Application of the Henderson Nursing Model from a Holistic Perspective Article

Application of the Henderson Nursing Model from a Holistic Perspective - Article Example Application of the Henderson Nursing Model from a Holistic Perspective Virginia Henderson was an advanced woman of her time. By 1934 she had earned both her Bachelors of Nursing and her Masters Degree in Nursing Education and was well on her way towards making one of the biggest changes in nursing history. In an era where nurses were starting to be appreciated for more than their ability to change dressings, Henderson’s work on a theory of nursing was the right move at the right time in history (â€Å"Nursing Theory,† 2011). Henderson’s Nursing Model Henderson is known as a â€Å"needs theorist† (Kim & Kollak, 2006, p.17). Her prime theory was centered on the idea that a nurse’s position was to help the individual to gain their own independence. This lent a flexibility to the nursing model; an idea that a nurse could be many things to the same patient. Henderson put it as â€Å"assisting the individual, sick or well, in the performance of those act ivities contributing to the health or its recovery (or to a peaceful death) that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will or knowledge; And to do this in such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible† (1961, p. 42). ... She was also a strong proponent for the idea that the nurse’s obligation and duty is to the patient rather than the doctor which was a prevalent belief prior to that time. Nicholl (1997) wrote about her â€Å"Henderson’s definition of nursing was a major shift from the task-procedure perspective and one of the earliest widely used definitions to present a conceptualization of nursing that included function and goal† (p.509). Henderson viewed a nurses function as being either substitutive (doing something instead of the patient); supplementary (helping the patient directly to do something) or complementary (working with the patient to do something). This way the patient had a certain control over how his or her treatment went; with the nurse identified as someone who can facilitate that process (â€Å"Nursing Theory†, 2011). This emphasis on the patient having some control over his or her health and treatment is one aspect that resonates with holistic healt h practices. Holistic Medicine and the Henderson Nursing Model Holistic medicine is defined as a â€Å"doctrine of preventive and therapeutic medicine that emphasizes the necessity of looking at the whole person—his body, mind, emotions, and environment—rather than at an isolated function or organ...holistic medicine puts ownership of the patient's health back with the patient, teaching the precepts of exercise, a good diet, adequate sleep, fresh air, and moderation in personal habits† (Shaw, 2008). Originally considered â€Å"new age† and totally against the medical methods of treatment, in more recent times holistic aspects of health care are working alongside mainstream medical techniques. While it could not be said that Virginia Henderson was a

10 Major Agricultural Problems Of India Essay Example for Free

10 Major Agricultural Problems Of India Essay Some of the major problems and their possible solutions have been discussed as follows. Indian agriculture is plagued by several problems; some of them are natural and some others are manmade. 1. Small and fragmented land-holdings: The seemingly abundance of net sown area of 141.2 million hectares and total cropped area of 189.7 million hectares (1999-2000) pales into insignificance when we see that it is divided into economically unviable small and scattered holdings. The average size of holdings was 2.28 hectares in 1970-71 which was reduced to 1. 82 hectares in 1980-81 and 1.50 hectares in 1995-96. The size of the holdings will further decrease with the infinite Sub-division of the land holdings. See more: Sleep Deprivation Problem Solution Speech Essay The problem of small and fragmented holdings is more serious in densely populated and intensively cultivated states like Kerala, West Bengal, Bihar  and eastern part of Uttar Pradesh where the average size of land holdings is less than one hectare and in certain parts it is less than even 0.5 hectare. Rajasthan with vast sandy stretches and Nagaland with the prevailing ‘Jhoom’ (shifting agriculture) have larger average sized holdings of 4 and 7.15 hectares respectively. States having high percentage of net sown area like Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh have holding size above the national average. Further it is shocking to note that a large proportion of 59 per cent holdings in 1990- 91 were marginal (below 1 hectare) accounting for 14.9 per cent of the total operated area. Another 19 per cent were small holdings (1-2 hectare) taking up 17.3 per cent of the total operated area. Large holdings (above 10 hectare) accounted for only 1.6 per cent of total holdings but covered 17.4 per cent of the operated area (Table 22.1). Hence, there is a wide gap between small farmers, medium farmers (peasant group) and big farmers (landlords). The main reason for this sad state of affairs is our inheritance laws. The land belonging to the father is equally distributed among his sons. This distribution of land does not entail a collection or consolidated one, but its nature is fragmented. Different tracts have different levels of fertility and are to be distributed accordingly. If there are four tracts which are to be distributed between two sons, both the sons will get smaller plots of each land tract. In this way the holdings become smaller and more fragmented with each passing generation. Sub-division and fragmentation of the holdings is one of the main causes of our low agricultural productivity and backward state of our agriculture. 1/2/2015 7:58 PM 10 Major Agricultural Problems of India and their Possible Solutions 3 of 16 http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/agriculture/10-major-agricultural-pro A lot of time and labour is wasted in moving seeds, manure, implements and cattle from one piece of land to another.  Irrigation becomes difficult on such small and fragmented fields. Further, a lot of fertile agricultural land is wasted in providing boundaries. Under such circumstances, the farmer cannot concentrate on improvement. The only answer to this ticklish problem is the consolidation of holdings which means the reallocation of holdings which are fragmented, the creation of farms which comprise only one or a few parcels in place of multitude of patches formerly in the possession of each peasant. But unfortunately, this plan has not succeeded much. Although legislation for consolidation of holdings has been enacted by almost all the states, it has been implemented only in Punjab, Haryana and in some parts of Uttar Pradesh. Consolidation of about 45 million holdings has been done till 1990-91 in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. The other solution to this problem is cooperative farming in which the farmers pool their resources and share the profit. 2. Seeds: Seed is a critical and basic input for attaining higher crop yields and sustained growth in agricultural production. Distribution of assured quality seed is as critical as the production of such seeds. Unfortunately, good quality seeds are out of reach of the majority of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers mainly because of exorbitant prices of better seeds. In order to solve this problem, the Government of India established the National Seeds Corporation (NSC) in 1963 and the State Farmers Corporation of India (SFCI) in 1969. Thirteen State Seed Corporations (SSCs) were also established to augment the supply of improved seeds to the farmers.  High Yielding Variety Programme (HYVP) was launched in 1966-67 as a major thrust plan to increase the production of food grains in the country. The Indian seed industry had exhibited impressive growth in the past and is expected to provide further potential for growth in agricultural production: The role of seed industry is not only to produce adequate quantity of quality seeds but also to achieve varietal diversity to suit various agro-climatic zones of the country. The policy statements are designed towards making available to the Indian farmer, adequate quantities of seed of superior quality at the appropriate time and place and at an affordable price so as to meet the country’s food and nutritional security goals. Indian seeds programme largely adheres to limited generation system for seed multiplication. The system recognises three kinds of generation, namely breeder, foundation and certified seeds. Breeder seed is the basic seed and first stage in seed production. Foundation seed is the second stage in seed production chain and is the progeny of breeder seed. Certified seed is the ultimate stage in seed production chain and is the progeny of foundation seed. Production of breeder and foundation seeds and certified seeds distribution have gone up at an annual average rate of 3.4 per cent, 7.5 per  cent and 9.5 per cent respectively, between 2001-02 and 2005-06). 3. Manures, Fertilizers and Biocides: Indian soils have been used for growing crops over thousands of years  without caring much for replenishing. This has led to depletion and exhaustion of soils resulting in their low productivity. The average yields of almost all the crops are among t e lowest in the world. This is a serious problem which can be solved by using more manures and fertilizers. Manures and fertilizers play the same role in relation to soils as good food in relation to body. Just as a well-nourished body is capable of doing any good job, a well nourished soil is capable of giving good yields. It has been estimated that about 70 per cent of growth in agricultural production can be attributed to increased fertilizer application. Thus increase in the consumption of fertilizers is a barometer of agricultural prosperity. However, there are practical difficulties in providing sufficient manures and fertilizers in all parts of a country of India’s dimensions inhabited by poor peasants. Cow dung provides the best manure to the soils. But its use as such is limited because much of cow dung is used as kitchen fuel in the shape of dung cakes. Reduction in the supply of fire wood and increasing demand for fuel in the rural areas due to increase in population has further complicated the problem. Chemical fertilizers are costly and are often beyond the reach of the poor farmers. The fertilizer problem is, therefore, both acute and complex. It has been felt that organic manures are essential for keeping the soil in good health. The country has a potential of 650 million tonnes of rural and 160 lakh tonnes of urban compost which is not fully utilized at present. The utilization of this potential will solve the twin problem of disposal of waste and providing manure to the soil. The government has given high incentive especially in the form of heavy subsidy for using chemical fertilizers. There was practically no use of chemical fertilizers at the time of Independence As a result of initiative by  the government and due to change in the attitude of some progressive farmers, the consumption of fertilizers increased tremendously. In order to maintain the quality of the fertilizers, 52 fertilizer quality control laboratories have been set up in different parts of the country. In addition, there is one Central Fertilizer Quality Control and Training Institute at Faridabad with its three regional centres at Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Pests, germs and weeds cause heavy loss to crops which amounted to about one third of the total field produce at the time of Independence. Biocides (pesticides, herbicides and weedicides) are used to save the crops and to avoid losses. The increased use of these inputs has saved a lot of crops, especially the food crops from unnecessary wastage. But indiscriminate use of biocides has resulted in wide spread environmental pollution which takes its own toll. 4. Irrigation: Although India is the second largest irrigated country of the world after China, only one-third of the cropped area is under irrigation. Irrigation is the most important agricultural input in a tropical monsoon country like India where rainfall is uncertain, unreliable and erratic India cannot achieve sustained progress in agriculture unless and until more than half of the cropped area is brought under assured irrigation. This is testified by the success story of agricultural progress in Punjab Haryana and western part of Uttar Pradesh where over half of the cropped area is under irrigation! Large tracts still await irrigation to boost the agricultural output. However, care must be taken to safeguard against ill effects of over irrigation especially in areas irrigated by canals. Large tracts in Punjab  and Haryana have been rendered useless (areas affected by salinity, alkalinity and water-logging), due to faulty irrigation. In the Indira Gandhi Canal command area also intensive irrigation has led to sharp rise in sub-soil water level, leading to water-logging, soil salinity and alkalinity. 5. Lack of mechanisation: In spite of the large scale mechanisation of agriculture in some parts of the country, most of the agricultural operations in larger parts are carried on by human hand using simple and conventional tools and implements like wooden plough, sickle, etc. Little or no use of machines is made in ploughing, sowing, irrigating,  thinning and pruning, weeding, harvesting threshing and transporting the crops. This is specially the case with small and marginal farmers. It results in huge wastage of human labour and in low yields per capita labour force. There is urgent need to mechanise the agricultural operations so that wastage of labour force is avoided and farming is made convenient and efficient. Agricultural implements and machinery are a crucial input for efficient and timely agricultural operations, facilitating multiple cropping and thereby increasing production. Some progress has been made for mechanising agriculture in India after Independence. Need for mechanisation was specially felt with the advent of Green Revolution in 1960s. Strategies and programmes have been directed towards replacement of traditional and inefficient implements by improved ones, enabling the farmer to own tractors, power tillers, harvesters and other machines. A large industrial base for manufacturing of the agricultural machines has also been developed. Power availability for carrying out various  agricultural operations has been increased to reach a level of 14 kW per hectare in 2003-04 from only 0.3 kW per hectare in 1971-72. This increase was the result of increasing use of tractor, power tiller and combine harvesters, irrigation pumps and other power operated machines. The share of mechanical and electrical power has increased from 40 per cent in 1971 to 84 per cent in 2003-04. Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest average sales of tractors during the five  year period ending 2003-04 and/West Bengal recorded the highest average sales of power tillers during the same period.  Strenuous efforts are being made to encourage the farmers to adopt technically advanced agricultural equipments in order to carry farm operations timely and precisely and to economise the agricultural production process. 6. Soil erosion: Large tracts of fertile land suffer from soil erosion by wind and water. This area must be properly treated and restored to its original fertility. 7. Agricultural Marketing: Agricultural marketing still continues to be in a bad shape in rural India. In the absence of sound marketing facilities, the farmers have to depend upon local traders and middlemen for the disposal of their farm produce which is sold at throw-away price. In most cases, these farmers are forced, under socio-economic conditions, to carry on distress sale of their produce. In most of small villages, the farmers sell their produce to the money lender from whom they usually borrow money.  According to an estimate 85 per cent of wheat and 75 per cent of oil seeds in Uttar Pradesh, 90 per cent of Jute in West Bengal, 70 per cent of oilseeds and 35 per cent of cotton in Punjab is sold by farmers in the village itself. Such a situation arises due to the inability of the poor farmers to wait for long after harvesting their crops. In order to meet his commitments and pay his debt, the poor farmer is forced to sell the produce at whatever price is offered to him. The Rural Credit Survey Report rightly remarked that the producers in general sell their produce at an unfavourable place and at an unfavourable time and usually they get unfavourable terms. In the absence of an organised marketing structure, private traders and middlemen dominate the marketing and trading of agricultural produce. The remuneration of the services provided by the middlemen increases the load on the consumer, although the producer does not derive similar benefit. Many market surveys have revealed that middlemen take away about 48 per cent of the price of rice, 52 per cent of the price of grounduts and 60 per cent of the price of potatoes offered by consumers. In order to save the farmer from the clutches of the money lenders and the middle men, the government has come out with regulated markets. These markets generally introduce a system of competitive buying, help in eradicating malpractices, ensure the use of standardised weights and measures and evolve suitable machinery for settlement of disputes thereby ensuring that the producers are not subjected to exploitation and receive remunerative prices.

Tension in Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and Susan Hills The Woman in Black :: English Literature

Tension in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" and Susan Hill's "The Woman in Black" Tension is created in both Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" and Susan hills "the woman in black" but in a different way. In Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein" tension is created by the settings, most horror story's are. Both novels create tension in there settings by using the power of imagination and the unknown. Central to both the plots is the idea of dreams and nightmares. Both Frankenstein and the women in black were set at night and both in isolated areas. Frankenstein was set in an isolated building in Ingolstadt, Switzerland "on a dreamy night of November" "as the rain pattered dismally against the panes". This creates tension as she is using the horror of the unknown in the isolated building. "Candle was nearly burnt out." Mary Shelley also creates tension in her novel by using the description she does when the creature has just been created, "His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath his hair were of a lustrous black and flowing". The way he describes this creature clearly gives you the impression it is evil. In the novel Frankenstein after the creature is created the man takes pity and is disgusted with what he has created, "The beauty of the dream vanished" For creating a creature that will have to live his life knowing that he was a creation. This is where the tension starts to build and the creature decides to take revenge on the one who created him, "Evil will have its revenge". However in "the woman in black" her appearance is not described very much. Susan hill does however describe the look on her face as 'as a desperate, yearning malevolence; it was as though she was searching for something she wanted, needed- must have, more then life itself, and which had been taken from her. This helps prepares the reader in

A View on Perspectivism :: Philosophy Philosophical Essays

A View on Perspectivism Perspectivism is the doctrine that most or all large philosophical questions have many proposed answers, and many views on how to judge between those proposed answers, and that intelligent people of good will are likely to continue to have differing perspectives on these large questions of philosophy indefinitely. There are both historical and theoretical reasons for embracing this view. Historically, it is manifest that though philosophers have often attained views which are highly satisfying to themselves personally, few perspectives have won a con sensus even in their own times, and none have won a consensus over time. (I refer here to a consensus on some positive view; a consensus on the falsity of views, usually older ones, may be commonly found. But even long rejected views are liable to unexpected resurrections.) In any case, even agreement of near miraculous extent would not prove any thing anyway and would amount to just a widely accepted view with widely accepted count ers to arguments against it. We may note certain alternatives to and variations on the perspectivist's thesis. There is first of all what we might call the standard position, namely, that there may be many perspectives on a given question, but all but one of them are wrong and can in principle be shown to be so. There is classical skepticism holding that there is a true view but we can't get it and wouldn't know it if we did. There are also the relatively more recent views that large philosophical questions are meaningless (as in positivism) or illusory (as in analytic philosophy). There is what we might call the existential view that there are many views and we may appropriate one according to our own free decision or freely selected standard of evaluation. There is the pragmatic view, that there are many views and many of them are of personal interest and many may indeed be considered true in varying ways and degrees and for varying purposes and persons. Then there is the view that the perspective we a ppropriate tends to become true in varying ways and degrees, at least for the subject, so that we create our world in varying ways and degrees. Finally, there is the view that we do not so much search for a view, find a view, choose a view, but rather that our views arise in us more as a consequence of our culture, temperament, or character than of our reasoning powers.

Book Review of 1984 Essay

He was a member of outer party, who has better life than the proles according to the government. Winston did not believe in the party, the Big Brother. He remained the memory before the Revolution, some fragmented memory about a better life than he was experiencing. He held a belief in abiding faith, contrary to the faked fact that he produced for the sake of work. Through the process that how the party reintegrated Winston, we saw the party controlled the society, using what they learned from the history to improve the method of doing a brainwashing. Julia is the second main character. She is Winston’s love, a beautiful young woman. Julia was born after the Revolution. She knew a little about the past through her grandfather, who disappeared when she was eight. She was zealous in the activities that government promotes, like Junior Anti-Sex League, Two Minutes’ Hate and community center. However, she is a girl who does not care about what the life will be tomorrow. She used her body to exchange for inner party’s good. Everything she did for the government was a mask, to distract attentions from sexually promiscuous rebel. She was sex criminal. After she fell in love with Winston, she believed that ‘It’s the one thing they can’t do. They can make you say anything — ANYTHING— but they can’t make you believe it. They can’t get inside you. ’ However, she was also tortured to be perfect and even suffered more than Winston. ‘Her face was sallower, and there was a long scar, partly hidden by the hair, across her forehead and temple’. The third main character is O’Brien, a member of Brotherhood, which is leaded by Goldstein, the target of Two Minutes’ Hate. But O’Brien was actually a member of inner party, a zealous supporter of the Party, a thought police, a spy. He made Winston believed in him that he opposed that Party and pretended to be a member of Brotherhood. With the help of Mr. Charrington, Winston was caught by Thought Police, as well as Julia. O’Brien engaged in most part of reintegration of Winston. He was the first one who inspires Winston to oppose the Party, by a sentence, ‘We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness,’ O’Brien had said to him. And then he leaded him to believe in the existence of Brotherhood, finally to the love of Big Brother, the death. The story started from Winston Smith, a member of outer party. Winston lived in a dark age, though others may deny it. There are three biggest powers in the world: the Eurasian, Oceania and Eastasia. Winston was in Oceania, under the control of the new party—INGSOC, English Socialism. The official language is New Speak, contrary to the Old Speak. It is used to limit and finally eliminate all modes of thought, therefore nobody would rebel, even just a second’s thought. There are three classes: the Inner Party, the Outer Party and the Proles. Telescreens and microphones are everywhere, monitoring every act of the citizens. There are four ministries, the Ministry of Love, the Ministry of Plenty, the Ministry of Peace and the Ministry of Truth. Each of the ministries is working on the things that are contrary to its name. Winston worked in the Ministry of Truth, where all the documents should be rewritten in order to support the eternal positive of the Party. It is a department that holds the output of Medias, books, news and podcast, falsification was made to the history and facts, which promote the Party doctrine. Winston never believed in the Party. He lived with a mask, controlling every movement, every word that he gave out. However, accidentally he fell in love with a young woman, Julia. They had sex, enjoying the food that Julia brought from the Inner Party, and talked about their doubts on the Party, sharing pieces of memory before the Revolution. They decided to join the Brotherhood, to fight against the Party. They could do everything, except stop loving each other. O’Brien, as a member of Brotherhood, received them and gave them the book, The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism, written by Emmanuel Goldstein. However, when Winston and Julia were still reading the book in Mr. Charrington’s shop, they were caught by though police. The Brotherhood was a trap. O’Brien was actually an Inner Party member. Winston suffered for a long period of reintegration, and finally built up his loyal love to Big Brother, before his death. The mainline is easy to summarize, however the idea that the story wants to tell is difficult. In the book, the politics have been gone to the worst part. Those covers, like â€Å"to help the poor†, â€Å"for the sake of freedom and equality†, or â€Å"to release the proles and reform the society†, are abandoned. The aim of the Party is so direct, that is even adverse, to attain the pure power, nothing else but only the power. The method they used was successful. Language is the access to mind. It is clever to not only limit people to express their opinion but also change their tools, the language itself, by reducing the amount of words and meanings it can represent. It can stop the rebel from the beginning point. â€Å"A thought diverging from the principles of Ingsoc — should be literally unthinkable. † This aim is attainable as long as the Party could replace the Old Speak entirely. The new generation would know nothing about the Old Speak and have no ways to understand the past since those past were record in the Old Speak and possibly had been rewritten totally by Ministry of True. They are as ignorance as animals, who have no past and even no inherit genes. In order to let people have no spare time to think about the meaning of their lives, to explore the things that the Party does not tell, they have war continuously. This could help to avoid rebellion. â€Å"War is peace. † It also keeps the life standard just right above the poverty line. People have to work hard, though the government has always claimed that they have made progress on production, they still do not have enough to eat or enough fuels to make them warm. The life was terrible that everyone works like animal, do what orders, and no more think. But it was a blast of strong power, to have so much unconscious workforce. â€Å"Ignorance is strength. † To explain the last part of the Party’s practice, â€Å"Slavery is freedom. † it relates to the concept of individual and group. As an individual, you are slaved, but groups of slaved have the strength to achieve power and freedom. One should escape from its own identity, and to be slaved, to be remixed into a group, which finally reaches the ultimate freedom. The story has been making a big background in the Chapter 1. After Winston met Julia, the plot has been speeded up. I think the most special point of this book is that he put the climax as the end. â€Å"He loved Big Brother. † The final turning point, and then everything become silent. Actually it just looks like George Orwell him self’s life, ended at the climax. The book reveals several methods of safeguarding the pure power. They came from George Orwell’s real life. George Orwell had been policing in Burma, and then experienced bottom level life in Paris and London. Then he and his family experience the civil war in Spanish and after that was World War Two. These experiences gave George Orwell the elements needed for this book. The poor life standard, the deep hate to those powerful and rich people, the cruelty of war and all of them made up the main background of 1984. George Orwell was a really sensitive writer, who made words to represents more than it should be. His novel was not long and you seldom see some extremely difficult sentence, but you still cannot get its idea only after one-time read. It takes time to catch the main part. Meticulous as him, the principle of New Speak was also provided at the end, to illustrate how this power weapon works. I would definitely recommend my friends to read this book, since it shows how bad the politics, the government might be, and what they would do to maintain their position. I have heard about a comment, which said that you can find many books to help you know the true face of the politics, say that is 5percent, however 1984 could provide you 100percent of that. Reference: http://ebooks. adelaide. edu. au/o/orwell/george/o79n/contents. html

Dissertation Essay Example

Dissertation Essay Example Dissertation Essay Dissertation Essay Transport influences human access to different goods and services and enhances the capabilities to meet different welfare objectives. Transport improves human welfare by enhancing social inclusion whereby individuals travel to participate in social functions and social agenda (Lyons 2004:485). The transport sector has significant influence on other economic sectors globally, such as healthcare, employment, education, housing and business and industry. Improved transport enhances poverty elimination efforts by increasing access to income generating activities, education and healthcare services (Lyons 2004: 486; Currie 2010: 31). Classic public policy goals for transport systems in different countries have hefted beyond facilitating mobility and accessibility and encompass economic, environmental and social outcome elements which form the end result of governance goal in the new millennia (Currie 2010:31). Crustaceans and Boric (2007: 31) emphasize the role of transport in facilitating economic and social integration resulting from enhanced mobility and connecting communities to crucial social amenities and services such as education and health services. Under the economic dimension, transport systems are expected to minimize traffic congestion and promote dynamic urban economies. This is especially characteristic in the Northern American transport systems where cost-effectiveness is heavily emphasized in public transport systems (Currie 2010:32; Lyons 2004: 486). Environmental consciousness emphasizes the need for sustainable development in public transport systems as a means of meeting the Kyoto protocol emission targets while the social dimension calls for improved safety in public transport systems as a means of ensuring safe modes of mobility (Currie 2010:32). Lyons (2004: 490) emphasizes the need for sustainable development in the transport industry as a means of creating better quality life, currently and in the future. Moreover, stakeholders within the transport sectors are charged with the responsibility of fostering trade and competitiveness in order to stimulate growth and enhance resource efficiency. Public transport systems therefore play a significant role in national and the global economy. The world economy has become more globalizes characterized by increased economic integration and cooperation, cross-border interchange of policies, transfer of cultures, discourses of power, knowledge transfer and establishment of a global market. Globalization has significant political, social and economic implications on sectional economies (AY-Roadman Stonemason, 2006: 5). Abraham (2005:1) emphasizes the role of globalization in enhancing global integration, in aspects such as trade, national economies and capital flows by creating an autonomous global production, distribution and consumption system. This has led to trade liberalizing in different national economies as governments acknowledge the significance of the global economic system in fast tracking national fiscal growth and development. Computer influenced globalization by facilitating easier global transport and communication. The air transport sector has significantly benefited from integration of computer technologies for improving communication and efficiency leading to improved quality of life, economy and environmental impacts (Bimodal, 2012: 26). Air transport has enhanced easier transport and communication thus facilitating market penetration, increased trade and competition which have amplified efficiency and specialization leading to economic growth (Crustaceans Boric 2007: 31). Crustaceans and Boric, emphasize the role of globalization as a key driver of growth in the air transport sector. Cross investment across countries has created the need for enhanced labor mobility which is provided by air transport with airports providing connectivity and accessibility necessary for the growth of the modern society and economy. Further, airports have far reaching social and economic impacts on the set up regions characterized with easier air service accessibility and promotion of regional business. Airports serve as commercial entities and generate returns through on site economic activities such as force exchange, duty free shops, Jewelry shops, banks and coffee shops among other economic activities (Crustaceans Boric 2007: 34). The Air Transport Action Group (2005: 2) emphasized the economic and social benefits of air transport. The task force viewed air transport as the only means of transport that efficiently provides a worldwide transportation network required for global business and tourism. The air transport sector transports annually transports an estimated 2 billion passengers, 40% interregional goods and accounts for 40% of the recorded international tourism. The sector further accounts for 29 million employment opportunities generated through direct, indirect, stimulated and catalytic impacts on other economic sectors. The social impacts associated with air transport include improvement of quality of life by broadening the scope of leisure activities and human cultural experiences. Air transport provides a wider choice of holiday destinations by serving as an affordable way of vacationing in distant places. Through tourism and related benefits air transport assists in improving the standards of living and poverty alleviation by enhancing the social inclusion of remote areas in the economic, social and political agenda. These factors further leads to sustainable development (The Air Transport Action Group 2005: 2). The industry has been in the forefront in championing and taking steps towards environmental conservation through noise reduction measures, adoption of fuel- efficient engines and reduction of carbon emissions (The Air Transport Group 2005: 3). 1. 2 Background of the Study The business environment continues to be more challenging with time as characterized by increased competition and economic downturns among others. Modern corporations are challenged by dynamic aspects of the business operational environment for example markets, tight schedules, risks and uncertainties, technology and task complexities (Dillon 2002; 12). The challenges in the business operating environment require organizations to enhance efficiency and operational effectiveness in order to survive harsh economic times. This is achieved through adoption of novel technology for transforming business operations and ensuring continuous innovations for influencing business operations holistically (Sheboygan organizational competitiveness and serves as a stimulant towards creation of global institutions, attracting best employees, reinforcing corporate ambition and fostering the implementation of new ideas in order to break existing or perceived boundaries. The challenges in the business environment further demand strategic management based on identification of organizational goals, formulation of strategic policies and plans and employment of sufficient resources towards meeting organizational goals and objectives (Radian, Jake, Hassling Alumina 2009:402). Airports are not excluded from the challenging business operational environment and therefore require proper leadership and operational efficiency and effectiveness for survival in the air transport industry. Lyons (2004: 490) emphasizes the need for strategies for overcoming the challenges faced in the transport sector through adoption of tragic transport policies in the new age. Lyons further calls for upholding the social agenda or social capital in the political and public agenda with regards to the transport sector. The author emphasizes the need for developing transport in a manner which supports the society as dictated by policy aspirations and fostering environmental conservation through proper precautionary measures for preventing environmental degradation. This calls for strategic and Joined-up thinking between governments and transport experts in order to effectively link the transport sector with the needs of the society (Lyons 2004: 490). Currie (2010; 31) emphasizes the need for proper governance and management of public transport systems through the involvement of key stakeholders in development of transport policy programs through a coordinated approach where decisions are based on scientific knowledge. The public sector serves as the central mode of providing services in developing and develops nations (Chickening, 2013: 1). However, the public sector is accused of deeply entrenched inefficiency which has led to increased vaporization of public corporations. Public corporations are associated with inefficiency due to failure in Eng term management, poor quality services and protection by governments (Barter Harrison 2005: 137). The inefficiencies associated with public entities emanate from lack of clearly defined performance measures, poor evaluations, deeply entrenched corruption practices resource limitations and complexities in identifying the effects of adopted institutional reforms (Christine, Linton Command 2007:32). Most nations are unable to finance, develop or maintain national airports and view vaporization as an effective strategy towards development of new airports and maintenance of old ones (Craig, 1999: 1). Researchers have called for improvement of efficiency in the public sector. Public organizations and service providers worldwide are under increased pressure to advance efficiency through provision of improved and integrated services (Chickening 2013; 3). Christine, Linton Command (2007: 2) calls for improvement of efficiency in the public sector by reforming key institutional arrangements through diverse approaches such as increased devolution and decentralization, enhancing competitive pressures, changing workforce structures and adopting result oriented measures. Infrastructural developments including development of airports have en the liability of public agencies whose funding results from capital funds collected through taxation, issuing of public bonds and the operational costs offset by collected revenues or through the taxation system (Chickening 2013: 3). Viability of financing major projects through tax revenues (Chickening 2013: 3). Moreover, the inefficiency in the government sector has led to vaporization of airports, globally. Countries such as the I-J, Australia, Columbia, and Thailand have privatized their airports. However, in some countries governments still own most airports. In 2006, private investors owned and m anaged only 2% of all commercial airports in the world (Frost Sullivan, 2006, Para. 5). In some countries such as Australia, the airports are sold on long-term leases of 50 years (Keynote Beck, 2009, p. 02). In other countries such as the I-J, the airports are fully privatized by being listed in the stock exchange market. The vaporization has increased the profits in most countries prompting vaporization of additional airports (Musketeer Aphids, 2013, Para. 9). Mum, Adler and You (2006: 126) emphasize the shift from government operated airports to vaporization as a wide world trend with the exception of airports in the United States. Most of the airports in different countries operate autonomously with more airports expected to be privatized in the future (Craig, 1999:2). Craig, perceived the involvement of the private sector in development and operation of airports as a commonly accepted concept. Governments therefore sign agreements with development consortia for construction and operation of airports for a mutually agreed time period (Craig, 1999: 2). Chickening (2013: 4) argue that tapping private sector capital resources provides a means of promoting development of public infrastructure and facilitating the implementation of required capital projects. Vaporization of public enterprises acts as a significant policy in developed and developing nations which is placed in the context of broad-based approach for achieving economic De-regulation together with other strategies such as trade liberalizing and enhancing market access. The airport vaporization debate is based on pure economic necessities and changes in perceptions towards development policies as the private sector is viewed as more efficient and profitable (Christine, Linton Command 2007:1). Airports are also privatized as a means of enhancing easier access to private sector financing and investment (Mum, Adler You 2006: 126). However, the motives for airport vaporization and centralization differ across countries depending on the adopted approach towards institutional restructuring (Mum, Adler You 2006: 126). 1. 3 Problem Statement Vaporization of airports has significant operational and economic impacts. Studies have highlighted that government owned airports are less efficient as compared to privatized airports (Mum, Adler You 2006: 127). Cavalier and Corroborates (2008: 1) view vaporization as a means of reducing government budget deficits, fostering financial development and improving efficiency. It is agreed that privatized airports attain significantly higher operating profit margins as compared to government operated airports. This is attributed to engagement in non-aviation related activities and services which generate additional revenues. This is also associated with increased vaporization of government operated airports (Mum, Adler You 2006: 127). Mum, Adler and You (2006: 127) emphasize that government operated airports are run by bureaucrats with the aim of maximizing the objective function subjective to social welfare and personal agendas while privatized airports are strategically managed to enhance performance. This assertion has however been refuted by other researchers vaporization of airports in different areas of the globe (Christine, Linton Command, 2007:7). Cavalier and Corroborates (2008:2) attribute this to lack of conclusive empirical evidence on the impacts of change in ownership especially in relation to vaporization. Mum, Adler and You (2006: 128) assert the lack of conclusive research on the impacts of vaporization on airports. Cavalier and Corroborates (2008:1) further argue that improvement in productive efficiency does not imply improvements in locative efficiency. Moreover, complexities are experienced in disintegrating the effects of vaporization from the impacts of related fiscal policies such as liberalizing and regulatory changes (Cavalier Corroborates, 2008:2; Mum, Adler You 2006: 128). There is therefore need to close the research gap by investigating the impacts of vaporization on airports. 1. 4 Purpose of the Study Nations have adopted the trend of vaporization of airports with the aim of reducing government deficits, improving efficiency and fostering development (Cavalier Corroborates 2008:1; Christine, Linton Command, 2007:2; Mum, Adler You 2006: 128). The literature on impacts of vaporization on airports is however inconclusive (Cavalier Corroborates 2008:2; Christine, Linton Command, 2007:7; Mum, Adler You 2006; 128). This creates a need to explore the impacts of vaporization on airports. This study aimed to close the research gap by exploring the impacts of vaporization on airports. The study specifically focused on the impact of airport vaporization on the profit level, profitability, completion levels and aeronautical tariffs in the airline industry. 1. 5 Research Objectives To achieve the purpose highlighted above, the study was guided by the following pacific research objectives: 1 . To determine the impact of airport vaporization on the profit level of the airline industry. . To determine the effect of airport vaporization on the efficiency of the industry 3. To evaluate the impact of airport vaporization on the level of competition in the airline industry 4. To evaluate the effect of airport vaporization on the aeronautical tariffs 1. 6 Research Questions The study was guided by the following research questions: 1. What is the effect of the vaporization of airports on their profitability? 2 . How goes the vaporization of airports affect the operating efficiency of the airline industry? . How is the level of competition in the airline industry affected by the vaporization of airports? 4. What effect does the vaporization of airports have on the price of air travel paid by customers? 1. 7 Research Methodology The study adopted a mixed methods design incorporating both quantitative and qualitative designs. The quantitative design adopted an ex post facto research approach for examining the relationship between the vaporization of airports and the economic variables mentioned above. Quantitative data was collected from secondary sources such as books, Journals, newspaper articles, periodicals and web documents highlighting the performance of airports before and after vaporization. Government documents of countries which have done airport vaporization will also be used for the study. The ex facto research approach enabled the researcher to meet the study needs where accurate an experimental approach is not possible significant information on vaporization of airports and assist in establishing a simple cause-effect relationship between vaporization and the highlighted variables (p. 09). The ex factor research approach while non-experimental assisted the researcher to arrive at unbiased conclusions (Cottrell Mckenzie 2010: 9). The qualitative design was used to acquire primary data from 20 managers in the airline industry. The qualitative approach focused on acquiring the perspectives of managers within the industry on the impacts of vaporization on the mentioned study variables. The primary data was collected through a self administered semi-structured questionnaire. A qualitative design assists in capturing human feelings, attitudes and perspectives on the research phenomenon. The qualitative approach unlike the inattentive approach brought out the human feelings towards vaporization of airports. The mixed method design facilitated a holistic approach towards establishing the effects of vaporization of airports leading to balanced, unbiased and objective conclusions. 1. 8 Significance of the Study The research may be useful to policy makers in the government to determine whether it is economically advisable to privatized government owned airports. The research weighs on the costs and benefits that would result from such a move. The study may also inform strategic decision in the airline industry especially in nations which are anticipating vaporization of the airports by highlighting the effects of vaporization on profitability, competition, efficiency and flight prices. In addition, the research will assist private investors in knowing the impacts of vaporization on airline efficiency, competitiveness, profitability and cost of flight travel. The study may therefore inform the investment decisions of potential investors by informing them on the profitability of investment in airports. The study will also provide significant insights to students in management and especially aviation management on the effects of government vaporization policy on the airline industry. 2. 0 Literature Review Traditionally airports around the globe were managed and operated by governments as they form a significant part of the national aviation system and are perceive as public utilities (Marino 2008:5). Airport operation and handling activities were not traditionally perceived as above commercial activities (Marino 2008: 5). Airport operational activities were therefore under public authorities charged with the role of managing airport assets and property while other commercial aspect activities were outsourced to private entities. Although public ownership of airports is still being used in few parts of the world most airports around the globe have been privatized (Marino 2008: 5). Historically, governments around the globe are characterized with adoption of simple but revolutionary policy innovations. Airport vaporization is among such policies which have transformed the modulus operandi in airports around the globe. In 1987 Margaret Thatcher privatized the British Airports awakening the aviation industry to the idea that vaporization opened up the tremendous but untapped potential of revenue generation and efficiency gains in the here London Airports of Heathers, Catwalk and Standee, Southampton and three other airports in Scotland (Craig 1999:11). Since then British Aviation Authority has developed through investments in airports around the globe such as Ferrying airport, a major airport in Hungary and has also reflected on taking on trade agreements at Boston Logan International Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Airport through its subsidiary BAA USA (Boney 2007: 4). The vaporization of the British Airports Authority was sequenced by airport vaporization recess in other countries such as Austria whose Vienna Airport which entered the Vienna Stock Exchange in 1992 followed by other two Danish airports which were commercialese as Copenhagen Airports Ltd and entered the Copenhagen Stock Exchange by 1994 (Divan 1999:1). Belgium formed a corporation for owning the Brussels airport terminal while New Zealand privatized three international airports (Boney 2007: 4). The United Kingdoms Northern Ireland based Belfast International Airport was privatized while Australia privatized 22 airports to the countrys Federal Airport Corporation (FACE) in 1994. In Northern America, Canada created the Vancouver Airport Services (WARS) which is charged with the responsibility of managing 18 airports in the country, Dominican Republic, Greece Jamaica and Chile. By the year 2007, one or more of 39 countries airports had been privatized (Boney 2007: 5). In the United States airports are partially privatized as characterized by management and operation by local, federal or the central government corporations or independent airport authorities possessed by the local, federal and the central government. Airlines are highly involved in the management f airports within the United States, making the airports appear more privatized. Full vaporization is hindered by the dependence on federal grants emanating from the FAA airport improvement program. Full vaporization of airports within the United States can only occur where the private owners are willing and able to reimburse the federal grants (Boney 2007:5). 2. 2 Forms of Airport Vaporization Airport vaporization takes different forms such as direct control and management through civil aviation administration, through specific ministerial units, through congenial or municipal government levels, through specific and financially and operationally autonomous government bodies, through autonomous corporations established through special statutes and through companies established under company law (Marino 2008: 5). Vaporization of public airports to autonomous bodies is aided by sale of concessions to private sector entities such as developers, financiers or consortium of operators charged with the responsibility of operating or developing an airport for a pre-determined and mutually agreed number of years (Craig 1999; 4). Marino (2008: 6) characterize such as concessions as management entrants where the management of entire airport systems shifts to the private sector for a pre-determined period of time. The private sector corporations however pay a fee to the government through fixed professional fees, or percentages of the gross revenues or profits collected from the airports, proportions of savings resulting from use of the airports or from generated additional revenues (p. 6). Airports are also privatized through sale of concession to private sector entities charged with the role of developing and operating a system of several airports on behalf of stipulated

Oftentimes, people must endure long journeys in or Essays

Oftentimes, people must endure long journeys in or Essays Oftentimes, people must endure long journeys in order to reach a goal. Whether their goal is to get a better job, embrace life more, or find true love, everyone seeks to get somewhere in life, also known as a destination. In order to achieve anything at all in life, a journey must be taken. The destination is more important because when deciding whether the journey to achieve a goal or its destination is more important, the end result is what gives meaning to the journey. Without a goal, the journey would not have been started in the first place, and a journey without a destination can be seen as a lost cause. Everyone goes through several journeys that have specific goals or destinations. An example would be the obstacles students have to surpass in order to go to the college of their choice. Students spend years in school working and preparing to receive a college education for their future career. The motivation of college makes all the hard work worthwhile. Students can work endlessly to be accepted to the university of their choice that will impact their future; however, without that goal, the work they put in would be meaningless. There is no greater reward than one that is reached through personal dedication and hard work. Often times it is the small victories, that occur throughout daily life which encourage people to continue on this long, drawn out journey called life. For example going home and sprawling out on the couch with a warm glass of hot chocolate, after a gruesome day of school. At that moment there seems to be no better reward than the one that is anticipated all day long. No matter how bad of a day someone is having, they will stop at nothing to reach the destination. It's always nice to have a purpose or reward for daily activities, so that life won't seem like a pointless journey. Even if this reward is something as simple as a your favorite starbucks drink, it's always good to have something to aspire to. In a way everyday is a personal journey, where the final destination is the ultimate goal. While specific examples show that the destination is more relevant than the trip, one can argue otherwise. It can be argued that the main source of satisfaction is from working towards a goal, not actually achieving it. Even when someone fails to meet their desired result, the process of working towards it can be just as good as succeeding in meeting the goal. Even though the majority of learning is in the journey, the destination still provides the most beneficial material. For example, studying for a test is only beneficial to a student if they get a good grade. If the student studies and proceeds to do poorly on the exam, then they feel like all their studying was wasted. The destination supplies confidence and gives the journey meaning by justifying the work done with success. Not reaching the destination can leave the person feeling like all their hard work was done for nothing. When compared to completing the intended goal, the person is rewarded for putting in the effort. Although a journey is a good learning experience, the destination is more important because it assigns meaning to the journey. Destinations motivate people to continue journeys, which could contain many struggles. Without a destination, people cannot embark on a journey and therefore it would be irrelevant. There is not much satisfaction in the journey because journeys are usually long, hard, and enduring. The destination itself is the satisfying aspect because when someone reaches a goal they have set out to achieve, it is a relief. It is refreshing because they do not have to continue working hard and stressing over that goal. Their journey is over, therefore they have achieved their goal and they can move on. With this in mind the destination is a more meaningful and satisfying event than the journey.

How Minority Voters Helped Obama Win Reelection

How Minority Voters Helped Obama Win Reelection Americans from ethnic minority groups voted en masse to help  President Barack Obama win reelection. While just 39 percent of white Americans voted for Obama on Election Day 2012, staggering amounts of blacks, Hispanics and Asians backed the president at the ballot box. The reasons for this are multifaceted, but minority voters largely supported the president because they felt that Republican candidate Mitt Romney could not relate to them. A national exit poll revealed that 81 percent of Obama supporters said the quality that mattered most to them in a presidential candidate is whether he â€Å"cares about people like me.† Romney, born into wealth and privilege, apparently didn’t fit the bill. The growing disconnect between Republicans and the diverse American electorate wasn’t lost on political analyst Matthew Dowd. He remarked on ABC News after the election that the Republican Party no longer reflects U.S. society, using a television show analogy to make his point. â€Å"Republicans right now are a ‘Mad Men’ party in a ‘Modern Family’ world,† he said. The rise in minority voters reveals how much the United States has changed from 25 years ago when the electorate was 90 percent white. If the demographics had not changed, its highly unlikely that Obama would have made it to the White House. Loyal African Americans Blacks may be the second largest minority group in the United States, but their share of the electorate is larger than any other community of color. On Election Day 2012, African Americans made up 13 percent of U.S. voters. Ninety-three percent of these voters supported Obama’s reelection bid, down just two percent from 2008. While the African  American community has been accused of favoring Obama precisely because he’s black, the group has a long history of loyalty to Democratic political candidates. John Kerry, who lost the 2004 presidential race to George W. Bush, won 88 percent of the black vote. Given that the black electorate was two percent larger in 2012 than it was in 2004, the group’s devotion to Obama undoubtedly gave him an edge. Latinos Break Voting Record More Latinos than ever before turned out at the polls on Election Day 2012. Hispanics made up 10 percent of the electorate. Seventy-one percent of these Latinos backed President Obama for reelection. Latinos likely backed Obama overwhelmingly over Romney because they supported the president’s Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) as well as his decision to stop deporting undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children. Republicans widely vetoed the  legislation known as the DREAM Act, which would have not only protected such immigrants from deportation but also put them on the path to citizenship. Republican opposition to immigration reform has alienated Latino voters, 60 percent of whom say they know an unauthorized immigrant, according to a Latino Decisions poll taken on the eve of the 2012 election. Affordable health care is also a major concern of the Latino community. Sixty-six percent of Hispanics say the government should ensure that the public has access to health care, and 61 percent support Obamacare, according to Latino Decisions. Rising Influence of Asian Americans Asian Americans make up a small (3 percent) but a growing percentage of the U.S. electorate. An estimated 73 percent of Asian Americans voted for President Obama, Voice of America determined on Nov. 7 using preliminary exit poll data. Obama has strong ties to the Asian community. Hes not only a native of Hawaii but grew up partly in Indonesia and has a half-Indonesian sister. These aspects of his background likely resonated with some Asian Americans.   While Asian American voters don’t yet wield the influence that black and Latino voters do, expect them to be a bigger factor in the next presidential election.  The Pew Research Center reported in 2012 that the Asian American community has actually outpaced Hispanics as the fastest-growing immigrant group in the country. In the 2016 presidential election, Asian Americans are expected to make up five percent of voters, if not more.

Payroll questions assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Payroll questions - Assignment Example Claiming these tax credits will save the taxpayer hundreds of dollars when doing their income taxes. Whereas lieu in notice is more like compensatory damages where there is a breach of contract, the working notice is considered as an implied term in the contract of employment. The lieu of notice, in addition, will make it harder for the employee to find alternate employment (Opie 33). Legislated notice of individual termination requirements in Quebec differ from those in Manitoba in that a minimum notice period of 2 weeks is required where an employee in Quebec is employed for 1 to 5 years, while in Manitoba the same period is required but for employees working for 1 to 3 years (Opie 35). There are benefits to including the payroll in collective agreement negotiations for unionized organizations in that it will provide for payroll deductions of fair share payment, labor organization dues, assessments, and initiation fees (Opie 49). In case the collective agreement is either terminated or continues beyond its expiration date prior to negotiating a successor agreement, the employer will continue to abide by and honor any dues deductions contained in the previous agreement. This will avoid cases where employees wish to revoke unilaterally deductions when the collective agreement expires (Opie 49). The employer in Alberta is responsible solely for personal information under their control or custody, while an employer in British Columbia would be responsible for personal information under their control, which also includes personal information not in their custody (Opie 61). In addition, an employer in British Columbia is required to avail information to the public regarding the position title of all employees delegated under subsection (4) or designated under subsection (3) and contact information for employees indicated in paragraph (a) (Opie 63). This is not required for employers in

Ruger Clinic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ruger Clinic - Essay Example There are various advantages of cost volume profit analysis which medical or health care industry can exploit to become more efficient at analyzing different levels of activity. It can then use the optimal activity level to increase its profitability. Hence we can say that cost volume profit analysis can be used to enhance the profitability of the health care industry. A medical company which is diversified in various different operation or have different departments can use it to see if operating on a large scale will be more efficient and whether or not it is worth putting more time and effort into the business. Similarly, there are chances that fixed are less than variable costs for a department. However, this will be only visible after CVP analysis, whether or not we can start a new department, it is feasible or not. Hence, a medical company will have to use CVP analysis to look at the profitability of a new department if they plan to diversify its services. As we know that moder n machinery is pervading the health care industry, a lot of investment needs to be done. Hence, this implies long-term commitment with specialized labor (doctors, surgeon, support staff etc) which means heavy burden of costs on a firm. However, CVP analysis is a toll that can be used by these firms to assess how long it will be before they will be able to cover their costs and start making profit. This is important when you have more than one alternative, and you look CVP to choose the best option, where cost recovery is fast and profit-making potential is highest. Similarly, there are various assumptions that we have to make when we go about doing CVP analysis. One such assumption is that fixed remain constant. This may not be true, but it is easier for managers in the field of health care to plan ahead, and as discussed above, it may help them to choose the best alternative. Machinery improves efficiency, and medical-service managers can use it to convince their manager or investo r to attract investment by showing them CVP results. Capitation is a fixed flat payment made to a health-care services provider for providing service to a particular segment or defined population. These payments are made on per capita basis that is calculation is done on per-person basis and are made monthly or as the contract states. The three most widely used methods of capitation are fee-for-service, cost and demographic approach. In the fee-for-service approach, the revenue line is mostly upward sloping. It starts from zero as when there is zero level of activity, there is no revenue for the health-care service provider, but it goes up with the level of activity. The higher the number of people to whom service is provided, the greater the revenue. In the cost approach, rather than a fixed fee is charged, the company charges total costs that are incurred in providing health care services, and then that fee is charged to the client. This approach can be referred as "pay for all approach and was very common in traditional capitation payments. In demographic capitation, pharmacists are only responsible or contract to provide their services to people of specific age, gender and geographic location. This is done to buffer them from unexpected disease found in particular demographic group and to make sure that they do not suffer as a

Read Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley and compare the advantages Essay

Read Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley and compare the advantages and disadvantages of first person point of view to point - Essay Example 2. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley Every work of fiction is an amalgamation of fiction and reality where reality acts as a source of inspiration for the writer to enter the realm of fiction and twist the harsh veracity of life into a less brutal and bearable depiction of this world. â€Å"Devil in a Blue Dress† is a novel about the tale of Easy Rawlins who is a black American and is a self-made detective by profession. After fighting in World War 2 the protagonist of the novel settles in segregated Los Angeles and he is shown to be an individual who is haunted by his memories of the trauma of the war although he is fiercely proud of his home and overall achievement in life. The novel portrays the corrupt human existence and the degeneration that is gradually engulfing human beings and is turning them into robots that are channelized to attain monetary security, the more the better. The novel is narrated in first person narration which presents the readers with a myopic view of the whole situation i.e. the narrator Easy is the guide for the readers to understand the whole situation. ... This explanation about Albright might be true yet the readers do not have any evidence about this piece of information to be true or false because it is Easy’s personal point of view rather than an objective fact. However it cannot be denied that this form of narrative style establishes a close relation between the protagonist and the reader as it gives a chance for the audience to closely examine the protagonist’s actions and understand him well, as compared to rest of the characters who are introduced and described by the protagonist rather than an unbiased portrayal of every other character in the novel. The reader’s perception of Easy’s character can also be figuratively interpreted as the situation of majority of his fellow black men in real life i.e. his character is easily relatable to the hardships and problems that were faced by most of the American Blacks during and after World War 2 as it is stated in the novel, â€Å"I always tried to speak pr oper English in my life, the kind of English they taught in school, but I found over the years that I could only truly express myself in the natural, 'uneducated' dialect of my upbringing† (Mosley 10). It is such a common and heartfelt problem that has been faced by most of the Black Americans which not only makes such descriptions autobiographical but also help in forming a close bonding between the reader and the protagonist as Mosley rather than depicting farfetched or intangible ideas focusses on the mundane daily life of a black man and the problems he faced while growing up as well as an adult. At another place in the text it is stated, â€Å"A job in a factory is an awful lot like working on a plantation in the South. The bosses see all the

The impact of tobacco smoking on the academic performance Essay

The impact of tobacco smoking on the academic performance - Essay Example The study’s hypothesis is that use of tobacco leads to poor academic performance. The study involves an extensive review of the literature that is associated with this area, and then a primary data collection through face-to-face interview and filling of questionnaires. A total of 40 males students are randomly selected to participate in the study, which takes place at Queens Mary University. The questionnaire and the interview questions are framed in a manner to provide both qualitative and quantitative approach of data analysis. Regression analysis by the use of SPSS is conducted analyses the quantitative data, while the qualitative data is coded and common themes identified. The findings of the study are that the students who have used tobacco for many years score poor grades in their academic work. Some of the reasons identified as the causes of poor academic performance include lack of completion of assignments, absenteeism, poor memory and lack of ability to read. The st udy recommends further research to identify the causation effect of the variables. Key words: Use of tobacco; Addiction; academic performance; cognitive. INTRODUCTION Smoking of tobacco in institutions of higher learning is a common scenario that has caused a lot of concern because of the side effects that are associative with such substances. The impact of smoking in the brain includes occurrence of numerous physical changes, which can significantly impair the process of learning and concentrations hence lower the level of academic performance by in students in the institutions of higher learning. Study conducted by a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [15] found that smoking of tobacco can have dire consequences on the academic performance of students. Some of the impacts they cited include lower level of concentration and activity, which occurs due to lack of nicotine in the body, for the time that the students stays away from smoking to attend classes; and high rate of absenteeism because the smoker’s immune system is weakened and hence susceptible to myriads of diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and cold. In view of this, smoking of tobacco is potentially harmful to academic performance. This study will be aimed at identifying the impact of tobacco smoking on the academic performance of the students from Queen Mary University. LITERATURE REVIEW Use of tobacco among university students is a common trend and its impact is potentially hazardous in different ways, including impeding the level of academic performance. Some of the immediate risks include abuse and dependence, as well as numerous others psychological and physical impacts [13]. A study by Jones and Heaven [11] shows that not all smokers experience problems when they engage in smoking, while psychological risk model displays an intricate relationship between personality and individual factors, drug-taking behavior, and family and environmental factors. Lynskey et al. [14] and Ha n, McGue and Iacono [7] demonstrated that social and environmental factors rather than genetic factors influence use of substances. Most of the researchers in this field have cited common risk factors such as delinquent peers, depressive symptomatology, family functioning, child abuse, parenting style and expectancies, substance using, and antisocial behavior [e.g. 9]. It is also believed that use of substances can increase the risk of taking harmful drugs. The theory of gateway explains how the successive use of a particular substance to another is attained, but the issues of causal attribution and the exact sequencing are still not clear and further research is needed to shed more light [12]. Use of substances from very early ages has been associated with poor academic performa

Manufacturing Systems and Quality Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Manufacturing Systems and Quality - Coursework Example There is no need to minimize quality with the lean manufacturing techniques– the cuts are due to the result of achieving better and more efficient means of accomplishing the same function. To achieve the efficiencies, the lean manufacturing uses a customer-value focus. This approach focusses on the price the customer is willing to pay for a particular product. The customers only pay when their needs are met. They should not pay for faulty products, or for the additional costs of having large inventories. The customer should not pay for the company’s wastes. a. Over-production–The quantity of production should be in response to the market demands. Care should be taken to ensure that no extra products are produced. Excessive production results into wastes. 1. Workforce  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ This is to do with the worker’s performance. The managers should put strategies to ensure that workers give their best. This should be achieved through motivation and other relevant strategies. Just-in-Time manufacturing technique is to do with having the right material at the right time, in the right amount, and in the right place. Adopting the principles of Just-in-Time improves the competiveness of a manufacturing plant through te reduction, quality improvement, production efficiency. Total Quality Management is a management technique that aims to integrate all the organizational tasks, such as finance, marketing, design, production, engineering, and production. It focuses on the organizational objectives and customer’s needs. Total Quality Management views a company or an organization as a combination of processes. It emphasizes that a company must continuously improve the processes by the experiences and knowledge of the employees. Total Production Maintenance is defined as a system of improving and maintaining quality systems and the integrity of production through

The impact of tobacco smoking on the academic performance Essay

The impact of tobacco smoking on the academic performance - Essay Example The study’s hypothesis is that use of tobacco leads to poor academic performance. The study involves an extensive review of the literature that is associated with this area, and then a primary data collection through face-to-face interview and filling of questionnaires. A total of 40 males students are randomly selected to participate in the study, which takes place at Queens Mary University. The questionnaire and the interview questions are framed in a manner to provide both qualitative and quantitative approach of data analysis. Regression analysis by the use of SPSS is conducted analyses the quantitative data, while the qualitative data is coded and common themes identified. The findings of the study are that the students who have used tobacco for many years score poor grades in their academic work. Some of the reasons identified as the causes of poor academic performance include lack of completion of assignments, absenteeism, poor memory and lack of ability to read. The st udy recommends further research to identify the causation effect of the variables. Key words: Use of tobacco; Addiction; academic performance; cognitive. INTRODUCTION Smoking of tobacco in institutions of higher learning is a common scenario that has caused a lot of concern because of the side effects that are associative with such substances. The impact of smoking in the brain includes occurrence of numerous physical changes, which can significantly impair the process of learning and concentrations hence lower the level of academic performance by in students in the institutions of higher learning. Study conducted by a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [15] found that smoking of tobacco can have dire consequences on the academic performance of students. Some of the impacts they cited include lower level of concentration and activity, which occurs due to lack of nicotine in the body, for the time that the students stays away from smoking to attend classes; and high rate of absenteeism because the smoker’s immune system is weakened and hence susceptible to myriads of diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, and cold. In view of this, smoking of tobacco is potentially harmful to academic performance. This study will be aimed at identifying the impact of tobacco smoking on the academic performance of the students from Queen Mary University. LITERATURE REVIEW Use of tobacco among university students is a common trend and its impact is potentially hazardous in different ways, including impeding the level of academic performance. Some of the immediate risks include abuse and dependence, as well as numerous others psychological and physical impacts [13]. A study by Jones and Heaven [11] shows that not all smokers experience problems when they engage in smoking, while psychological risk model displays an intricate relationship between personality and individual factors, drug-taking behavior, and family and environmental factors. Lynskey et al. [14] and Ha n, McGue and Iacono [7] demonstrated that social and environmental factors rather than genetic factors influence use of substances. Most of the researchers in this field have cited common risk factors such as delinquent peers, depressive symptomatology, family functioning, child abuse, parenting style and expectancies, substance using, and antisocial behavior [e.g. 9]. It is also believed that use of substances can increase the risk of taking harmful drugs. The theory of gateway explains how the successive use of a particular substance to another is attained, but the issues of causal attribution and the exact sequencing are still not clear and further research is needed to shed more light [12]. Use of substances from very early ages has been associated with poor academic performa

Russia as a business destination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Russia as a business destination - Essay Example Furthermore, foreigners would heighten their chances of success by working with local partners who would guide them there. Labor costs largely depend upon the region under consideration and western style hotels cost much more than they do in the US. Possible areas of business include oil related services or products, consumer products and the IT sector. There are a number of misconceptions about Russia as a business destination. Some people believe that conducting business in Russia is an all too easy process and that all it takes are some good connections or simply meeting with the right people. On the other hand, others believe that in Russia, it is almost impossible to do business and that enterprises are not governed by the basic principles of economics. While these latter assertions might have some validity in certain respects, it is essential to understand that they do not represent the business climate, market opportunities or entry strategies required to make it in Russia. Russia as a business destination requires its own set of rules. One needs to be ready to do business in an unconventional way. Additionally, one should be ready for the disparities that occur across various sectors and also across a number of geographical areas. In Russia, some areas are oversupplied while others are undersupplied. The latter could either act as rewarding business opportunities in certain instances or they could signify areas that need to be ignored because if the Russians themselves do not see any potential in it, then what makes a foreigner think that he/she can turn it around. (Fetsenko, 2008) Business in Russia is not for the feint hearted. It requires a great deal of imagination and resilience. But after exercising all the latter traits, it can then become easy to enjoy the rewards of investing in this country. Consequently, one should be well equipped with all the business environment information, market intelligence, import and export opportunities and market strategies required to succeed in Russia before venturing there. These are all aspects that will be covered in the report below. Market Intelligence Report (MIR) The Russian People There are a number of misconceptions held by westerners about the Russian people. Some of them believe that Russian cities are too susceptible to crime and that one would lose their property at any one time. However, compared to crime levels in the United States, Russian cities are safer. Other people believe that in Russia, organized crime overrules the basic principles of economics and that one cannot expect to find considerable profits without collaborating with these high profile criminals. However, this is another misconception; one can still conduct business in Russia without having to involve members of organized crime. While the latter issue may exist in certain sectors of the economy, others are not affected by it. Consequently, businessmen interested in doing business there need to familiarize themselves with the sectors that are untouched by such kinds of issues. (Donga, 2008) It should also be noted that not all Russian people are interested in taking bribes. The case of corruption has been a rising concern among business men from the US because most of them may not understand the dynamics of the Russian business environment. However, this is an issue that has been exaggerated by many individuals. In fact, this could simply be a result of the culture shock which one

Guide for Ema Essay Example for Free

Guide for Ema Essay Guidance notes The three texts below provide information about the business environment for the Facebook company in May 2012. For this task, imagine you work for Facebook, and you have been tasked with carrying out a SWOT analysis on the company to determine whether this is the right time for the company to grow. Your job is to write a SWOT analysis and a report based on this analysis. You are writing this analysis and report for the senior management team. Your analysis should provide the team with a complete overview of the situation and should end with suggestions for what the company should do based on your analysis. This task requires you to demonstrate your skill in selecting and organising information to produce a company analysis. You should include a SWOT table or grid in your analysis and organise the document according to the SWOT framework. You should focus on the interaction between the Facebook’s internal environment (strengths and weaknesses) on the one hand, and its external environment (opportunities and threats) on the other. Your SWOT analysis should form the basis of the suggestions you make about the company’s future actions. To accomplish this task you will need to draw on the case study analysis skills covered in Book 1 of the module and the report-writing skills covered in Book 3. Remember to use the referencing conventions that have been taught in the module when you refer to the sources of information that you use. You may benefit from writing one or more drafts before you produce a final version of your report. The Influential Document Checklist will be a useful reference in this process (see the Appendix to Book 3). Your answer for Task 2 should be about 1000 words in length. Please note that all tables and diagrams included count towards your word limit. Your reference list does not count, however. Text 1 Facebook (Facebook IPO, May 2012) Facebook is the world’s largest social network, with 845 million active users around the world, and roughly 200 million in the United States, or two-thirds of the population. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm room at Harvard, Facebook grew from being a quirky site for college students into a popular platform that is used to sell cars and movies, win over  voters in presidential elections and organize protest movements. It offers advertisers a global platform, with the exception of China, where Facebook does not operate. Facebook took its first step toward becoming a publicly traded company in February 2012, when it filed to sell shares on the stock market. The service is on track to be the largest Internet initial public offering ever — trumping Google’s in 2004 or Netscape’s nearly a decade before that. In its filing, Facebook said it was seeking to raise $5 billion. On May 3, Facebook set the estimated price for its I.P.O. at $28 to $35 a share, according to a revised prospectus. At the midpoint of the range, the social networking company is on track to raise $10.6 billion, in a debut that could value the company at $86 billion. Investors have been eagerly awaiting the Facebook offering, lured by the prospect of strong growth: in the first quarter, Facebook’s daily active users, a measure of engagement, increased by 41 per cent, to 526 million. Still, Facebook is experiencing the growing pains typical of a technology start-up. While revenue continues to rise, profit sputtered in the first three months of the year, falling 12 per cent, to $205 million, as expenses jumped significantly. Seeking to Offer More Disclosure to Users Facebook, unlike any other site, has come to define the social era of the Web. More than a portal, its value lies in its dynamic network of social connections and the massive amount of information shared by its users. Facebook, in many ways, is a data processor, archiving and analyzing every shred of information, from our interests, to our locations, to every article and link that we like. The collection of data is a potential goldmine for advertisers. On the other hand, all that information raises questions about Facebook’s privacy practices. Over the years it has faced intense scrutiny from privacy advocates and regulators worldwide over how it handles the data it collects from its 845 million users. As it prepares to go public, it has been seeking to offer more disclosure to users. In April 2012, it announced it was expanding its downloadable archive feature, called Download Your Information, to provide greater transparency on the types of data on individuals that the compa ny stores. More Advertising, More Dollars Facebook’s hundreds of millions of users could soon be faced with a lot more  advertising — in their newsfeed, on their mobile devices and even when they log off. In early March 2012, the company announced a new suite of advertising products intended to insert more ads into Facebook’s traditionally clean interface and to take more advantage of mobile ads, where the company has struggled. The announcement was made at the company’s first marketing conference, held at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. For users, the announcement could mean many more ads on Facebook. For advertisers, the effort offers a chance to reach more users in more places. Despite aggressively courting Madison Avenue for the last few years, Facebook has been an anomaly in the world of digital advertising. The ad units offered less creative options for advertisers who want to, say, take over the site’s home page or add moving text to an ad. Rather, the value in Facebook’s ads was in their data and personalization. The potential for more ad dollars was reflected in the company’s first filing for a public offering in February. At the time, analysts said the company was expected to be valued at $75 billion to $100 billion. But according to the filing, Facebook made only $3.7 billion in revenue last year, the bulk of that from advertising. Until now, advertisers were largely limited to a variety of ad spaces that were positioned on the right side of the Facebook home page, in addition to creating their own Facebook pages. The company said a new set of premium ads will run at different points in the site, with a special emphasis on ads running throughout a user’s mobile feed. Facebook’s Biggest Stumbling Block: Privacy Practices Facebook’s biggest stumbling block has been its privacy practices. As the world’s largest social network, Facebook has been under intense scrutiny from consumers, courts and regulators worldwide over how it handles the data it collects from its 845 million users. But as a company preparing to go public, it is under pressure to find new ways to turn that data into profit. The company has repeatedly alienated users over privacy — as in the case of the 2007 controversy over Beacon, a tool that automatically posted on Facebook what its users did or bought on other sites. It has also faced lawsuits over the use of its members’ like endorsements in ads and drawn scrutiny for a facial recognition feature. The scrutiny is at its most intense in Europe, where Facebook’s data collection practices have tested  the boundaries of stringent privacy laws. In the United States, Facebook faces government audits for the next 20 years about how it collects and share s data, along with an assortment of lawsuits that accuse the company of tracking users across the Web. In November 2011, the company announced a settlement agreement with the Federal Trade Commission, which accused Facebook of having deceived its customers about privacy settings. After the F.T.C. order, Mark Zuckerberg conceded in a blog post that the company had made a bunch of mistakes, but he said it had already fixed several of the issues cited by the commission. In August 2011, Facebook made changes that it said were aimed at helping users get a grip on what they shared. When users added pictures, comments or other content to their profile pages, they could specify who could see it: all of their Facebook friends, a specific group of friends or everyone who has access to the Internet. Revamping Its Profile Design In December 2011, Facebook rolled out a revamped profile design called Timeline, which makes a user’s entire history of photos, links and other things shared on the site much more accessible with a single click. That could be when many of Facebook’s 800 million members realized just how many digital breadcrumbs they had been leaving on the site — and on the Web in general. The old Facebook profile page showed the most recent items a user posted, along with things like photos of them posted by others. But Timeline creates a scrapbook-like montage, assembling photos, links and updates for each month and year since they signed up for Facebook. For better or worse, the new format is likely to bring back old memories. Going forward, it could also make it harder to shed past identities — something that people growing up with Facebook might struggle with as they transition from high school to college, and from there to the working world. Analysts said Timeline was a significant evolutionary shift for Facebook. For starters, linking Facebook more closely to memories could make it harder for people to abandon the service for rivals. Buying Instagram for $1 Billion In early April 2012, Facebook said it had agreed to buy Instagram, the popular mobile-centric photo-sharing service, for $1 billion in cash and stock, giving it a stronger foothold in the market for mobile apps. It would  be Facebook’s largest acquisition to date by far. Instagram is a social network built around cellphone photos. It lets people add quirky filters and effects to their snapshots and share them with friends, who can like and comment on them. The service has been something of a rising star in the start-up world. Barely two years old, it has attracted close to 30 million users, even though it worked only on iPhones until early April, when it released an Android version of its app. Text 2 Facebook Cites Google+ With Mobile Shift Among Potential Risks By Brian Womack on February 08, 2012 Feb. 2 (Bloomberg) – Facebook Inc., the social network that filed for an initial public offering yesterday, listed rivalry with Google Inc., regulatory scrutiny, hacker attacks and the shift to mobile technology among the risks it faces. Facebook’s competition with Google, Twitter Inc. and other social-networking providers could impede growth, the company said in the risk-factors section of its filing. Facebook also said it would face competition in China if it manages to gain access to that market, where it’s currently restricted. Certain competitors, including Google, could use strong or dominant positions in one or more markets to gain competitive advantage against us in areas where we operate, Facebook said. Their tactics may include integrating competing social-networking platforms or features into products they control, the company said. Facebook, the world’s biggest social-networking service, has attracted more rivals as its popularity among users a nd advertisers soars. The company said it faces significant competition in almost every aspect of its business. The company also cited concerns about its mobile strategy. Almost all of its revenue comes from ads delivered to computers, not phones and tablets. Facebook’s mobile software currently generates no meaningful revenue, the Menlo Park, California-based company said. Facebook further cautioned that key mobile devices, such as Apple Inc.’s iOS products and gadgets running Google’s Android software, may not feature Facebook in the future. If either of these companies gives preference to another social network – say, if Google promotes its own Google+ more aggressively – Facebook’s growth could be jeopardized. Unforeseen Threats Bigger pitfalls could yet emerge, said Kevin Landis, the portfolio manager for the Firsthand Technology Value Fund, which holds Facebook shares. Google, for instance, couldn’t have foreseen the emergence of Facebook in 2004, when it went public. Let me put it this way: If you go back to Google’s S-1 in their risk factors, there’s no mention of Facebook, Landis said. Facebook was founded in 2004. Facebook also has considered entering China, which would bring its own challenges. The country has censorship laws that have kept Facebook and other social-media companies, including Twitter Inc. and Google’s YouTube, from operating there. We continue to evaluate entering China, Facebook said. China is a large potential market for Facebook, but users are generally restricted from accessing Facebook from China. We do not know if we will be able to find an approach to managing content and information that will be acceptable to us and to the Chinese government. Depend ent on Zynga Another risk: Facebook relies on Zynga Inc. for 12 percent of its revenue, according to the filing. San Francisco-based Zynga is the biggest developer of Facebook games, including CityVille and Texas HoldEm. The revenue comes from Zynga’s sales of virtual goods and from direct advertising purchased by Zynga. In addition, Zynga produces a significant number of pages on which Facebook displays ads. The dependence goes both ways. Zynga gets more than 90 per cent of its revenue from the social network. If we are unable to successfully maintain this relationship, our financial results could be harmed, Facebook said of Zynga. Facebook also said it faces pressure from governmental bodies. It’s possible that a regulatory inquiry might lead to changes to policies or practices, the company said. Regulatory Constraints Violation of existing or future regulatory orders or consent decrees could subject us to substantial monetary fines and other penalties that could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations, according to the filing. Text 3 As Privacy Concerns Grow, More Social Media Users Are Unfriending FEBRUARY 24, 2012 AT 7:00 AM PT by Lauren Goode As concerns about online privacy grow, users of social media sites are increasingly looking to unfriend other users and prune their personal profiles, according to a new report out today from Pew Research Center. More than 60 per cent of social media users said last year that they deleted people from their friends lists, up from 56 per cent in 2009; and 26 per cent of users who keep their profiles private say they apply additional privacy settings to limit what some friends can see. Profile pruning – deleting comments friends leave and untagging photos – is also on the rise, the report says. Women are significantly more likely to keep their profiles private, and are more likely to unfriend people than men are, with 67 per cent of women saying they’ve removed friends, compared with 58 per cent of men. Young people are more likely to manage their social media presences by deleting comments and untagging photos. The report comes just as the White House has moved to create a privacy bill of rights aimed at governing online data tracking. One of the issues at hand is a do not track tool which Web companies like Google have just agreed to support. Last week, Google was reported to be using deceptive practices to track Web users in certain browsers. As The Wall Street Journal notes, though, a do not track button would allow for some Web data collection – such as the data gathered through Facebook’s Like button. Pew is careful not to point to Facebook directly throughout the report, but notes that Facebook is by far the most popular U.S. social network (in its recent S-1 filing, Facebook showed that its user base has ballooned to more than 845 million). Pew’s report says that the term privacy settings – as well as unfriend – is part and parcel of the Facebook experience. The Pew survey on Internet usages was conducted between April and May of last year, and sampled more than 2,200 U.S. adults 18 and older. The survey found that two-thirds of U.S. Internet users had profiles on social networking sites, up from just 20 per cent in 2006. In terms of who was more likely to post things on social networks that they later admitted they regretted, males were almost twice as likely to do so, with 15 per cent copping to it, than were females, at 8 per cent. Young adults, age 18 to 29, were also more likely to post content that they’d later regret on social networks. Part 3 Task Write a reflective piece on your experience of participating on this module. Consider the questions that follow to guide you with your writing. * What was your overall experience of studying on LB160? * What were the most useful skills you learned on this module? Why? * If you engaged with the online activities on the module, what was your experience of using the Tutor Group Forum (TGF)? What were the strengths and weaknesses of the TGF you participated in? How would you evaluate the process of working collaboratively with other students? What did you learn from them? What skills did you develop through your online participation? * If you did not participate in the online activities, how did you find working on your own on the module? Do you think you would have benefited if you had been able to participate online? How? * Guidance notes * Your reflective piece should not be written in a question and answer format but as continuous text. Be sure to use examples as evidence to support your claims. * For this task we advise you to organise your text as Problem–Solution. Here, Problem implies a ‘gap’ in someone’s skills. You need to demonstrate in your text how such a ‘gap’ (if any) was addressed by LB160. You may also like to see your reflective piece as Claim–Evidence because generally you make a claim that certain skills were improved by presenting some evidence. If you like, you may want to use sub-headings too but they are not essential. * It is important to be honest in your evaluation. Negative experiences of the module are as valid as positive ones and you will not be penalised for reporting negative experiences. For the same reason, you will be assessed on the way you reflect on your learning, not on whether or not you were involved in the online activities. So feel free to use this opportunity to feed back to the module team on what the module experience was like for you. * Your reflective piece for Task 3 should be about 500 words in length.