Saturday, August 31, 2019

Ap English 1996 Essay Prompt Essay

Writers use many tactics to get across to their readers. In order to get the moral of the story or the overall theme of the book, they might write about the main character reaching an epiphany of some sort that reveals the focus of the story. Writers tend to end their story with a happy ending in which the main character experiences a spiritual reassessment or a moral reconciliation. In Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind, the main character, Scarlett O’Hara, undergoes a spiritual reassessment and moral reconciliation. At the start of the novel, Scarlett is a high spirited girl concerned mostly about her looks and holding the attention of everyone. She does not really appreciate the little things in life because she has so much available to her. She feels the need to make herself seen by everyone and heard by everyone. There is one encounter where she is talking with two of the handsome boys in town; however, the boys begin to diverge from the topic of her to the topic of war. This angers Scarlett because the attention is no longer on her. She continues this child like behavior for most of the novel. However, her first encounter with Rhett Butler changes Scarlett’s life forever. When Rhett first meets Scarlett, he is intrigued by her beauty and the way she carries herself. Contrary, to how Rhett feels; Scarlett sees him a low life nothing that does not deserve her attention. Therefore, their time with each other is very short. However, as the novel progresses, their paths cross again. During this time, the Civil War is at its peak; and being that the characters are Confederates, everything is falling apart for them. Scarlett begins to grow out of her childish ways. Now that she sees the hardships of the Confederate soldiers at the hospital she works in, she begins to realize that life is more than dinner parties and corsets. When she meets Rhett again she is in a terrible condition and is in need of his help. He tells her that in order to receive his help, she needs to marry him. At first Scarlett refuses because she still feels that he is not good enough for her. Eventually, she agrees to marry him but mostly because of his money. Rhett however, is madly in love with Scarlett but is angry at  her lack of loving him. The only thing that keeps them together is their daughter Bonnie. She is their pride and joy is the only reason why they remain together. Tragedy strikes when Bonnie dies while trying to jump a fence while on the back of a horse. This tears Scarlett apart because she feels as if it is her fault that Bonnie dies. Rhett becomes distant from her because he is also devastated. Scarlett punishes herself for allowing her daughter to horseback ride. To make matters worse, her best friend Melanie dies after she has a miscarriage. At this point, the novel is ending and Scarlett is confused, lonely and afraid to feel. However, she starts to feel a strange longing for Rhett. After all this time she finally realizes that she loved Rhett because he is strong, and unscrupulous, passionate and earthy like her. With this sudden epiphany, Scarlett rushes her way home to Rhett. Ironically, Rhett is fed up with Scarlett and does not care about her new found love for him; so he leaves her. Although this does not seem like a happy ending, after Rhett left Scarlett, she does not get discouraged. She knows what she wants from her life now and it is Rhett. She morally reconciles with herself when she forgives herself for the death of her daughter. She spiritually reassesses herself when she realizes that all the time she was young, she did not really appreciate anything. Her father tells her once, that she will come to love all the things she does not think she will. That is exactly what happens to Scarlett. She decides to go to her home at Tara where she feels a special connection to and devises of ways to bring Rhett back into her life. Now that she has come to terms with who she really is, there is no turning back for her.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Gillette Marketing

Gillette Razor corporation was founded in 1901 by King Camp Gillette as the American Safety Razor Company. In 1895, while working as a salesman for Gillette envisioned an inexpensive, double-edge blade that could be clamped over a handle and simply disposed of when the blade dulled. Gillette spent many years searching for an inventor or engineer that could help him in making the dream a reality. Many people told him it couldn’t be done but in 1901 William Nickerson, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology educated machinist, took on the task aided with the designs provided by Gillette.Production of the razor started in early 1903 and in October of the same year, the newly renamed, Gillette Safety Razor Company began advertising and selling their razor sets for $5 each. Additional blades sold for $1 for twenty As we mentioned earlier King Gillette vision was to make the shaving experience simpler, safer, inexpensive and time saving. The Gillette Company is globally focused on c onsumer products marketer that seeks competitive advantage in quality, personal care and personal use products.On their very beginnings Gillette Company was mainly focus on men’s grooming products; in 1902 they introduced the first safety razor using a disposable blade and they started advertising their product with the first ad appearing in a magazine. By 1908, Gillette Company started operating not only in U. S. but also in Canada, England, France and Germany. Around this time they introduce their second best advertising campaign which was the face of King’s Gillette on each of their razors pack.This advertising campaign was very successful on countries outside of U. S. because people recognized the face of King’s Gillette and they referred to them as â€Å"the king with the man’s face. † During the following twenty years the company kept introducing new products with new technology. By 1939, the company developed a sports advertising campaign an d they purchased the radio broadcast right to the World Series. Later on, in 1942 the company sponsored a group of sport advertising which they called â€Å"Gillette Cavalcade of Sports. This included the orange bowl, the sugar bowl, and the Kentucky Derby; which according to the company history website this â€Å"sports advertising programs, remained an important vehicle for Gillette advertising. Later on, around 1970’s the company developed a new advertising campaign to advertise their product line of Right Guard and soft & dry deodorants and Adorn and white Rain hair sprays. The company continues introducing innovation in shaving technology, and at the same time developing new ad campaigns to emphasize the more profitable shaving systems over disposable shavers.Around 1990, the company decided to change a little bit their target market so they introduce the Gillette Venus Vibrance, which is the female version of the M3 power Venus blades for man. The introduction of fema le razors was very positive for the company, but this was not the only new program development that Gillette Company will have. Around the same year Gillette’s company acquired four successful U. S. divisions, and those were the personal care division (Oral-B product care),the Toiletries Division (right guard deodorant and antiperspirant), the paper Mate Division and The Safety Razor Division.These divisions did help the company’s revenues but most of the company’s revenue was generated by the razors division. The company found sport advertising campaigns to be very successful so around the year of 2005, the company introduce a new advertising campaign featuring sports champions; such as Tiger Woods, Roger Federer and Thierry Henry to announce the new Gillette’s new product line. â€Å"Fusion Gamer Saver† and the line of this campaign was â€Å"prepare to be your best today. † this advertising campaign was very successful not only in U. S. b ut also in many different countries. In addition, to this campaign the company also introduced multimedia advertising, store promotions, direct marketing, sponsorships and celebrity television commercials; for instance Jennifer Lopez, she is the celebrity that advertises the Venus Razor. Another important advertising that Gillette Company introduces is their web page. In this page the company introduces their line as â€Å"Being a G man means taking pride in grooming to help you look, feel and be your best.So here people can find their products, Gillette science (innovations of the product, from then to now), and product coach, for man and women. Product coach is a very interesting feature, because guys can play with this picture and see how they might look with certain type of beard color or hair color; and it is also available for women, so they can also choose how they want to look. One of the most recent successful advertising campaigns that Gillette introduced was the Young Gu ns, with Ray Rice, Kyle Busch, Evan Longoria, Carlos Gonzales, Matt Ryan and Denny Hamlin.This current promotions are focusing on Young man, so this shows that Gillette is not only focus on targeting older man, they are focus on personal care and personal use product for man and women of different ages. Gillette has an incredible amount of the market share of disposable razors. Gillette holds 72% of the market, while their closest competitor, Schick has a mere 18 % and the number 3 company, Bic has 6%. When compared all other brands in the world, through 2010, Gillette is ranked 13th according to Interbrand. com. They currently have a brand value of 23,298,000,000.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Business environment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business environment - Coursework Example was formed in order to help the process of international collaboration and it seems the plan is working while, airlines are getting specifically benefitted as cross border trade amongst European nations gets facilitated (Naor, Linderman and Schroeder, 202). The barriers to trade are falling apart and in this way, the airlines such as Virgin Atlantic can reduce its processing speeds of a plane to mere hours now. The plan of EU is to create a unified and integrated economic zone in Europe so that region’s cultural identity can be saved from unconstructive influences of Americanization and during the process; the one of the biggest European airlines is getting back to life. VAA is an English company which makes it European in identity and because of this reason; people of Europe like to travel with a European service provider rather than taking services of other cultures. England is not a part of European Union but it is indeed the part of Europe and no one can deny this fact (Jay, 45). Being European is currently proving to be a good influence of Virgin Atlantic. The relaxation regarding VAT regulations, cross-border trade and closer approximation of excise duties allow the company to consider Europe as a unified country where policies are similar. The company’s employees are rather safe from experiencing cultural and legal shock while travelling to the various countries of the Euro net. However, this not the whole story because England can regain its political position in the Europe by using VAA as a strategic tool in this regard (Casanova, 421). The companies have been known to carry their country of origin’s identity wherever they go in the world. By offering generous discounts and great level of service, the company can create goodwill about its country in other European nations. Additionally, humans have the habit of over generali zing about nations and if airline’s staff can behave admirably and warmly to people then it may go a long way in terms of

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

The House Washing Machine for Disabled and Normal People Essay

The House Washing Machine for Disabled and Normal People - Essay Example Introduction The process of learning how to carry out some basic health care activities starts from childhood to the adolescent period. Such basic activities includes tasks like washing dishes and clothes, simple meal preparations such as making sandwiches and community activities such as catching a bus. During the late stages of adolescence and the early stages of adulthood, there is always some expectation that an individual should become more independent when handling the daily living activities either at the home level of at the community level. People who are mature and have never had the basic skills of homecare and household activities are able to do so with some appropriate support, thus making them achieve their own independence. Age and disability should not be an excuse to make one unable to handle basic household activities but with the availability of possible alternatives, everything becomes easier. Market Analysis It has now become a common objective for the adults that are living at home to develop the ability of handling things on their own whether disabled or in normal state. In as much as one might be receiving enough support from a family member or a caretaker, having a machine that will help this group of people will make every task much easier. Many people having a problem with washing of both clothes and house cleaning duties may be able to handle this if given an opportunity to make things easier. Developing the ability to handle household chores has the capacity of leading one to achieve independence and that an individual will not be a burden to other members in the house. It is of great importance to provide your child with the practice the daily leaving skills, even if such tasks take longer time and require even more effort. Before coming up with the right product for this population, there is need to look and study the market. An analysis on market shows that at the elderly and children with disabilities are the ones that require more help in handling household duties. In the status now, there is an approximate of around 19 million working-age people with disabilities. This market analysis intends to breach the gap on the housing status of working-age people with disabilities. The reason for focusing on this population is that it represents the large and overgrowing segment that relies heavily on the state and the federal government’s programs. For instance, the government spends nearly $360 billion or an average of $19000 per person on programs relating to elderly people and children with disabilities (Livermore et al., 2010). This gives the government a burden at settling these bills and with special machinery in the market to assist this population; it makes it an open opportunity for the government to relieve itself o extra costs and instead invest the cash on the machinery that will make the lives of this population easier. This will be an open business opportunity for the company that will be manufacturing these machines and at the same time offering a solution to the people with disabilities. The data presented by many other research firms indicates the relationship between housing characteristics and the people with disabilities. Periodic reports provides an estimate that there is worst-case housing needs, and the most recent report indicates that approximately 1 million nonelderly households that have disabled members have the worst-case needs, making a total of approximately 36-percent rate of the total population that deserves to better care facilities. This same research have provided data on the economic backgrounds of the population majorly affected with disability problems and has been able to determine that majority of this population are from poor backgrounds. This implies that there is need to make affordable equipments for the generation so that many can have the opportunity to access them. Any company that is aiming to produce the housing washing

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Genetic Engineering in Oryx and Crake Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Genetic Engineering in Oryx and Crake - Essay Example From this perspective, the current paper critically analyses the novel Oryx and Crake by Atwood. To achieve this objective, the paper examines the possible outcomes of present pursuit of genetic engineering illustrated in the illusionary world created by the author and makes connections to present realities. A critical analysis of the novel Oryx and Crake reveals that Atwood’s main argument relates to the detrimental effects associated with advances in science and technology, especially genetic engineering. Genetic engineering is a technology which involves manipulation of organisms and their genetic make-up. The genetic manipulation may involve inserting foreign genes into an organism to alter its biological, physical and behavioral characteristics. While genetic engineering has been used for beneficial purposes, the advancement in DNA technology has raised numerous questions about the possible impact on society. Nicholl asserts that genetic engineering is an emotive subject (4). The novel examines these consequences from ethical, scientific, economic and social perspectives. The novel begins by illustrating an unidentified event leading to the collapse of morality and civilization. Snowman, the protagonist lives with bizarre human creatures, called the Crackers. The world depicted by Atwood is characterized by atypical beasts, products of DNA technology. From the interjected scenes, it becomes clear that Snowman grew up as Jimmy, who became friends with Glenn (Crake), a talented science student. The two liked playing computer games and watching child pornography. Crake pursues career in bioengineering while Jimmy takes on humanities and literature. Crake creates the Crakes, human-like engineered creatures and befriends a prostitute, Oryx. In addition, Crake develops a contagious engineered virus in the disguise of a drug. The virus infects all human subjects apart from Jimmy who has been innocuously vaccinated against it. The world depicted in the Oryx and Crake illustrates possible outcomes of the advancement in science and technology, especially the use of DNA technology in genetic engineering. While science and technology presents enormous benefits to societies, when these technologies and processes are not controlled they poses detrimental effects. Genetic engineering is one of the most interesting technologies in the 21st century. The ability to create organisms with super-qualities outlines the beneficial outcomes related to DNA technology. However, if scientific experimentation with the genetic-make up of organisms could also result to detrimental effects. This could happen via both deliberate manipulations to create harmful organisms or due to accidental escape of experimental biological material from contained systems. The Oryx and Crake envision a fictional society, in which genetic engineering has been used to create synthetic food products and organisms that threaten the existence of the very society they are made to benefit. A critical analysis of the masterpiece reveals that the author depicts the possible consequences that could arise due to advancement in science and technology. For instance, the novel illustrates the creation of a virulent virus in the disguise of a drug. This illustration depicts the possible use of technology to create harmful

Monday, August 26, 2019

Language Change Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Language Change - Article Example They may be just expressing their opinions and fears rather than being concerned about the health of language itself. The article says that language change is triggered by social factors. These social factors make use of the existing gap in the structure of the language. The author believes that language change is of two major types. She gives an example of changes in English language. According to her, while the loss of‘t’ is a disruptive change, the loss of ‘h’ has a therapeutic effect on the language. The article then moves over to linking language change in humans to that of whales. During the breeding season, whales change their song. Change is not a correct word as only modification occurs in their song. When an accurate observation was made about the modification, it was seen that new sequences were created by joining middle and end of the phrases, omitting the middle part. This is very similar to change of language in human beings. The purpose of this example is to point out that human beings are not alone in the phenomenon of language change. Then the first question of the article is asked. Should language change be measured with the words like progress and decay? The author believes that arguments about ‘progress’ or ‘decay’ in language have tended to reflect the religious or philosophical preconceptions of their proponents. On the other hand there are people who base their language theories on the Darwin’s theory of evolution. Charles Darwin believed that a shorter and easier form of language gained an upper hand over other languages. So does this mean that a language that expresses more in fewer words is superior over others? The author says that this shouldn’t be the yardstick to measure the superiority of a language because shorter and easier forms of language often result in confusing homonyms. Hence, while analyzing a language change, both religions and

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The Xbox Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Xbox - Essay Example As everyone knows by now, Nintendo was the company that pioneered the cutting edge gaming consoles that we know of today. With its trendsetting Nintendo Family console systems, they redefined the way that we play video games via its motion sensor game system, the Wii. However, the Wii has recently fallen to the roadside as stiffer competition from the Sony Playstation and Microsoft Xbox began to offer better graphics, game play, and game titles. The Wii is perfect for entry level gamers but could prove to be a bore to the more serious game players. That is why game console experts do not recommend the Wii (Bakalar â€Å"Which Game Console Should You Buy?†) to: Those who are looking for a game console that doubles as an all-purpose entertainment hub, want state-of-the-art HD graphics, enjoy a robust online community, and/or those who prefer a wide selection of adult-targeted titles. In other words, you can get your feet wet in the Wii but dont expect to take a serious swim in it. Specially since the Wii has already been retired by Nintendo in favor of the newer but Wii U which has yet to catch on with the gaming market. The second serious motion gaming contender is the Playstation Move. Although its motion wand is nothing that should leave the Wii shaking in its wake, it does offer better graphics capabilities and game play than the pioneering console. Cnet Australia ranked this particular console as one of those destined to gather dust bunnies on your entertainment shelf due the limited motion gaming titles and problematic motion sensing system that results in a more complicated gaming system because: .. it also requires a camera to be installed near the TV, which wont actually be used for most PS3 games. It requires a few feet of distance to use, but most games only register the controllers motion, not yours... (Stein &Ackerman â€Å"Xbox 360 Kinect vs. PlayStation Move vs. Nintendo Wii Remote

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Environmental And Social Reporting- Rolls Royce Group Essay

Environmental And Social Reporting- Rolls Royce Group - Essay Example The company operates four segments of civil aerospace, defense aerospace, marine and energy. The company’s highest revenue generating segment is the civil aerospace which generates around 50% revenue of the group. The company has shown consistently progressive and strong performance over the years and is one of the market leaders in all sectors in which operates with an annual turnover of  £11,124 million and a profit of  £ 848 million. (ROLLS-ROYCE) CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: Sustainability reporting provides a chance to the organizations to report information about economic, environmental, social and governance performance to its investors and stakeholders. GRI (Global Reporting Initiatives) provides a framework for the organizations to disclose this information in a much transparent and consistent manner. (GLOBAL REPORTING INITIATIVES) Strategy and Profile: Rolls Royce has committed to serve with new approaches and technologies for sustainable economic growth. It aims to invest for long term, promote innovation and focus on research and development. It sustainability programs are especially designed keeping in mind the environment, its people and the society and communities in which it operates. Its environmental strategy focuses on three areas of reducing the environmental impact of the business activities; further reducing the environmental impact of the products; and developing of new low emission and renewable energy products. Its strategy for its people includes creating a working environment that attracts the best people, enhancing their potential and encouraging them to be involved in the ongoing success of the Group. It intends to serve for the communities in which operates focusing on their development. (ROLLS-ROYCE) Management’s approach and Performance Indicators: Environmental Issues: The company has taken significan t steps in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. Targets have been made for the reduction and energy consumptions for top 25 energy consumption sites. As a result there has been 5-6% overall reduction in the total GHG emissions. Further the company even invested ?3.5 million for the maintenance and improving projects for sustainable development. It has further put special focus to reduce its environmental footprint in its aviations business by incorporating sustainability in products designs and processes. (ROLLS-ROYCE; LEE. 2000) The company has Environmental Advisory Board who contributes in business strategy and design process. The company is even striving to reduce its environmental footprint created by existing products. For this it has created targets to be achieved for the aviation business for the reduction in CO2 emissions, noise and nitrogen oxide. The company through his core capabilities and experience in nuclear energy also intends to give solutions and address the iss ues zero carbon power generation. (ROLLS-ROYCE) Rolls Royce continues to mark its performance through certifications and third party accreditations like ISO 14001 for its environmental management, its new facility at Seletar received the Green Mark (Platinum) award for having a reduced environmental footprint in construction, retains its Gold status with BitC Index for

MGT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MGT - Essay Example He also brought to our notice about Hassan and Khalifa from MGT3710 class. Throughout the conversation all the group member appeared to be very active and motivated to give their best. We decided to have our 1st group meeting in the next class. On 29th January, we had our first meeting in the class at about 11:35 am. We had a new member added to the group. Along with the new member the rest of the group was informed and instructed about the job regarding 3710 class. The group members were asked to advise and supervise the 3710 class but not give them any ideas. Everyone in the group was comfortable with the given information. The groups mission was to collect 1000$ which will ultimately go to the SEED Program. We had two things to be worked upon, 1. To collect about 1000$ which will go to the business school for SEED Program and 2. To make the students of MGT3110 pass the finals. We started discussing amongst each other and brainstorming about different ideas. Many of us came up with unique ideas to be worked upon. As we were sharing and discussing the ideas we also started noting them down on a piece of paper. We started having individual reactions from the group member on each of the noted ideas which was a great help.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Employment relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Employment relations - Essay Example agement style, a remnant of Theory X, merely treated employee relations this way, alongside seeing them as not valuable assets of the organization and not to be consulted for decision-making. The autocratic manager dictates orders to his staff and takes no recognition of consulting the employees on relevant decisions. Leaders in this kind of environment tend to control the situation. This kind of management style persisted for a very long time, until the democratic management style came in. At present, employee relations are more focused on ascertaining a productive people resource, a trend that was missing in the last decades. Employee relations are dealt with by resolving labor conflicts and informing the management about concerns that relate to employee welfare and long-term economic security. In a democratic workplace environment, human resource management gives more emphasis on employee development and their welfare, including pay and benefits, workplace condition, and job secur ity, supporting the growing knowledge that people resource is the most important of all resources. It may be inferred that in the past decades, employee relations was aligned to achieving economic production and was its ultimate goal, to the point that job security was always influenced by the rise and fall of the production market. This signifies a lack of prioritization of employee welfare, and placing them in second fiddle to economic production and profits. Rubinstein and Kochan (2001) state that the last two decades of the twentieth century was a time of tumultuous change and debate over what goal should corporations serve, and how the system of labor-management relations should be reformed. This is indicative of a growing concern for human resources, which may have been influenced by the emergence and reinforcement of several motivation theories. The past has also witnessed a corporate world in which shareholders and investors were reasserting control over corporations in order

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Critical Analysis of Dualism, Monism, and Solipsism Essay Example for Free

Critical Analysis of Dualism, Monism, and Solipsism Essay November 12, 2008 Intro to Philosophy Critical Analysis of Dualism, Monism, and Solipsism In this report I will give my critical analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, and clarity of dualism, monism, and solipsism. According to dualists, a human being is both a physical body, and a non-physical mind. We can easily determine properties that are physical. Anything that takes up space can be considered a physical property. However, it is nearly impossible to determine exactly what non-physical properties are. Without knowing exactly what non-physical properties are, it is difficult to etermine if both physical and non physical properties can work together. If we can not see the mind or soul in nature, can we be sure it exists? If the non-physical soul does exist, can it affect the physical body? Can a non-physical mind cause the physical body to move? For example, if I decide to go to a football game, and do so, then physical energy must increase in and around my body, since I got up and went to the football game. Where did this physical energy come from? Since we know that energy can be neither created nor destroyed, in order for physical energy to increase n any system, it has to be transferred from another physical system. Dualism suggests that the mind is not a physical system. If the mind is not a physical system, how does energy transfer from it? If energy is not transferred, then it must be created. Can the soul create new energy to move the body? Since energy cannot be created, this would be impossible to prove. Maybe thinking that our mind is different from our body is similar to Lois Lane thinking that Clark Kent is different than Superman. Is it possible for the mind to exist without the body? According to dualists, yes, it is possible. So if the mind can exist without the body, can any part of the physical body exist without the physical body? No matter what we do to the body, the energy will still exist in some form or another. This would make it impossible for any part of the physical body to exist without the physical body. Since the mind can exist without the physical body, the mind is not part of the physical body. Can our physical body exist without the mind? For example, if someone dies and their body is still laying there, it is evident that the body still exists. But how can you tell if their mind still exists? At this point we can fgure that the mind must be somewhere else. Its hard to imagine ourselves becoming separate from the body. But believing in this separation is what determines the difference between one whole body and mind, and a body separate from the mind. According to monists, a human being is identical with their body. In a monist state of mind the body is made up of one whole, rather than of many pieces. The body originally exists as a whole, and particles can be derived from it. If this is true, how do we know which is prior? For example, imagine a circle. Now imagine it divided into two semicircles. Which is prior? The whole circle, or the two semicircles? Did the two semicircles adjoin to make a whole circle? Or did the whole circle divide to make two semicircles? According to monists have to disprove that the circle was originally two semicircles. This would be impossible to do, which makes the theory of monism unclear. If a monist believes that a whole circle is prior, this means that they believe the whole body is one prior. Since monists believe that only either mind or matter can make up existence, does this mean that the mind cannot exist? Or does it mean than the mind and body annot exist separately? Solipsism is the belief that only the self is real. Solipsists believe this because they suppose that we can only verify our own experiences, and no one elses. Therefore they believe that we create our own experiences. If this is true, where do the experiences come from? If they are self generated, how did the self come into existence? If the belief that creating our own experience is true, wouldnt that mean that only one person in the world can be a solipsist and be correct in believing so? If two Solipsists ever meet, one of them are wrong in their belief. For example, if I am a solipsists and I am standing in line at the grocery store, and I speak to someone else who claims to be a solipsist then one of us is Just a creation of the others imagination. There is no way to verify if I am correct, or if the other person is correct. Solipsists also believe that what we are currently experiencing is the only thing that exists. So the grocery store that I was standing in didnt exist until I made it exist in my mind. If all we have is what is current, how can we have built what is here? Another problem I see with the belief of solipsism is that t seems that solipsists believe that the world is more complicated than solipsism. If solipsism is true, then the world must be a dream in our own mind. If this is true, then our mind must be complex enough to stimulate an entire world. Wouldnt you believe that something strong enough to stimulate an entire world must be more complicated than the world itself? I believe that it is extremely difficult to validate solipsism. However, the only difficulty I have in refuting solipsism is that it is impossible to validate any experiences other than your own. Therefore it is mpossible to prove any life is actually alive and not Just a creation of our mind that acts as if it was alive. After collecting so many thoughts about dualism, monism, and solipsism it is easiest for me to identify most with dualism. I know that the theory has its blemishes, but I find it difficult for me to believe that our mind or soul does not exist. I believe that our physical being is made up of more than Just our body. I have trouble agreeing with monists that we can be made up of only mind OR matter. For me, it is unfathomable to believe that we exist primarily because we created everything ourselves.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Alternatives for Capitalism in a Globalised Economy

Alternatives for Capitalism in a Globalised Economy Essential for globalized economy: Communism or Capitalism In this globalized economy now it is a big question for us that, what is the perfect economic system: communism or capitalism? By globalization we can understand cross boarder market. There is an international exchange of labor forces, ideas, capitals, knowledge, products, and services. Now we will focus on capitalism and communism and try to find out that in this globalized economy capitalism or communism, what is best suited? Is Communism applicable in globalized economy? Communism is a concept, in that ownership of land, capital and industry cannot be owned or controlled by the individual. However, under Communism the control of these things is not by a local community but by the State Government. Under this system the government has total control of everything produced and control what is made, and who will receive the goods and services produced. Under this system you are not allowed to own your own home, your own car, your own furniture, or even the food you eat. The State decides what you can use and where you will work. So, we think it is an obstacle for global economy. Because if the country determine what will be produced, how will be produced and for whom will be produced, then developed countries may notbe interested to invest in that country. At the same time Communism kills the will to work, competition, innovation and creativity, where these are the main characteristics of a worker in this modern globalized economy. Why compete to work? You wont make any more money. Why spend time innovating new ideas, or being creative, there wont be anything in it for me. As a result they fail to provide goods and services for their citizens. The Soviet Eastern Communist countries of the 20th century were noted for not having much goods and services for their citizens. Yet, the ruling class always had plenty of everything, and it was usually imported from capitalist countries. While we have rich people in America, we also have a large middle class that live comfortable lives. Even many if not most poor people in America have refrigerators, TVs, and food on the table. Since Communism controls all goods and services, the individual is at the total mercy of the State. You have no rights except those granted by the State. The old Soviet Union was a police state, with total control over its citizens.West Germany was full of cars on the Autobahns. The streets in East Germany were mostly empty, with an occasional person on bicycle, even in the middle of winter. Freedom of travel is restricted in a Communist State because they control who gets what and for how long. If you were lucky enough to get a car in East Germany, it was usually a worthless piece of junk. But, we may face a question that if communism creates hindrance to global economy, then how China runs its global economy as we know it is a communist country? Then our answer will be†¦ While China’s government may be officially communist, the Chinese people express widespread support for capitalism. And since 2002, the Chinese have been one of the strongest proponents of capitalism, even more so than Americans and Western Europeans. During last 30-35 years China has brought enormous changes to its economy. In the late 1970s, the government started opening the economy to foreign investment and privatization. With these changes came sky-high economic growth – an average of 10% since 1980. And now about 76% people of China agree that most people are better off in a free market economy. Listverse showed 10 benefits of Capitalism: Happiness If you look at this happiness map published by scholars from the University of Leicester, you can clearly see that the foremost democratic, capitalist countries like the USA, Canada, New Zealand and the whole of Europe are the happiest in the world. This is because in these countries, thanks to the free-market, whatever products people want, they can get. ViableAlternatives Perhaps the strongest argument working in favor of democratic capitalism is that there is no alternative politico-economic system which has proved itself to work in our modern age. Almost every attempted implementation of communism has failed (China – abandoned total communism long ago and are slowly creeping towards capitalism). America became socialist and imposed many strong measures on corporations to regulate their behavior, the largest companies (Trans-National Corporations) would most likely move their industry elsewhere, and potential entrepreneurs would be scared to invest in capital, irreparably damaging America’s economy. So as you can see, changing the economic system isn’t even an option. Growth Capitalism allows the economy to grow exponentially. It is a basic fact of economics that the more money a firm makes, the more it can invest in production, and the more it invests in production, the more money it makes. So long as no unfortunate events befall the firm, this growth can, obviously, continue indefinitely. Many see a problem arising with this: there are only a finite, or ‘scarce’ amount of resources on Earth, so this huge growth of production will one day run to a halt. Health There is greater awareness than ever of the importance of fitness due to government campaigns. All of these contribute to an extremely fit society, and, in desperation, one can always resort to liposuction or some other sort of surgery. Social Good It might seem at first glance that everyone is selfishly working for their own money, but dig a little deeper and it becomes apparent that every job has a benefit for someone else. Factory workers produce the products that we can’t live without; hairdressers perform a service that benefits us body and soul; and the police work to protect us and make sure we live in a lawful society. Even unpopular and ‘overpaid’ professions such as city bankers and sportsmen have a positive effect on society, whether it be helping us manage our money, entertainment or something else. Equality No matter where you start in life, everyone has an opportunity to make it big. The basic principle is that the harder you work, the greater your reward. Human Nature Being the Best Freedom Built on Democracy (Nunno, Jed Rachael, 2014) An authoritarian communist party controls Vietnam. Its true. But its founding ideology appears all but gone from the hearts of Vietnams people. Vietnam, in fact, may actually be one of the most pro-capitalist countries on Earth. Almost all Vietnamese people — 95% of them — now support capitalism, according to the Pew Research Center, which polled nearly 45 nations late last year on economic issues. No other country in the poll cracked 90%. Even in the United States — where socialist can be used as an insult — only 70% agreed that a free market economy is the best kind of economy. (Winn, 2015) References Nunno, Jed Rachael, 2014. Listverse. [Online] Available at: http://listverse.com/2010/12/24/top-10-greatest-benefits-of-capitalism/ [Accessed 24 April 2015]. Simmons, K., Spring, 2014. Global Attitude Survey, Washington, DC: PEW Research Center. Winn, P., 2015. USA TODAY. [Online] Available at: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/03/13/vietnam-capitalism-global-post/70261770/ [Accessed 24 April 2015].

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Photovoltaics in the Energy Industry and Nanotechnology

Photovoltaics in the Energy Industry and Nanotechnology Nanotechnology The field of nanotechnology dates back to the late 1950s when theoretical physicist Richard Feynman gave his famous talk called Theres Plenty of Room at the Bottom. In his talk, he introduced the concept of the control and manipulation of objects i.e. atoms, molecules, at a minute scale. It was K. Eric Drexler who popularised the term nanotechnology after using it in the title of his book Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology.   The term nanotechnology can be defined as the science of studying very small things or in other words studying things at the nanoscale (1-100nm). During the latter part of the 20th century increasing advances in microscopy technology such as SFM, AFM and TEM allowed scientists to view nanoparticles. A particles properties greatly changes when the particle is in the nanoscale range. This is due to the Quantum Effects phenomena. Properties such as melting point, fluorescence, electrical conductivity, magnetic permeability, and chemical reactivity are vastly altered as the size of a particle reaches the nanoscale. As a result of the quantum effects that occur at this scale, a materials properties can be tuned to give a desired property by changing the size and shape of the particle. There are however many other parameters that affect a materials properties these will be become more evident later. A simple example where a materials properties change with reducing size to the nanoscale is that of the element gold. To the human eye gold appears to be a yellow colour while nanoscale gold a reddish colour is observed. This is as a result of the previously mentioned quantum effects, in this case the electrons of nanoscale gold particles are trapped (confined) and as a result react differently with light giving a different colour. This trapping of electrons property (quantum confinement) will further discussed later. As a result of the many desirable properties that are present in nanomaterials, numerous industries and fields alike have and are developing applications incorporating nanotechnology. The previously mentioned example of gold nanoparticles are utilised within a number applications of the medical industry. Biomedical applications for laser phototherapy, therapeutic agents as well as drug carriers have all been developed using gold nanoparticles. 1 The previously stated property of increased reactivity that occurs at the nanoscale relates to another specific property nanomaterials attain. As the size of a particle decreases the surface area increases. This increase in surface area has a profound effect on the reactivity between materials i.e. greatly enhanced reactivity. A number of different applications benefit from this nanoscale property including applications relating to the energy industry such as catalysts, energy storage and energy conversion devices. Nanotechnology has led to fabrication of novel devices and equipment and also many applications in a variety of fields none more so than the energy industry. Although several strides have been made in recent years in new technologies in the energy, current technologies cannot cope with man kinds ever increasing demand for energy. Therefore, there still remains a need to develop new sustainable energy technologies without detrimentally effecting the environment. Many leading experts in the energy industry believe that nanotechnology is the way forward to curbing these energy issues. 2,3 Photovoltaics in the Energy Industry Nanotechnology has in recent decades been incorporated into a number of technologies in the energy industry that utilise solar radiation as an energy source. Exploiting the suns energy is by far one of the most suitable ways out of all the renewable energy resources that exist for a number of reasons. Solar energy is free and basically limitless as solar energy provides approximately 15,000 times more energy in a year than is actually needed to meet the worlds current energy demands. 2 According to a 2014 renewable energy report by Eurostat the amount of renewable energy produced by EU member states increased by 73.1% between 2004 and 2014. Despite this increase only 16% of the EUs total energy consumption was from the renewable energy sector. The majority of the rest of the energy that was consumed came from fossil fuel based energy sources. Of the total renewable energy consumed, solar energy accounted for only 6.1% of total amount. These statistics highlight the improvements have been made in incorporating renewable energy, but also highlight the potential there is to integrate more solar based renewable energy. 3 The need to incorporate more renewable energy and replace existing fossil fuel based energy resources such as coal, gas and oil stems from their negative environmental impact. The ever increasing global temperatures are directly relating to rising CO2 levels, this is in part is as a result of the increase in the consumption of fossil fuels since the industrial revolution and peaking today in the early 21st century. The lack of utilisation of solar energy technologies such as photovoltaics (The 2014 GSR report indicates only 1.2% of global electricity production comes from photovoltaics) despite it being free and its wide abundance is largely due to cost. 4 It is the main reason why photovoltaic devices have failed to become more mainstream especially in comparison to non-renewable based energy sources whos cost per Watt of electricity are generally lower. The price of electricity produced from photovoltaics has certainly decreased in recent years as outlined in the Renewables 2016 Global Status Report. Prices in Germany for photovoltaic electricity have been quoted to be as low as à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬0.08/kWh which is comparable to the equivalent price of natural gas. Despite this figure the costs of photovoltaic electricity can be further be reduced with continued advances in its technologies. Electricity is produced in PV solar cells by conversion of photons from the light harnessed from the sun, otherwise known as the photoelectric effect. Traditionally PVs are fabricated using silicon wafer based solar cells. These wafers comprised of crystalline silicon are generally between 150-300 nm in thickness and these largely remain the main material in PV fabrication today. A variation to these PV devices includes utilising semiconducting thin films on top of complimentary silicon wafers. This method is a much more cost effective method but suffers from poor photon to electricity conversion rates. 2 The integration of nanomaterials specifically nanocrystals in the fabrication PV devices can curb some of the limitations that currently exist. First, the ability to control the energy bandgap provides flexibility and inter-changeability. Second nanostructured materials enhance the effective optical path and significantly decrease the probability of charge recombination. Thirdly and most significantly solar cells utilising nanocrystals have shown great potential as a low cost alternative to conventional solar cells. Solution based synthesis methods such as the colloidal method has a relatively straight forward process. The solution containing nanocrystals can easily and efficiently be incorporated into a solar cell using a number of low cost deposition techniques. As well as these facts copper based nanocrystals have attracted a deal of attention due to their abundance and low cost, which further emphasises the probability of nanocrystals replacing conventional solar cells.   Figure 1 below provides contrasting schematics of the conventional silicon based solar cells against the new generation of solar cells. Figure 1. Conventional vs Nanostructured Solar cells.2

Monday, August 19, 2019

Skills and Requirements of Professional Educators Essay -- Education

Introduction: An educator is an individual whose work is to pass the required information to the students. A professional educator is effective in all they do and is responsible for the creation of an interactive learning environment. To do this, an educator should understand the requirements needed to satisfy the goals and objectives of their curriculums as well as the content. As much as the work of an educator is to disseminate the required information to the students, they also ensure that all the expectations of these students are met and if possible exceeded. An educator uses a variety of teaching strategies which includes classroom management to ensure that the purpose of education is achieved. In this paper, I will demonstrate the responsibilities, knowledge and skill required of an effective professional educator. Review of literature: A professional educator creates a positive learning environment that is conducive for all the students in the school. To do this, an educator must understand the principles of classroom management and employ these strategies as they interact with the students. The educator applies classroom organization skills to monitor the students mental, physical and social growth. Effective classroom organization skills include planning, communicating and scheduling. Planning helps an educator determine the day to day activities that needs to be carried out. Through communication, an educator tells the students exactly what will be requires of them. Effective communication allows the students to understand the goals and objectives of the curriculums that they are undertaking. Scheduling help in the proper allocation of all the available resources. Effective scheduling helps the educator to fully us... ...Five ways to encourage participation in the classroom. (2009, September 18). Retrieved from The Learning Generalist: http://www.learninggeneralist.com/2009/09/five-ways-to-encourage-participation-in.html Hannaford, A. N. (2009, December 11). INTASC Principles. Retrieved from http://audreymerrell.net/INTASC/principles.html Increasing Student Participation. (2009). Retrieved from The Teaching Center, Washington University in St. Louis: http://teachingcenter.wustl.edu/increasing-student-participation School of education. (n.d.). Intrinsic Motivation. Retrieved from Purdue University Calumet: http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/edPsybook/Edpsy5/edpsy5_intrinsic.htm The Education Division. (2008, March 11). Demonstrating Skills as an Educational Facilitator. Retrieved from Lewis-Clark State College: http://www.lcsc.edu/education/teacherprep/standards/ef/shtml

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Rule of Evocation :: Language Papers

The Rule of Evocation It is the goal of this essay to challenge the belief that one never transcends language — that all one knows, indeed all one can meaningfully experience, is defined within language. My challenge lies not in words, but in the use of words to evoke what is beyond language and to invite a lived experience of it. If one accepts this use of language as not only possible, but primary, we ultimately see meaning not within language, but through it. Under the 'rule of evocation' language need not in any way within itself express, reproduce, re-present, or capture what it evokes. It need simply evoke it, and such an evocation is not a re-presentation in language of what is evoked. It is a presentation of the thing itself. It is the goal of this essay to challenge the belief that one never transcends language — that all one knows, indeed all one can meaningfully experience, is defined within language. My challenge lies not in words, but in the use of words to evoke what is beyond language and to invite a lived experience of it. It is rooted in the belief that this use of language is not only possible, but primary. My challenge must reside in this use of language rather than in language itself because language itself can be viewed as a closed system. One can look at language totally in isolation from its use to evoke what is beyond language. From this viewpoint nothing is seen but a series of internally related and defined signs. If one also accepts the idea that all uses of language are defined by the internal rules of language, it then seems quite natural to also believe there is nothing, or nothing one can use language to point to, beyond language. I am not the only person to challenge the language-trapped position. Erazim Kohak eloquently points to what I mean by the evocative use of language in The Embers and the Stars: A Philosophical Inquiry into the Moral Sense of Nature when he says that: In the communication between two humans who share the fundamental experience of being moral subjects, the intentional thrust of the act of communication is the evocation of understanding and the basic technique one of evoking an analogous experience. The hearer can be said to have understood when he can, albeit vicariously, "relive" the experience.

David And Goliath :: essays research papers

David and Goliath The story of David and Goliath can be thought of as a timeless tale of 1) good versus evil and 2) the fact that the win does not always go to the strongest or biggest, it goes to the most determined or strong willed. David, the good spirited fighter who wanted to save the Israelites from Goliath, for example, was eager, confident, and prepared to win, as described in 1 Samuel 17:48 - "David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine". David was a hero to the Israelites because he was able to kill Goliath, who had "come up to defy Israel" (1 Samuel 17:25). Although Goliath was a large, experienced fighter with a sword, David, determined to save the Israelites from Goliath's evils. David mentions that Goliath had defied the armies of the living God, and for that he would be punished. David's strength, it seems, dwelled in "the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel" (1 Samuel 17:45). However, Goliath was dependent on the power of weapons, and was sure that a sword and spear would win the battle. It's difficult to say what this meant to the Hebrews, but I interpreted it as symbolizing that the superiority and strength of their Lord was stronger than was any weapon. I gathered this, since one of the statements mentioned in 1 Samuel was: "the Lord does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord's and he will give you into our hand" (17:47). Since the Lord's followers were the Israelites, the Lord savedhis people from harm through sending David to conquer Goliath. The story of David and Goliath is a tale still told in modern day. I assume it signifies the fact that the winner of a battle isn't always the strongest, the fastest, or the one with the most weapons. The winner, instead, is the one who intelligently finds a way to make use of the resources that are available to him, and use these resources (the rocks, in this particular story), to gain triumph.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Irises of Vincent van Gogh Essay

â€Å"Irises† was made by Vincent new wave Gogh in 1889. It is an oil on canvas with dimensions of 28† by 36 5/8. † It is a representational art that exhibits a bouquet of flags and a background of marigolds in a signifier of impressionist manner picture. the topic non dead set or twisted as to demo a signifier of sentiment from the creative person. The picture. as it depicts a garden-like clump of flowers. may be categorized under the subject of landscapes as it displays a scenery without animate beings or people. Van Gogh. in making â€Å"Irises. † chiefly used contour lines. From the picture. we would be able to see the blades of grasses environing the flowers every bit good as the thin roots and the petals of the flags itself with darker sunglassess run alonging the borders. The marigold background. nevertheless. and the piece of dirt that shows itself beneath the grass were done in a more streamlined gesture lines. However. though the borders of the flags. the grass. and the roots were defined. the lines are seen to be more implied than existent as the creative person did non precisely lined the borders with a crisp black but alternatively outlined the parts by utilizing a darker shadiness of colour. The definite lines emphasized a feeling of certainty on the picture. It created a constricted and serious temper. congratulating the construct of purdah for the lone white flag in a clump of blue. The forms in the picture are all natural and the colourss used nowadayss elusive contrast. Lighting seems to be natural as good. coming from the upper right corner of the picture and distributing out. as there’s no bright colour painted straight on the canvas. The place of the blue flags and the blades of grass make the minimum visible radiation seeable ; the agreement rocking some of that light towards the white flag positioned at the left side. With the blooms laid out in such a form. the visible radiation has been stronger on the bluish flags. However. it absolutely suits the artist’s thought. We could see from the illustration how the bluish flags got more of the limelight but they are tilting towards the white flag. In a manner. it may picture how van Gogh felt during the clip he was doing it ; he was in an refuge where people don’t really pay him much attending. But someway. their presence and his province feel like a strong force gushing and stamp downing him. Merely primary and secondary colourss were used for the picture. Made up with bluish. yellow. green and white. â€Å"Irises† is a symphonic music of subdued tones. While the colourss fundamentally described the capable affair. the blunt contrast between the blue flags and the white one emphasized how van Gogh views the difference between other people and himself. The bluish 1s. though they’re voluminous are all the same. They held no particular features. But the white flag is really different. Aside from being painted in another colour. the flag besides symbolizes pureness. The healthy white somehow depicts sedateness and chaste unlike the corrupt character of the bluish flags. Without an existent contact one would be able to find the velvety touch of the picture. sing the portion of the grasses and the marigolds. But for the flags. Vincent new wave Gogh chose to utilize impasto as to make a 3d-like dimension for the blooms. The technique non merely enables the spectator to about experience the weight of the blooms but it besides further back up the pulling force of the white flag. as we are able to see the bluish 1s lean their brawny petals towards the way of the white one ; researching farther the load new wave Gogh felt coming from the people environing him at that clip. Having used impasto on the piece. â€Å"Irises† someway hold a three dimensional feel. Indeed. with the invention of new wave Gogh. this painting transcends the traditional and acquired a more dramatic aura. With this manner. a spectator would be able to experience the only purdah of the white flag and farther sense the apathetic emotion of the bluish 1s. Looking more observingly. we may think how the creative person finished this piece. The piece is glazed and this is strongly apparent in the usage of beds of colourss and particularly the application of impasto. though the flags and marigolds seemed to be drawn above a light green base. Expanding out our examination. we’ll be able to state that new wave Gogh worked on background foremost. holding the marigolds and the dirt looking level. As he continues. he might every bit good work from light colourss so to dark. the dark colourss looking more solid and brighter. We could decidedly state every bit good that the focal point of the â€Å"Irises† is found at the centre left side of the canvas where the white flag was painted. The way of every component in the piece points at it. from the blades of grasses to the blue flags and the marigolds stressing its topographic point.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Government Responsibility for Broadcasting and Creative Industries in the UK Essay

BBC * Breakfast Television, a new venture for the BBC presented by Frank Bough and Selina Scott, began in 1983 and this was followed three years later by daytime television. * Government responsibility for broadcasting and creative industries in the UK lies with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The Office for Communications Act 2003 merged a number of regulatory bodies into a new regulatory structure headed by the Office of Communications or Ofcom. Ofcom took over responsibilities from the former Independent Television Commission, Radio Authority, Oftel, Radio Communications Agency and Broadcasting Standards Commission. * The BBC is run in the interests of its viewers and listeners. Twelve Governors act as trustees of the public interest and regulate the BBC. They are appointed by the Queen on advice from ministers. Day-to-day BBC operations are run by 16 divisions. The main BBC Executive Board is made up of 9 directors and is chaired by the Director-General. A Creative Board, Journalism Board and Commercial Board report to the Executive Board. The Executive Board answers to the Board of Governors. BBC Governors differ from directors of public companies, whose primary responsibilities are to shareholders and not consumers. BBC Governors represent the public interest, notably the interests of viewers and listeners. The Governors safeguard the BBC’s independence, set its objectives and monitor its performance. They are accountable to BBC licence payers and Parliament, and publish an Annual Report assessing its performance against objectives CNN * CNN.com is among the world’s leaders in online news and information delivery. Staffed 24 hours, seven days a week by a dedicated staff in CNN’s world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and in bureaus worldwide, CNN.com relies heavily on CNN’s global team of almost 4,000 news professionals. CNN.com features the latest multimedia technologies, from live video streaming to audio packages to searchable archives of news features and background information.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

How Language Develops in Children

For every parent, language development in their children is a fundamental aspect that must be given importance as many parents are concerned about the progress of their children when it comes to learning to speak and to understanding words and their meanings. The child’s communication skills are further developed through the interactions they have with other people. That’s why parents must continually provide the interaction needed so that their children’s progress is continuous and steady. Language development is defined as the process in which young children understand and communicate language during early childhood. Rafanello says that it is acquired more quickly in the first five years of a baby’s life (1). The amazing thing is that even before the baby is born, he can differentiate native language and other languages. This is because when they are still inside the womb, they hear and respond to familiar voices, especially the mother’s. An infant’s brain goes through changes after birth. Trillions of pathways develop between brain cells, and these pathways will allow the baby to learn and think, and then talk, and whatever stimulation a baby has during the early years of his life will mold and strengthen these brain pathways. Caregivers of these babies, especially the parents, need not worry because there are so many opportunities for a child’s language skills to be further enhanced. Rafanello added that the experiences of an infant with language in interaction with parents and other people around him will impact his overall development (1). A baby communicates through facial expressions, coos, gestures and verbal cries. In the article â€Å"Language Development in Children,† it says that even before a child can speak, he can understand words. It also adds that the language spoken to a baby from birth will enable him to comprehend the words and later on speak them. Language development in babies starts through gestures and facial expressions. Through these, a baby can express his comfort or discomfort, unpleasantness and even satisfaction. There will be words that will have emotional significance on a baby, and these are usually the words that he will pay attention to. A study showed that as early as twenty-four weeks, an infant can differentiate between â€Å"bah† and â€Å"gah.† Another study showed that a month old infant can â€Å"associate sucking behavior to the sounds of â€Å"b† and â€Å"p.† Later on in his life, he will learn to â€Å"babble† and form his own language (â€Å"Language Development in Children†). It is of importance that parents talk to their children, as this stimulation with the language environment has value. It is said that a baby learns to connect words with his emotional experiences and this will provide him the motivation to talk, or to express his feelings through â€Å"babbling.† As the baby grows, he will attempt to create sounds in trying to communicate with the people around him. A study cited in the â€Å"Language Development in Children† showed that when a person pronounces words very clearly to an infant, it will help the infant to understand. This is a very important measure of a baby’s language development so that he can comprehend words and their meanings. A baby will also learn that his babbling will gain the attention of those who are around him. Listening is an important step before a child can learn. When a baby listens to a lot of things, he can develop and expand his vocabulary and improve his IQ. This is also the result of a study of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Aside from the larger vocabulary, a baby’s language skills are more complex when they are raised in high-quality child care environment (Rafanello 1). Moreover, â€Å"live† language can tremendously improve the language skills of child. To be able for children to comprehend language, they must hear it in association with what happens around them. Through this, language does not become merely noise. Another important thing for a parent to remember is talking directly to the baby even before he can talk back. This facilitates understanding of a word or words that are spoken many times. The best and natural way for a baby to learn the meanings of words is talk to him in relation to what is happening. Actions and descriptions of objects or thoughts will also help the baby to associate words with them. A study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) showed that a positive interaction is connected with language development. Furthermore, a child can learn better through language-based interactions with his parents or the people around him. At times, a baby repeats a word many times, such as â€Å"bah† in reference to the same object. When he grows, he learns to speak other sounds. For instance, a baby can make sounds when he is in his crib. When his mother approaches and talks to him, the baby’s sounds become frequent. This is a very significant step as it opens another opportunity for the speech development of a child. If a baby is stimulated, he will use his vocal cords many times. This also makes way for increased social stimulation from other people to him. The following presents the language development of children at certain ages. Even before birth, language development takes place, especially when a mother constantly talks to her unborn child. According to Alic, infants become familiar with the human voice. She adds that infants pay more attention to a human face, more importantly when it is talking. At infancy, babies either quiets down or smiles when they are spoken to. Turning towards familiar sounds and voices are also characteristic of infants. Moreover, they communicate through chuckling, gurgling, whimpering and cooing. They can also produce sounds such as â€Å"ohh† and â€Å"ah.† They also communicate and express their needs through crying. Between three and six months, an infant can show responses to changes in a tone of voice. He also learns how to vocalize his pleasure or displeasure. Moreover, he laughs, sighs, squeals, blows bubbles, babbles and sputters loudly to get the attention of people around him. He also learns t use gestures to communicate his desires. Additionally, he can cry differently if he is in pain or hungry. An infant this age can also shape his mouth to change sounds. His new collection of vocabulary includes sounds such as â€Å"b†, â€Å"m† and â€Å"p† (Alic). Six to twelve months of age marks the most critical period for receptive language development. Receptive language development is the infant’s ability to comprehend language. During this age, an infant responds to their names. He also learns how to listen keenly to speech and other sounds. He expresses his moods through body language and sound. He can also play with sounds. Aside from these, he can respond to friendly or angry tones and can repeat syllables. He also communicates through imitation of intonation or speech sounds. At this age, he uses his tongue to change sounds and babbles with as many as 12 sounds in a singsong pattern. He can also make long sounds (Alic). In his seventh month, an infant can vocalize syllables such as â€Å"Dada† or â€Å"Mama† (Child Development Institute). Rafanello added that at this stage, an infant’s babble has long and short group of sounds such as â€Å"tata upup bibibibi.† His vocabulary now includes one or two new words such as â€Å"bye-bye,† â€Å"dada,† â€Å"mama,†, â€Å"no,† or â€Å"uh-oh† (6). An infant between nine and 12 months can listen when he is spoken to. Moreover, he can give responses to simple requests. He also recognizes the names of his family members and even the names of common objects. He also understands the word â€Å"no.† He repeats sounds, exercises intonation, uses the words â€Å"dada† and â€Å"mama† for any person, connects voices and names with people, makes use of sounds other than crying for their needs or to get attention, shouts and screams, knows their own names, understands gestures babbles two to three syllable repeated sounds. By 12 and 18 months of age, a toddler can now use partial words, recognize names, laugh appropriately, use words that start with â€Å"b,† â€Å"c,† â€Å"d,† and â€Å"g,† make gestures and say â€Å"no,† understand and follow directions, and ask for help using sounds and gestures. He can also use complete words and understand certain words, such as â€Å"up,† â€Å"down† and â€Å"hot.† Moreover, a toddler this age learns to form sentences by putting two short words together. This age also marks the toddler’s understanding of words associated for everything; their language development is steady. Alic says that the majority of a toddler’s first words are universal. They consist of names of foods or family members. By the age of 18 to 24 months, a toddler has a collection of 20 to 50 intelligible words. He can now say more words each month and put two words together such as â€Å"more cookie† (Rafanello 6). His vocabulary also consists of nouns. He can follow simple commands and use two pronouns correctly. The pronouns I, me and you are commonly used. He also follows command such as â€Å"show me your eyes.† A two- to three-year old toddler is able to use short sentences to ask for things, and he has a word for almost everything. Those around him can understand his speech (Rafanello 6). His vocabulary now consists of 400 words, which include names. As early as this age, the toddler can repeat the stories, songs or rhymes he hears. He can also describe his experiences through three- to five-word sentences. By three to four years of age, a child can talk through sentences that have four or more words. If a child attends preschool, he can talk about the activities he does there. He can also converse with others and ask questions. At this age, he can use pronouns correctly. His collection of vocabulary is much bigger, usually consisting of 900 to 1,000 words (Alic). At this age, a parent is suggested to communicate with his child through self-talk, which is another way of enhancing language development. The parent can start by telling his child â€Å"I am picking up your toys.† When a child is aged four or five, his language skills further develops. According to Rafanello, a child this age exhibits ease in communicating with adults and children. However, he may have difficulty with certain sounds, such as j, l, ch, r, s, sh, th, v, z. He has the ability to speak with lots of details (6). He can now describe things and has a better grasp of number and time concepts. Moreover, he knows things about himself, such as his age. His understanding of number concept includes counting from one to ten. Language development can be further developed through continuous interaction with the people around the child. Language development can also be enriched when a child is exposed to an environment rich in language and language-based interaction. If a parent regularly reads and talks to his child, it can have an impact in the child’s ability to communicate with others. However, a parent must remember that the ability of children to learn is not the same for everyone. While one child may show quick progress, such as forming a sentence, another may have problems dealing with speech or language delay. There are times when a child exhibits mild or temporary delays. These delays can affect about six percent of children. There are factors which can affect the delays. A child may be experiencing genetic disorders, hearing impairment or development disorders. The good thing is if these disorders are detected earlier, they can be treated or prevented in their early stages. Although children show different rates when it comes to language development, it is best not to compare a child’s language development with another. Parents must make sure that the language development of their children is steady, and not just fast or slow. They must also provide an environment where their children have a room to learn things. Aside from this, parents must assist their children’s development in any way possible. Works cited Alic, Margaret. â€Å"Language Development.† 2007. About.com. 9 December 2007 < >. â€Å"Language Development in Children.† Child Development Institute. 9 December 2007 . Rafanello, Donna. â€Å"Facilitating Language Development.† Healthy Child Care America, Summer 2000: 1-6.      

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Biomedical and Biopsychosocial models of care Essay

Competing views of the human body as either a biological phenomena or a complex microcosm borne of its environment, have provided the basis for the development of two different models of care: the biomedical model, and the recovery-based psychosocial model. The model of care adopted by care providers heavily influences the nature of the treatment given, and the trajectory of a patient’s journey through illness, to wellness. Historically, the biomedical model of care has been the foundation of Western medicine, and has remained largely unchallenged as the dominant model of care used in the delivery of psychiatric treatment. It is practiced with a focus on disease, pathology, and ‘cure’. The emergence of the biopsychosocial model (Engel, 1977) and psychosocial rehabilitation has provided the mental health arena with an effective alternative to the biomedical model. With an approach that is person-centred and recovery focused, it aligns with contemporary attitudes about mental disorders having their origins and impacts in a social context. This paper will critically analyse and compare the benefits and limitations of both models of care, through an exploration of three key areas: (i) empowerment/disempowerment of the patient, (ii) implications for nursing practice, and (iii) outcomes. In psychiatry, the biomedical model emphasises a pharmacological approach to treatment, and supposes that mental disorders are brain diseases caused solely, or by a combination of chemical imbalances, genetic anomalies, defects in brain structure, or neurotransmitter dysregulation (Deacon, 2013). This supposition makes up one side of a Descartian divide that exists between biological psychiatry and a biopsychosocial approach to mental health care. Engel (1977) viewed the biomedical model as ‘reductionist’, and posited that it neglected the social, psychological and behavioural dimensions of illness. He proposed a biopsychosocial model that takes into account ‘the patient, the social context in which he lives, and the complementary system devised by society to deal with the disruptive effects of illness’ (p. 131). It is within this biopsychosocial framework, that  recovery-focused psychosocial rehabilitation takes place (Cnaan, Blankertz, Messinger & Gardner, 1988; King, Lloyd & Meehan, 2007). Less objective than the biomedical model, psychosocial rehabilitation focuses on the subjective experience of recovery and wellness, that is, the presence of signs and symptoms may not necessarily align with the individual’s sense of self and wellness. (i) Empowerment/disempowerment of the patient A persistent criticism of the biomedical model is the assertion that the patient is disempowered. Firstly, the nature of the doctor-patient relationship suggests that the patient is a passive recipient of treatment; the patient is reduced to a diagnosis, and offered diagnosis-specific treatment options. The role of personal choice exists, however in a limited capacity. Secondly, the ideology underpinning the biomedical model assumes disease to be a deviation from the biological norm, with illness understood in terms of causation and remediation (Deacon, 2013; Shah & Mountain, 2007; Engel, 1977). This perspective assumes the existence of some underlying pathological cause for symptoms and behaviour, and focuses on objective indicators of recovery (King et al., 2007). The implications of this perspective are that the patient cannot, from his own resources, do anything to ameliorate his illness, and to affect any change in his behaviour, he must adhere to diagnosis-specific treatment se t out by the psychiatrist. It is argued that the ways in which a patient can be disempowered by a psychiatric diagnosis (stigma, forced hospitalisation, long-term pharmacotherapy etc.) far outweigh any benefits they might receive (Callard, Bracken, David & Sartorius, 2013). Comparatively, recovery within the framework of psychosocial rehabilitation is widely considered to be empowering for consumers of mental health services (Shah & Mountain, 2007; Callard et al., 2013). Two key principles of psychosocial rehabilitation are an emphasis on a social rather than medical model of care, and on the patient’s strengths rather than pathologies (King et al., 2007). Similar to the doctor-patient relationship of the biomedical model, there exists a relationship between patients,  caregivers and clinicians in the psychosocial framework. The emphasis however is on the formation of a therapeutic alliance (King et al., 2007) in which recovery is owned by the patient, with professionals and services facilitating this ownership (Mountain & Shah, 2008). The aim of psychosocial rehabilitation is for the patient to have self-determination over their illness and health, and a fulfilled sense of self despite the possible continuation of symptoms (Barber, 2012). This is in stark contrast to the biomedical model in which illness is managed by the practitioner, and health is hallmarked by the absence of symptoms and disease (Wade & Halligan, 2004). The psychosocial perspective must also be considered in terms of its potential limitations. By placing an emphasis on self-determination and self-management of mental illness and wellbeing, there runs a parallel risk of instilling a sense of responsibility or blame within the patient when less than desirable health outcomes occur. This is of particular relevance in mental health settings, where poor health outcomes are unfortunately, likely (Deacon, 2013). In the biomedical model, the psychiatrist would offer some small consolation to the patient in the form of shouldering the bulk of the responsibility. With regard to empowerment of the patient, this notion of ‘care’ versus ‘cure’ suggests that the biomedical model of care and psychosocial rehabilitation are two competing models of care that are divorced from one another. They are not, however, mutually exclusive, and it is worth noting that contemporary definitions of the biomedical model at least attempt to consider the incorporation of recovery-based treatment approaches (Barber, 2012; Mountain & Shah, 2008; Wade & Halligan, 2004). It has been suggested that modern day doctor-patient relationships are far more aligned with the nature of the psychosocial therapeutic alliance, founded on engagement and the recognition of skills and knowledge of each partner (Mountain & Shah, 2008). Specifically in a mental health setting, it might be argued that the biomedical model parts ways with psychosocial rehabilitation by use of compulsion (Mountain & Shah, 2008). The intent behind much of today’s mental health legislation is guided by the ideologies of the biomedical model. This  results in patients with a psychiatric diagnosis being frequently disempowered, by having their right to self-determination overridden by legal powers of compulsion (Thomas, Bracken & Timimi, 2012). Despite a shift towards self-determination by the biomedical model, mental health patients may be forced to accept treatment against their wishes. In opposition to this, the psychosocial framework favours a community-based, ‘case-managed’ style of care (King et al., 2007), which seeks to empower the patient and maintain independence. (i) Implications for nursing practice The medical model is a useful framework to assist the psychiatrist in the identification of disorders and diseases. However, scientists have identified neither a biological cause nor a reliable biomarker for any mental disorder (Deacon, 2013), and arguably, most mental disorders have their origin and impact in a social context (McAllister & Moyle, 2008). Therefore, the validity of the biomedical model as a nursing model of care in mental health settings must be questioned. The all-encompassing nature of the care delivery required by a psychosocial framework may, at times, appear to be at odds with more ‘traditional’ concepts of nursing. It is understood that the biomedical model is the model on which many nurses base their practice. It is also the model that has long dominated the field of psychiatry (Stickley & Timmons, 2007), despite a plethora of literature espousing the importance of the interpersonal domain and psychosocial factors. Findings from a study by Carlyle, Crowe & Deering (2012) showed that mental health nurses working in an inpatient setting described the role of mental health services, the role of the nurse and nursing interventions in terms of supporting a medical model of care. This was despite recognition amongst the nurses that they used a psychodynamic framework for understanding the aetiology of mental distress, as being a result of interpersonal factors. The problems with the use of the biomedical model in mental health nursing are varied. The overriding goal of the biomedical model is cure, and  therefore nurses that base their practice on it must also aim for this outcome. This is obviously troublesome for a speciality that treats disorders that may not have a definable cause, and typically have poor outcomes (Deacon, 2013). Regarding ‘care’ versus ‘cure’, the challenge for nurses working in mental health settings where their practice is underpinned by the medical model, is the inability to achieve the outcome of care that they believe to be appropriate, that is, a cure (Pearson, Vaughan & FitzGerald, 2005). In terms of the provision of nursing care, the biomedical model’s focus on disease and the objective categorisation of people by disease can serve to depersonalise patients and so too, the nursing care provided to them (Pearson et al., 2005). It may well be argued that the biomedical model devalues the role of the nurse, because the humanistic side to care is diminished in favour of a medical diagnosis and cure. Overall, the ideals of mental health nursing practice are constrained by the biomedical model (McAllister & Moyle, 2008), however, nurses feel comfortable using this model to explain their practice, in the absence of a defined alternative. Psychosocial rehabilitation as an alternative to the biomedical model not only has positive implications for consumers of mental health services but also to the nurses who provide their care (Stickley & Timmons, 2007). Indeed, a wealth of literature supports a shift from the medical model to a recovery-based, psychosocial approach (Engel, 1977; Barber, 2012; Caldwell, Sclafani, Swarbrick & Piren, 2010; Mountain & Shah, 2008). In contrast to the biomedical model, the nurse-patient therapeutic alliance is at the core of the psychosocial framework (King et al., 2007). In this way, the role of the nurse moves away from being task-focused, to actively developing, coordinating and implementing strategies to facilitate the recovery process (Caldwell et al., 2010). Additionally, this model of care strongly aligns with nursing perceptions of their role as care providers, their beliefs regarding the aetiology of mental disorders, and their attitudes towards best practice (McAllister & Moyle, 2 008; Carlyle et al., 2012). (i) Outcomes Generally, the biomedical model has been associated with vast improvements in medical care throughout the 20th century. Despite its persistent dominance of both policy and practice, the biomedical model in regards to the delivery of mental health care is characterised by a lack of clinical innovation and poor outcomes (Deacon, 2013). It does, however, have its redeeming qualities. The primary strength of the biomedical model is its core knowledge base derived from objective scientific experiment, its intuitive appeal, and relevance to many disease-based illnesses (Pearson et al., 2005; Wade & Halligan, 2004). Evidence-based medicine allows the psychiatrist to access objective evidence about the safety and effectiveness of their interventions (Thomas et al., 2012). Shah & Mountain (2007) argue that the model’s rigorous methods used to gather evidence that have resulted in numerous effective psychopharmacological treatments, cannot be translated in helping to identify which spec ific elements of psychosocial treatments are effective. This assertion is evidenced by a study documenting the efficacy of a psychosocial rehabilitation programme (Chowdur, Dhariti, Kalyanasundaram, & Suryanarayana, 2011) in patients with severe and persisting mental illness. The study showed significant improvement for all participants across a range of parameters used to measure levels of functioning. However, the results did not reveal the specific effects of various components of the rehabilitation programme, making it difficult to isolate each component and to study its effect. Regardless, the overall benefits of psychosocial rehabilitation should not be ignored simply due to study limitations. Despite the biomedical model’s rigorous study methods and evidence-based core, tangible signs of progress are few and far between. Indeed, the biomedical approach has failed to elucidate the very biological basis of mental disorder, and also failed to reduce stigma (Deacon, 2013; Schomerus et al., 2012). Kvaale, Haslam & Gottdiener (2013) determined that biogenetic explanations for psychological illnesses increase ‘prognostic pessimism’ and perceptions of dangerousness, and do little to reduce stigma. This conclusion has obvious implications in a society where the layperson’s, and in fact, nursing student’s understanding of mental illness is a biogenetic, ‘medicalised’ one (Kvaale et al., 2013; Stickley & Timmons, 2007). In  contrast, psychosocial rehabilitation programmes may have the effect of reducing stigma. As previously discussed, psychosocial rehabilitation is underpinned by an ideology that seeks to empower the patient. Research has shown that empowerment and self-stigma are opposite poles on a continuum (Rà ¼sch, Angermeyer & Corrigan, 2005). By enhancing the patient’s sense of self, insight, societal roles, and basic self-care functions (King et al., 2007), psychosocial rehabilitation programmes have the ability to reduce the negative effects of stigma. In a study particular to patients with schizophrenia (Koukia & Madianos, 2005), caregivers and relatives reported lower levels of objective and subjective burden when the patient was engaged in a psychosocial rehabilitation programme. In their exploration into the validity of evidence-based medicine in psychiatry, Thomas et al. (2012) differentiate between specific factors (e.g. pharmacological interventions targeting specific neurotransmitter imbalances), and non-specific factors (e.g. contexts, values, meanings and relationships). They determined that non-specific factors are far more important in relation to positive outcomes, which would support a psychosocial approach. In recent years, public opinion and policy has become more aligned with the recovery model, evidenced by the wealth of literature echoing Engel’s (1977) proposition of a ‘new medical model’ founded on a biopsychosocial approach. Recently, the Australian Government Department of Health acknowledged the positive outcomes associated with a recovery-based model, and released the National framework for recovery-oriented mental health services (2013). Despite their ideological differences, psychosocial rehabilitation need not be viewed as the antithesis to the biomedical model, with literature suggesting a degree of compatibility between the two that is becoming more apparent in the modern delivery of mental health care (Barber, 2012; Mountain & Shah, 2008; Shah & Mountain, 2007). Conclusion Recent years have seen significant changes in the perceptions of mental illness, and the provision of mental health services that are available. The  move towards community-based care, psychosocial rehabilitation programmes, and empowerment of the patient through self-determination has been accompanied by a growth in research, and positive outcomes for mental health consumers. Despite this progress, modern mental health care is still largely dominated by the biomedical model. Whilst contemporary interpretations of the psychiatric biomedical model recognise the value of social and psychological factors, they appear to do so in a way that relegates those factors to an order below that of biological factors. This occurs in the absence of any definable biological causes for mental disorders (Deacon, 2013). A contemporary model is required in modern mental health services. Indeed, Barber (2012) suggests that recovery should be thought of as the ‘new medical model for psychiatry. Psychosocial rehabilitation is associated with improved objective and subjective patient outcomes, and emphasises the role of the nurse. As observed by Engel (1977), the dogmatism of biomedicine inadvertently results in the frustration of patients who believe their genuine health needs are being inadequately met. True incorporation of a biopsychosocial approach into modern mental health care, would create a framework for consistent positive outcomes, and limitless innovation. REFERENCES Barber, M. (2012). Recovery as the new medical model for psychiatry. Psychiatric Services, 63(3), 277-279. Caldwell, B., Sclafani, M., Swarbrick, M., & Piren, K. (2010). Psychiatric nursing practice and the recovery model of care. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, 48(7), 42-48. Callard, F., Bracken, P., David, A., & Sartorius, N. (2013). Has psychiatric diagnosis labelled rather than enabled patients? The British Medical Journal, 347, doi: 10.1136/bmj.f4312 Carlyle, D., Crowe, M., & Deering, D. (2012). Models of care delivery in mental health nursing: a mixed method study. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 19, 221-230. Chowdur, R., Dharitri, R., Kalyanasundaram, S., & Suryanarayana, R. (2011). Efficacy of psychosocial rehabilitation program: the RFS experience. The Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 53(1), 45-48. Cnaan, R., Blankertz, L., Messinger, K., & Gardner, J. (1988). Psychosocial rehabilitation: toward a definition. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 11(4), 61-77. Deacon, B. (2013). The biomedical model of mental disorder: a critical analysis of its validity, utility, and effects on psychotherapy research. Clinical Psychology Review 33, 846-861. Department of Health. (2013). National framework for recovery-oriented mental health services. Canberra, Australia: Australian Health Minister’s Advisory Council. Engel, G. (1977). The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Science, 196, 129-136. Harding, C. (2005). Changes in schizophrenia across time: paradoxes, patterns, and predictors. In L. Davidson, C. Harding, & L. Spaniol (Eds.), Recovery From Severe Mental Illnesses: Research Evidence and Implications for Practice (pp. 19-41). Boston: Centre for Psychiatric Rehabilitation. King, R., Lloyd, C., & Meehan, T. (2007). Handbook of psychosocial rehabilitation. Carlton, VIC: Blackwell Publishing. Koukia, E., & Madianos, M.G. (2005). Is psychosocial rehabilitation of schizophrenic patients preventing family burden? A comparative study. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 12, 415-422. Kvaale, E., Haslam, N., & Gottdiener, W. The ‘side effects’ of medicalisation: a meta-analytic review of how biogenetic explanations affect stigma. Clinical Psychology Review, 33, 782-794. McAllister, M., & Moyle, W. (2008). An exploration of mental health nursing models of care in a Queensland psychiatric hospital. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 17, 18-26. Mountain, D., & Shah, P. (2008). Recovery and the medical model. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 14, 241-244. Pearson, A., Vaughan, B., & FitzGerald, M. (2005). Nursing models for practice. Sydney, NSW: Elsevier. Rà ¼sch, N., Angermeyer, M., & Corrigan, P. (2005). Mental illness stigma: concepts, consequences, and initiatives to reduce stigma. European Psychiatry, 20, 529-539. Schomerus, G., Schwahn, C., Holzinger, A., Corrigan, P., Grabe, H., & Carta, M. (2012). Evolution about public attitudes of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 125, 440-452. Shah, P., & Mountain, D. (2007). The medical model is dead – long live the medical model. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 191, 375-377. Stickley, T., & Timmons, S. (2007). Considering alternatives: student nurses slipping directly from lay beliefs to the medical model of mental illness. Nurse Education Today, 27, 155-161. Thomas, P., Bracken, P., & Timimi, S. (2012). The anomalies of evidence-based medicine in psychiatry: time to rethink the basis of mental health practice. Mental Health Review Journal. Wade, D., & Halligan, P. (2004). Do biomedical models of illness make for good healthcare systems? The British Medical Journal, 329, 1398-1401.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

How can Tesco fulfill its need to adapt to changes in its workforce Essay

How can Tesco fulfill its need to adapt to changes in its workforce - Essay Example The company earned revenue of ?64.826 billion as on 2013 from its 6351 stores across the world. In terms of profit it is the second largest player and in terms of revenue it is the third largest after Walmart and Carrefour, who are the main competitors of the brand. For carrying out its operations, Tesco employs people both in store oriented and non store oriented jobs. For the stores it requires staff for a variety of activities like customer care staff, inventory managers, supervisors, stock takers etc (Humby, Hunt and Phillips, 2006, p.39). For successful distribution of products the company needs people who are well equipped with logistic management skills. The corporate office has people performing mainly the senior management roles like Finance Management, Marketing Management, Human Resource Management, Accounts Department, Production Control, Information Technology Department and Legal Departments. Tesco aspires to make sure that all functions work in harmony to steer its bus iness goals. In order to do that, the company has to ensure that it employs the right people in the accurate work at the correct time. To accomplish this, the company has structured a method for staffing and selecting employees for managerial as well as operational roles (Argyris and Schon, 1978, p.987). Workforce planning Tesco like every successful organisation is involved in the process of planning which entails an analysis of the prospective needs of the company in terms of staff. They need to analyse how many more staff that they need, what skills they should possess and where should they be recruited from and put into operation (Hackman and Craig, 2008, p.543). It permits the company to map how these wants is to be met by indulging in recruitment and training. Tesco essentially needs to plan ahead of its inception of the work. A dynamic organisation hires new employees on a daily basis for all the variety of activities that the people in the organisation perform. Vacancies are created in the organisation when the company opens up new stores or expands in the present location. Positions are also opened due to employee attrition in the company. They might switch jobs or retire from the company after the end of their tenure of service. When an employee of one department gets promoted to a higher rank the previous position also needs to be filled. New openings are also created when the company changes processes or adapts to a new technology. This entire exercise is done for both management and non management position. The objective behind this is to understand the demand for workforce in a particular year for various departments. The reports at the end of every quarter gives an estimate of how many people would be required for the operations and accordingly Tesco manipulates the needs of staffing as per necessity of departments (Ravasi, and Schultz, 2006,p.654). By this the company can buy some time for planning and flexibility for meeting the demands of the employees. It helps the company in achieving the organisational goals and short terms objectives as well (Cummings, and Worley, p.67). They consider it as Talent Planning which in turn helps in motivating the people to do their work with efficiency and precision. They also encourage the staff to progress in their careers. The job descriptions for the various positions have to be free from any ambiguity and each person needs to understand his work and know his scope of action. The appraisal