believes his father plays a large part in this isolation. An illustration of this is Franks description of the relationship between him and his father ...an educated man.., ...a doctor of perhaps biochemistry. Frank and his father obviously enjoy a competitive and yet slightly cruel life together. This can be seen when Franks father deliberately misinforms the boy on answers to questions Frank has asked. By the time Frank can...reach the highest shelves of the house library, and walk into Porteneil to visit the one there... he realises his father has deceived him. No wonder then, I feel, that Frank has a sense of insecurity which develops in him a need for control over his enviro...

The Origins of the Domesticated Grapevine

The Origins of the Domesticated Grapevine Domesticated grapevine (Vitis vinifera, sometimes called V. sativa) was one of the most important fruit species in the classic Mediterranean world, and it is the most important economic fruit species in the modern world today. As in the ancient past, sun-loving grapevines are today cultivated to produce fruits, which are eaten fresh (as table grapes) or dried (as raisins), and, most especially, to make wine, a drink of great economic, cultural, and symbolic value. The Vitis family consists of about 60 inter-fertile species that exist almost exclusively in the Northern Hemisphere: of those, V. vinifera is the only one extensively used in the global wine industry. Approximately 10,000 cultivars of V. vinifera exist today, although the market for wine production is dominated by only a handful of them. Cultivars are typically classified according to whether they produce wine grapes, table grapes, or raisins. Domestication History Most evidence indicates that V. vinifera was domesticated in Neolithic southwest Asia between ~6000–8000 years ago, from its wild ancestor V. vinifera spp. sylvestris, sometimes referred to as V. sylvestris. V. sylvestris, while quite rare in some locations, currently ranges between the Atlantic coast of Europe and the Himalayas. A second possible center of domestication is in Italy and the western Mediterranean, but so far the evidence for that is not conclusive. DNA studies suggest that one reason for the lack of clarity is the frequent occurrence in the past of purposeful or accidental cross-breeding of domestic and wild grapes. The earliest evidence for wine production- in the form of chemical residues inside pots- is from Iran at Hajji Firuz Tepe in the northern Zagros mountains about 7400–7000 BP. Shulaveri-Gora in Georgia had residues dated to the 6th millennium BC. Seeds from what are believed to be domesticated grapes have been found in Areni Cave in southeastern Armenia, about 6000 BP, and Dikili Tash from northern Greece, 4450–4000 BCE. DNA from grape pips thought to be domesticated was recovered from Grotta della Serratura in southern Italy from levels dated to 4300–4000 cal BCE. In Sardinia, the earliest dated fragments come from the Late Bronze Age levels of the Nuragic culture settlement of Sa Osa, 1286–1115 cal BCE. Diffusion By about 5,000 years ago, grapevines were traded out to the western margin of the Fertile Crescent, the Jordan Valley, and Egypt. From there, the grape was spread throughout the Mediterranean basin by various Bronze Age and Classical societies. Recent genetic investigations suggest that at this distribution point, the domestic V. vinifera was crossed with local wild plants in the Mediterranean. According to the 1st century BCE Chinese historical record Shi Ji, grapevines found their way into East Asia in the late 2nd century BCE, when General Qian Zhang returned from the Fergana Basin of Uzbekistan between 138–119 BCE. Grapes were later brought to Changan (now Xian city) via the Silk Road. Archaeological evidence from the steppe society Yanghai Tombs indicates, however, that grapes were grown in the Turpan Basin (at the western edge of what is today China) by at least 300 BCE. The founding of Marseille (Massalia) about 600 BCE is thought to have been connected with grape cultivation, suggested by the presence of a large number of wine amphorae from its early days. There, Iron Age Celtic people bought large quantities of wine for feasting; but overall viticulture was slow-growing until, according to Pliny, retired members of the Roman legion moved to the Narbonnaisse region of France at the end of the 1st century BCE. These old soldiers grew grapes and mass-produced wine for their working colleagues and the urban lower classes. Differences Between Wild and Domestic Grapes The main difference between wild and domestic forms of grape is the wild forms ability to cross-pollinate: wild V. vinifera can self-pollinate, while domestic forms cannot, which allows farmers to control a plants genetic characteristics. The domestication process increased the size of bunches and berries, and the berrys sugar content as well. The end result was greater yields, more regular production, and better fermentation. Other elements, such as larger flowers and a wide range of berry colors- particularly white grapes- are believed to have been bred into the grape later in the Mediterranean region. None of these characteristics are identifiable archaeologically, of course: for that, we must rely on changes in grape seed (pips) size and shape and genetics. In general, wild grapes bear roundish pips with short stalks, while domestic varieties are more elongated, with long stalks. Researchers believe the change results from the fact that larger grapes have larger, more elongated pips. Some scholars suggest that when pip shape varies within a single context, that probably indicates viticulture in process. However, in general, using shape, size, and form is only successful if the seeds were not deformed by carbonization, water-logging, or mineralization. All of those processes are what allows grape pits to survive in archaeological contexts. Some computer visualization techniques have been used to examine pip shape, techniques which hold promise to resolve this issue. DNA Investigations and Specific Wines So far, DNA analysis doesnt really help either. It supports the existence of one and possibly two original domestication events, but so many deliberate crossings since then have blurred researchers ability to identify the origins. What does seem apparent is that cultivars were shared across wide distances, along with multiple events of vegetative propagation of specific genotypes throughout the wine-making world. Speculation is rampant in the non-scientific world about the origins of specific wines: but so far scientific support of those suggestions is rare. A few that are supported include the Mission cultivar in South America, which was introduced into South America by Spanish missionaries as seeds. Chardonnay is likely to have been the result of a medieval-period cross between Pinot Noir and Gouais Blanc that took place in Croatia. The Pinot name dates to the 14th century and might have been present as early as the Roman Empire. And Syrah/Shiraz, despite its name suggesting an Eastern origination, arose from French vineyards; as did Cabernet Sauvignon. Sources Bouby, Laurent, et al. Bioarchaeological Insights into the Process of Domestication of Grapevine (Vitis Vinifera L.) During Roman Times in Southern France. PLoS ONE 8.5 (2013): e63195. Print.Gismondi, Angelo, et al. Grapevine Carpological Remains Revealed the Existence of a Neolithic Domesticated Vitis Vinifera L. Specimen Containing Ancient DNA Partially Preserved in Modern Ecotypes. Journal of Archaeological Science 69.Supplement C (2016): 75-84. Print.Jiang, Hong-En, et al. Archaeobotanical Evidence of Plant Utilization in the Ancient Turpan of Xinjiang, China: A Case Study at the Shengjindian Cemetery. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 24.1 (2015): 165-77. Print.McGovern, Patrick E., et al. Beginnings of Viniculture in France. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 110.25 (2013): 10147-52. Print.Orrà ¹, Martino, et al. Morphological Characterisation of Vitis Vinifera L. Seeds by Image Analysis and Comparison with Archaeological Remains . Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 22.3 (2013): 231-42. Print. Pagnoux, Clà ©mence, et al. Inferring the Agrobiodiversity of Vitis Vinifera L. (Grapevine) in Ancient Greece by Comparative Shape Analysis of Archaeological and Modern Seeds. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 24.1 (2015): 75-84. Print.Ucchesu, Mariano, et al. Predictive Method for Correct Identification of Archaeological Charred Grape Seeds: Support for Advances in Knowledge of Grape Domestication Process. PLOS ONE 11.2 (2016): e0149814. Print.Ucchesu, Mariano, et al. Earliest Evidence of a Primitive Cultivar of Vitis Vinifera L. During the Bronze Age in Sardinia (Italy). Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 24.5 (2015): 587-600. Print.Wales, Nathan, et al. The Limits and Potential of Paleogenomic Techniques for Reconstructing Grapevine Domestication. Journal of Archaeological Science 72.Supplement C (2016): 57-70. Print.Zhou, Yongfeng, et al. Evolutionary Genomics of Grape (Vitis Vinifera Ssp. Vinifera) Domestication. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114.44 (2017 ): 11715-20. Print.

Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Accounting - Assignment Example Moreover, they defraud the bank by inflating that they had purchased a real estate property on behalf of the bank at a value of three point two billion instead of sixty-three point five million dollars (International Financial Reporting. (2013). Stanford Company failed to carry out background check to investigate the history of the two officials prior hiring them. Secondly, the company did not setup anti-fraud policy that indicates how to detect report and curb fraud. Thirdly, the company did not have an anti-fraud training to educate employees on the risk of fraud. Additionally Stanford Company was unable to conduct job rotation which could have helped to prevent the occurrence of fraud (Iyer & Samociuk, 2006). I would recommend the company to establish internal and external control. For example, the company should carry out regular internal and external audits. Further, background check may help to identify personal character to hold sensitive financial positions. Moreover, ant-fraud policies and training should be put forth to address the issues of fraud (Iyer & Samociuk,

Company Introduction, Market Segmentation, and Product Positioning Research Paper

Company Introduction, Market Segmentation, and Product Positioning - Research Paper Example Express Vending LLC is a privately-held company in Florida that has a head office and a small warehouse in the area of North Miami Beach in Florida. There are four investors of the company i.e. Jessica Smith, Jones Patrick, Margaret Florence and Michelle D’Souza. Jessica Smith and Jones Patrick are the co-founders who have both an experience in the vending machine industry and have the expertise in running an entrepreneurial business. Margaret Florence has proficiency in the financial industry as she has worked for two well-known financial institutions in the last ten years and Michelle D’Souza will bring her marketing, operational and management skills to the company for ensuring that the business operations are smooth and effective. Once Express Vending LLC is successful in its local market, it will expand into the European market as it is vast and has a lot of opportunities for growth. Currently, the European market has a limited number of companies who are offering their customers reasonably priced machines and equipment for their restaurants; hence, the company will target those customers who are looking for innovative and top quality vending machines and equipment for the food and beverage at prices that are affordable by them. â€Å"The mission of Express Vending LLC is to be the dominant company in both the vending machine and the restaurant equipment industries by providing easy access to a wide range of unique, high quality and innovative products at reasonable prices. We believe that we will be successful in meeting the needs of our customers by developing close contacts with them so that we have cordial relations with them. Express Vending LLC will earn adequate stream of profits from its operations so that stability can be sustained and even finance the future growth avenues. We will ensure that all our business operations are conducted in an ethical

Mangment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Mangment - Essay Example Managers find it difficult to budget the money for pay increase of the employees. They also know that employees would be demotivated to know that their hard work would not be rewarded with pay increase or addition of privileges and perks. I think that the greatest challenge for a manager in performance management is to track down and record employees’ performance throughout the year or interval. Some wrong areas that managers focus on while managing performance include long gaps between performance appraisals, highlighting only the deficiencies of employees with no mention of their good points, establish performance as the only criterion for pay increase. Managers are also misled in their decisions by the power and age of an employee. I think about managing performance annually, but believe that this should be conducted much more often, like monthly. The biggest concern is to be able to justify the decisions without demotivating the employees. This is a concern for me because I am poor at collecting daily records of performance. Most important skill in performance management, for me, is accordingly to be able to keep track of employees performance because this is tedious work and seems so unrelated to the organizational tasks at

Communication and Relationship Building In Patient Care

Communication and Relationship Building In Patient Care Communication and relationship building are two concepts which enables health and social care practitioners to deliver a service/care that is person centred. Ferguson et al. (2013) defines patient centred care as care that focuses directly on the patient’s needs. This requires healthcare practitioners, such as nurses and doctors, not only to be able to communicate well with patients but also to build good, strong relationships with them over a period of time if necessary so that they can counsel patients effectively (Reynolds, 2009). In child nursing, family-centred care is used as well as patient centred care, as parents or carers will be the ones to make the decisions about their child unless the child is capable of doing this themselves. Even so, in this situation the needs of the child still have to be met (Young et al., 2006). Fegran (2008) suggests that family-centred care, which is care focused on the patient and their family holistically, has been found to be the best approach in neonatal and paediatric clients. Communication and relationship building are vital to ensure that the client receives the correct possible outcome for their needs. Communication is a necessary fundamental value of patient centred care (Bensing et al., 2000). Department of Health (2010) define communication as an exchange between two or more people to pass on information, thoughts or feelings and suggest that there are two ways in which this can be done; verbally (e.g. speech, written word) and non-verbally (e.g. facial expressions and body language). The study of the origins of ‘communicatio’ are sharing or distributing (Mackay, 1999). Blom-Cooper et al. (1996) found that in the past, communication skills have been seen to be a weakness of the NHS and have often resulted in malpractice claims such as miscommunication of confidential patients’ details which can have serious consequences. Hence, Moss (2008, p.1) states that Communication skills are therefore at the very heart of people work. Non-verbal and verbal communication together increase the persons’ understanding of the message being conveyed by five times the amount compared with verbal communication alone (Argyle, 1992). Non-verbal communication relies on interactions such as facial expressions and body language. Touch is also a type of nonverbal communication and can be used to express care, empathy and solace (Reynolds, 2002). On a recent placement at a neonatal unit, positive touch and massage was found to be a great comfort for certain individuals and staff encouraged parents/carers to use this technique if the baby was too ill to handle. Positive touch and massage have a calming influence over the infant and help to build up a relationship between the child and the parent (Bond, 2013). Therefore on future assessed placements, positive touch will be used and encouraged with others as it proved an excellent general technique found to help calm infants and aid parents/carers bond with their child. Verb al communication relies on the content of speech but can also be in various written forms such as emails and text messages. (Hargie, 2011). Verbal communication can be used on placements to speak to other staff, parents and patients. From experience and Cockcroft (2012), writing care plans and daily evaluations for the next staff member who looks after the child is essential as they can see any changes made, any issues had and any messages that need conveying. Sensory impairments such as deafness, blindness or multi-sensory impairments (MSI) must be taken into consideration, as the persons ability to communicate and receive and understand crucial information is severely strained. (Sense [no date]) It should also be understood that if someone has MSI, then other senses are likely to be impaired so problems may occur with spacial awareness, balance and over/under sensitive touch. These problems can cause difficulties with non-verbal communication methods. Individualised care is pivotal as every patient will have preferences as to how they will communicate with others. Sense [no date] discuss that relationship building may take slightly longer with a person with a sensory impairment as they may not be able to pick up on verbal or non-verbal communication used by practitioners, for example a blind person will not be able to pick up facial expressions used and a deaf person will not be able to pick up changes in the tone of voice used. When vis iting a hospital environment, parents/carers should be encouraged to continue the childs communication system and routine as much as possible, as this will help to reduce stress and the childs fear levels. Sense [no date] realise that it is important that the hospital staff understand how the child usually communicates e.g. sign language, gestures or technical aids. On my last placement I observed that it only takes a short amount of time for parents to get to know their infants behaviours, likes and dislikes and requirements. Therefore, on my next assessed placement, I will be able to quickly recognise non-verbal indicators of the infants needs such as crying and facial expressions. A practitioner needs to have good communication skills so that they can take the background of the patient and be able to explain and give information correctly, explore the patients current situation, discuss and negotiate options such as treatment plans, convey precise data to associates and present their co-workers with the patients case. (Xie et al. 2013) All these factors are essential in the communication between colleagues and between different departments to ensure the correct information is exchanged. An example of this from my previous placement is during handover on the ward, where at the end of the shift the next nurse takes over patients that you have cared for. The nurse needs to know everything about the patient such as the previous history of the patient, any medication given or any changes to medication and any serious problems such as apnoeas. If this does not occur then problems will arise when taking care of the patient. Paediatric nurses also need to be able to a pply different communication skills depending on the age of the patient.This was observed during a recent placement on a neonatal ward where staff had to promote and actively engage in communication with parents, as it isnt possible for the patients themselves to understand what the staff need to tell them. This is an approach that is likely to continue continue throughout most of the career of a child nurse, unless the patient is able to understand the message being conveyed. In this case, the type of communication used will need to be changed to engage the patient in the conversation and the planning of treatment if applicable. In relation to practice, a healthcare practitioner should be reminded that not everybody wants what I would want in a healthcare situation (Allen and Brock, 2000, p.48). This is a good first step for assessing how to approach an individual as it allows them to consider what the patient may want, but also about how the patient may communicate. Bensing et al. (2000) found that this type of approach allows focus on the patient’s personality and preferences, instead of just general approach to communication. Allen and Brock (2000) suggest that if the first step works, then the second step would be to keep communicating and working with the patient in the same way if not then other action is required. Allen and Brock (2000) discuss four questions that should be asked in this instance: Is this person an extrovert or an introvert? Is this person focusing on the bigger picture or just specifics? Is this a person analysing using logical implication or the impact on people? Is this per son interested only in the closure or the processing of the situation? These questions will help the healthcare practitioner decide how best to communicate with their client and build their relationship to gain a strong bond. This helps to support a service as the clients will gain confidence in that person and begin to trust them. On my last placement I considered these four questions whilst interacting with a parent on the ward and found I could communicate better with them as I knew how to approach them. In the future these questions will be asked by myself everytime I work with a client. This means I will be able to build up a good, strong, trusting relationship with the clients and this way we can aim to reach the goal we want to achieve much more efficiently. The outcomes of the four questions discussed by Allen and Brock (2000) can also be applied to relationships between people working as part of a team. The questions show that there are different personalities within each t eam of practitioners and people will react differently in different situations. On my last placement a crash call was sent to my mentor and we had to attend immediately. As this was a new experience I tried to remain calm as becoming fraught would not help the situation but afterwards I found myself a little shook up as I realised that the crash call could not have gone as well as it had done. A popular American model for teaching and assessing communication skills is the SEGUE framework. SEGUE is an acronym for Set the stage, Elicit information, Give information, Understand the patient’s perspective, End the encounter (Makoul, 2001, p.23). This can be used by an individual to figure out the best type of communication to use, and how they can apply it to the situation. It also allows reflection and possibly improvement on interactions with patients. Morehouse School of Medicine (2013) describe the actions that take place during the five stages. The first stage would be greeting the patient, establishing the reason for their visit and finding out what the patient knows about their condition. The second stage would be to find out what the patient would like to know about their condition and any problems they may be having. The third stage would be to give them the information they require in a simplified, direct way. The fourth stage would be to acknowledge any change s the patient may have e.g. challenges they face. The fifth stage would be to end the encounter and review the treatment plan if necessary. Gantert et al. (2008) defines relationship building as a relationship that evolves over time by the use of interactions. A nurse-client relationship is constructed to meet the needs of the client and it is imperative that the formed relationship remains professional (CRNBC, 2006). A nurses ability to build good relationships with patients, parents/carers and other healthcare practitioners is vital because the needs of the patient will be met and so it is highly likely that the patient could experience better health (Nursing Times, 2009). McNaughton (2005) suggests that relationships are established by interactions between individuals and through this, trust is built and confidence in the other person is created. This enhances a groups ability to respect each other and work well together to reach a target (Amnis, [no date]). McNaughton (2005) found that collaborative problem solving can only occur when trust is present between the nurse and the client, as only then will the client dis close any anxieties they may have. Amnis [no date] recognise that relationship building is of great importance in healthcare because it allows different groups of people to collaborate so that services provided are of the highest standard. Amnis [no date] also suggest that ongoing relationship building is essential due to extra stresses on the healthcare system, such as budget cuts leading to less staff being employed and an increasing demand on the use of the system. Good relationships are needed within the team as it makes them work more effectively together and this is achieved via good communication skills. A previous neonatal placement taught students that the stronger the bond with the babys parents, the easier it was to influence and support them with any decision making. Fegran (2008) found that whilst it is important for the nurse to have a good relationship with the parents, it is essential to encourage a relationship between the parents and baby. This was demonstrated on placement by regular visits from parents and them completing cares for the child, for example changing their nappy and bathing them. Allen and Brock (2000) suggest that if a patient has a similar personality type and share the same behaviours as the practitioner, then the response will be more positive and the client will be more persuasive and easier to talk to. This has also been found to affect patient adherence to treatment (Stewart et al., 1999). This is not always applicable to every situation as not everyone has the same interests, and parents make vital decisions on behalf of their child. However, by healthcare practitioners speaking to parents and relatives and trying to find a common interest, they may feel more involved and much more likely to admit if they have a concern. This can be applied to any future placements as once parents and relatives establish a relationship with you, through the use of communcation, they may feel your advice is more trustworthy and adhere to it. Reeder (1972) states until recently, patients were seen as clients, often leaving important decisions in the hands of the practitioner, and health providers seen as practitioners. However patients are now seen as consumers, and this has given them more power as they expect to be able to voice their opinions, be guided and tell the health provider what they require. Practitioners are now seen as health providers and are able to discuss options and build up a strong relationship with the consumer (Reeder, 1972). However, some patients want practitioners to be mainly responsible for the decisions of their treatment but feel involved in the process at the same time, as the patients feel able to trust the decisions of the professional more than their own. In this situation the practitioner needs to be able to individualise their patient and try and put forth the right decision for that individual, which may result in the same illnesses being treated in different ways. It it vitally import ant that the consumer is able to communicate and trust the healthcare provider (Mendick et al., 2010). From previous experience I feel this as a patient myself because if I didnt trust my consultant then I would not have agreed to a complex operation which could have had serious implications on my life had it have gone wrong. In terms of paediatric nursing, it is important to discuss options with the clients parent/carer as they are the ones to make the ultimate decisions, after a relationship has been established. Consequently, on my next placement I will communicate well using both verbal and non-verbal skills and use not only patient-centred care, but family-centred care. Good relationships between the patient and the practitioner are key to patient centred care, however paediatric nurses also need to work in partnership with the family as this achieves the best outcome for the child. This was found during my first work placement as by working with one of the babys fathers, the baby was able to go home earlier than expected. The father learnt how to change a nasogastric tube so that he would be able to to do it at home as well as feeding the baby via the tube. A study found that instead of just focusing on the medical problem the child may have, building a relationship and supporting a family whilst helping to sort out the medical problem at the same time is essential for a child nurse. This approach is more individualised care as opposed to using general medical nursing skills (Robinson, 1982). This was observed on a previous placement as all staff focused primarily on the childs medical problem but also on building a relationship with the family by keeping them up to date on their childs condition, communicating with the family during visits and including them in the childs daily routine so that they feel included. In conclusion communication and relationship building is essential for efficient patient centred care.