Leadership: Theory, application, skill development Essay

Over the past one year, the concept and skills that I have been able to learn is that of leadership. Leadership is an important aspect of life because in every situation in life, there is a form of leadership, although minor in some case that is observed. It is often experienced in homes, schools, businesses, organizations, and even governments among other areas in life. Although as an individual I have never been involved in any form of leadership, I believe that leadership plays a very important role in the existences of human beings in the world since through leadership, people are able to know what to do, at what time, how to do it, and what results to achieve in the long run. It was my belief that leadership is meant for the male gender and the females were not suitable for any leadership positions, be it political leadership, at homes, schools or any other place in life. There has been stereotyping in the society that women cannot hold leadership positions except for men (Steinberg, 2008). However, one Sadhana Smiles, who is a chief executive officer of Harcourts Victoria, a real estate group, disapproves this notion that men are the only people who can take top leadership positions. She however, says that a lot of women are rarely considered for roles in leadership since men prefer to deal with their fellow men and are more comfortable in transacting business with other men more than with women. At first, I knew that there is no difference in leadership. For me, anybody who gave commands and issued instructions was a leader. I was wrong. During the year, I read about different types of leadership styles and did my research through observation in several organizations, one being our school as well as my church. I discovered that the frequently applied leadership styles in many organizations across the globe include transformational leadership and the transactional form of leadership (Kippenberger, 2002). Under the transformational leadership I learned that the leaders get an opportunity to give inspiration to the employees, so that the employees can perform beyond their normal duties. I also learned that leaders are people who are capable of performing the functions of showing direction, aligning, influencing, motivating and inspiring of the people they lead. On the other hand manager is simply someone who is capable of planning, budgeting, organizing and allocating resources and can control and resolve problems easily. In addition, leadership can be explained by use of many theories such as the traits theory, behavioural theory, and the contingency or situational theory which include theories such as the path-goal theory (Lussier, & Achua, 2010). Therefore, with the considerations of the above aspects and example on leadership, I realised that leadership is a very important at all levels in an organisation, and within the society. In addition, I realised that in leadership, what can work in one context may not be applicable in another. Culture is also another issue that I got to understand plays a great role in application of the theories of leadership. It is therefore, recommendable that women should be given equal chances in leadership as men without any form of discrimination, something that I really support since women can perform just like men or even better. References Kippenberger, T. (2002). Leadership Styles. Chichester: Capstone Pub. Lussier, R. N., & Achua, C. F. (2010). Leadership: Theory, application, skill development. Australia: SouthWestern/Cengage Learning. Steinberg, B. S. (2008). Women in power: The personalities and leadership styles of Indira Gandhi, Golda Meir, and Margaret Thatcher. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press. Source document

Intercultural Communication and Business Practice

Intercultural Communication and Business Practice: The system of sharing symbolic resources by a group of people is known as culture and communication is basically the practice of making and exchanging these symbolic resources or meanings. Since intercultural communication is basically communication between people of various cultures, intercultural business communication is considered as the communication by people of different cultures between and within businesses (Chen, 2007).The importance of intercultural business communication and impact of intercultural communication in business practice is largely because of diversity in the workplace. Most organization and businesses depend on intercultural communication since cultural differences do not prevent people from working with each other. Actually, in today’s business environment, the need for good intercultural communication skills cannot be underestimated since it results in better business. Revolutionary Shift in Business Practice through Intercultural Communication:As compared to fifteen years ago, business ventures and practice are rapidly becoming more and more globalized (Shively, 2010). This is largely due to the fact that today’s world is characterized by an ever increasing number of interactions between people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. International business has begun to develop in more prominent cultures with the exception of only a few regions. Consequently, the revolutionary shift in business practice from an intercultural communication angle is the rapid development of international business ventures across the globe.Business ventures and enterprises are now adopting an international or global perspective that enables them to conduct their business effectively across various cultures. This shift to international business from a global perspective is due to the fact that intercultural communication is a common daily experience, universal phenomenon and has been on-going for thousands of years. The increase of intercultural communication in the twenty-first century is also a factor that has contributed to the revolutionary shift in business practice.From an intercultural communication angle, there are four major developments that were significant to the rapid growth of intercultural communication and revolutionary shift in business practice. These major developments include: 1. Developments in Transportation Technology: The developments in transportation technology has not only helped in shrinking the world to a global village but it has in turn created a means for people to travel anywhere within a period of days (â€Å"Chapter 1† n. d. ).As a result of this easier and quicker traveling, people from different cultural backgrounds communicate in the modern world and engage in business ventures and practices. 2. Improvements in Communication Technology: Improvements in communication technology happened concurrently with those in transportation technology prompting the rapid movement toward a global village. These improvements have resulted in the ability of people to have instant vocal, video, textual and graphic communication. Consequently, conducting international business has also been made easier because of the instant global communication in various forms. . Changes in Patterns of Mass Migration: With the movement of millions of people across national borders, contacts with people from other cultures have now become a normal part of day-to-day life. This has made businesses to strive in attempts to adapt to the cultural diversity including advertising to communities using their respective language. Such efforts enable businesses to communicate effectively to their customers from different cultural backgrounds. 4. Globalization of the World Economy:This is the major development in intercultural communication that has resulted in the revolutionary shift in business practice since international businesses have become a vital economic force for many nations. This development has been brought by the fact that intercultural communication serves as a platform for conducting international business through international communication. The globalization of the world’s economy has challenged business people to become more internationally aware and inter-culturally adept. Revolutionary shift in business practice is also evident in the fact that globalization has promoted mobility and made the abor market more challenging (Espinar, 2010). However, working in an international team and interacting with business partners or customers from different cultural backgrounds has brought challenges and the need for new attitudes and skills. For international businesses to gain competitive advantage, there is need for conscious efforts in acquiring new skills to communicate successfully in a global context (â€Å"Introduction†, n. d. ). Furthermore, the global business environment requires a broad training on intercultural communication because of the cultural diversity and increasing globalization. Cultural Diversity Management:Since the need for communication is a fundamental principle in the success of any business, management of cultural diversity is crucial. This is because intercultural communication may present difficult impediments that cover the whole communication spectrum. These intercultural barriers and conflicts that characterize today’s workplace basically involve verbal and non-verbal communication factors which have a huge impact on communication with people of other cultures. The major intercultural barriers and conflicts include ethnocentricity, jargon and slang, stereotypes, eye contact, time and personal space.Ethnocentricity is basically considered as the assumption that other cultures speak the same language with a person’s culture. This has resulted in businesses conducting their transactions on their language and contributed to the failure of these businesses in foreign markets. While every culture develops unique sets of jargons and slang and use them in their business ventures, people from other cultures do not understand their meanings resulting in intercultural communication barriers. Various cultures have distinct approaches to personal space and a lack of cultural understanding may make certain people uncomfortable (Evans, n. . ). Stereotypes and assumptions across cultures have distinct meanings which significantly impact effective intercultural communication. Understanding cultural norms concerning eye contact and time is essential in effective intercultural business communication. This is due to the divergent approaches to eye contact and time across various cultures. Throughout the history of management of cultural diversity in businesses, there have been significant changes in which has led to the adoption of new business practices in handling intercultural communication barriers and conflicts.F rom a historical perspective, addressing these barriers and conflicts was based on the predominantly indigenous and homogenous workforce. Intercultural business communication was minimal because of the nature of the business environment that wasn’t culturally diverse. The general cultural diversity management was developed through anti-discrimination, equality legislation, workplace ethics and affirmative action. The management mainly relied on affirmative action and equality policies to handle the intercultural barriers and conflicts in the workplace.This business practice and approach by the management developed in the United States and was intended to conquer the dominance of white males in the business and workplace environment. Generally, there was no strategic approach of addressing intercultural communication barriers and conflicts. Management practices in the handling of intercultural communication barriers and conflicts have changed over time because of the worldâ₠¬â„¢s increasing globalization. Given that people are no longer in an insular marketplace and have become part of the global economy, there is need for interacting with people of divergent cultures.Consequently, management of and importance of workplace diversity has become a fundamental issue for management today (Green et al, n. d. ). One of the major changes in diversity management is the development of the necessary managerial skills to supervise a multicultural work environment. These managerial skills basically involve training on multicultural differences within the organization in order to treat business associates, colleagues, partners and customers with dignity.The current approach in handling intercultural communication obstacles and intercultural conflicts are not confined to compliance driven or rights-based practices. While equality and other diversity management legislations are integral in the process, the current practices involve a holistic approach. This holistic approach is for the strategic use of the diversity of people in the business environment to achieve business and organizational incentives. Instead of focusing on making the individuals fit to institutional values, the holistic approach focuses on valuing the individual.As a result, the management and business objectives are connected since the approach capitalizes on drawing potential from individuals’ diversity. Conclusion: Intercultural business communication is essential to today’s business environment because of the diverse workforce which is a reflection of the changing marketplace and world. While a culturally diverse workforce adds greater value to organizations and businesses, it also brings several challenges and conflicts that need to be addressed. Therefore, it’s important for managers to possess necessary skills in handling these challenges to communicate effectively.References: â€Å"Chapter 1: Introduction to Intercultural Communication. † (n. d. ). Learning Chapters, from www. cflo. edu. cn/jiaocai/109/147/992075/. doc Chen, J. (2007, August 7). International Business Communication, from http://ccomm. bravehost. com/Report1. html Espinar, A. L. (2010). The Use of ICT In The Development of Intercultural Business Communication, from http://www. pixel-online. net/ICT4LL2010/common/download/Proceedings_pdf/LBV06-Larrea_Espinar. pdf Evans, K. (n. d. ). Six Barriers to Intercultural Communication, from http://www. how. com/list_6303080_six-barriers-intercultural-communication. html Green et al (n. d. ). Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and the Required Managerial Tools, from http://edis. ifas. ufl. edu/hr022 â€Å"Introduction. † (n. d. ). Research on Contemporary Diplomacy, from DiploFoundation Education website: http://www. diplomacy. edu/language/communication/main. htm Shively, M. (2010, March 29). Intercultural Business Taboos: What to Avoid, from http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/28199 50/intercultural_business_taboos_what. html

H.W Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

H.W - Assignment Example Secondly, teams at the workplace improve professional relationships, cooperation, and understanding among workers. Consequently, improved quality and quantity of work output enhances organizational success. In addition, teams significantly contribute towards enhancing motivation among employees. Further, they also help in shaping up trust among employees and the top management resulting into better and high productivity. It is imperative for every manager to adopt initiatives that ensure improvements in team performance. The foremost step is to organize for a day trip. Manager should organize for trips in an effort to reward the employees who showed exemplary performance in their past work. Bonding, free interaction, and encouragement take effect. Further, it gives employees break from work. The second way of improving performance is through encouraging informal address. At this point, managers take a break from the norms of formal interaction with the employees and urge them to speak freely (Griffin and Gregory 261). As a result, workers and their bosses share ideas through open communication hence maintaining healthy work relations. Management should also recognize and celebrate performance of identified exemplary employees. The employees who achieve excellence or success in their duties demand appreciation and recognition. Management rewards the employees with either promotion or special packages that motivating workers and inspires the other employees. Managers should encourage group discussion sessions that act as a forum for successful team members to shares their achievement with colleagues. Similarly, the managers may inquire about employees about their views and suggestions. Consequently, the gesture promotes teamwork, employee confidence, value, and a feeling of belonging by all staff members. To ensure effectiveness in the team, manager should conduct activities including employee feedback

Discussion questions-Managerial marketing Assignment

Discussion questions-Managerial marketing - Assignment Example e past several years, there are few options available to these companies as a means of seeking to reintegrate with consumers and provide a positive brand image. However, this should not be understood to mean that these firms are necessarily destroyed and the image is beyond reclamation. With regards to the specific case study and the question which was posed, it would be the choice of this particular student to integrate with a rather costly and far reaching outreach to consumers. Whereas few firms are willing to integrate with such an approach due to the fact that it is exorbitantly expensive, it would be the argument of this student, representing a key stakeholder within Mattel, that such an approach would ultimately reap long-term rewards due to the fact that consumers would have any and all fears that they might hold assuaged with regards to the best practices that the firm is able to integrate and the level to which it seriously considers the shortcomings of the past and looks p ositively towards the rewards and betterment of ethics and responsibility in the future. By seeking to integrate with consumers based upon these lines, a message and level of appreciation for their business and forgiveness can ultimately be achieved. Metrics must necessarily be provided to the stakeholders within the firm as a means of encouraging them to expand the necessary money; however, it is the police of the student that once these metrics are provided in the stakeholders are able to see the long-term rewards that such an approach could provide, they will be more than willing to integrate with such a public outreach

Literature review on drug ddiction in davao city, philippines and the Research Paper

Literature review on drug ddiction in davao city, philippines and the importance of psychological educational rehab centers for the youth - Research Paper Example Thus, the very presence of rehab center for the youth in the city would remarkably prove this important claim. Drug addiction in Davao City is a major concern as well as its total elimination or if not alleviation. This is due to strong political power that the City government substantially possessed over its people. The people remarkably supported the City Mayor’s vision on eradicating drug addiction in the city to make it free from crimes. In fact, Barangays are active in their participation on the lecture about the ill-effects of misusing drugs (City Government of Davao, 2012). In other words, the entire Davao City is in perfect harmony and unity with the goal of the government to build a City that is free from ill effects of drug addiction. Thus, it has just become a norm in the City to hear somebody shoot to dead especially when the victim would be a law breaker or offender and drug user. It in this reason that different institutions in the country have remarkable opinion the prevailing justice system in the country if indeed it is able to adjust the justice needs of the rural poor (Franco, 2008). This is due to the fact that those primarily victims in the shoot out are poor young individuals but with remarkable inclusion in drug addiction and other related crimes. However, the City government does not want to end up every law breaker being shot to dead at the street especially the youngsters. Thus, rehab center for the youth is present in Davao City having the government’s active and full moral support. Young people who are confined in rehab centers in Davao City are those with significant backgrounds in committing crimes and other law-breaking activities including but not limited to juvenile and statutory rape, robbery, riots, murder and drug abuse. Within this rehabilitation center young people are provided with care primarily on psychological concerns and educational activities and needs. In the Philippines, particularly in Davao City,

Orientalism by Edward Said Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Orientalism by Edward Said - Movie Review Example United States, Said had the unique advantage of experiencing different perspectives on the issue of Palestine-Israel conflict as well as broader Arabian politics. His works on the subject of Middle East politics are informed by his first hand experiences at these places, as well as a careful study of preceding scholarship by Western intellectuals. The primary criticism in his book Orientalism, as also seen in the documentary, is directed toward the stereotyped vision of Arabs in Western media and academia. This phenomenon, Said notes, is not something new, for its origins could be dated back to the Napoleonic conquest of Egypt in late eighteenth century. Behind the Western stereotyping of the Orient is the underlying belief that the surveyed geographies and peoples are somewhat backward and unrefined compared to Western civilization. What is also evident is the process of homogenization, whereby the vast mosaic of Oriental culture, language, social norms and religious beliefs are bracketed and abstracted into a unified whole. According to Said, â€Å"Orientalism identifies a range of strategies by which 19th and 20th century scholars, writers and artists imposed their authority on the East. The Orient was represented as a theatrical stage affixed to Europe, a place where jaded aristocrats, earnest second sons and tyrannical explorers could discover timeless truths, or perhaps unimagined erotic delights. Stereotypes of eastern wise men and exotic harems removed the colonial world from history altogether, substituting a timeless realm. Orientals are seen not as people but as problems, subjects, races†. (Burrows, 1999, p.50) But the reality is far from such constructions, as accounts of people who live in different regions of the Orient attest to. And as Said suggests in the documentary film, this set of illusions about the Middle East is not accidental or due to scholarly oversight. Said identifies a subtle difference between the stereotyping of the

Organizational Behavior in Margaret Atwoods Surfacing Essay

Organizational Behavior in Margaret Atwoods Surfacing - Essay Example Organizational Behavior in Margaret Atwood’s Surfacing Popular culture is meant to represent the common ground or the popular perception of culture but has the organization of society become too intellectualized? If work is as much a part of our lives as eating and breathing is, then is work life itself a good reflection of our cultural make-up? Gender and sexuality have both taken on new identities over the last century, thanks to war and depression, and this has also changed how the working world is comprised. Men and women are socialised in different ways, aiding the way they see themselves in later life. Little girls are dressed in pink, little boys in blue; little girls bake and sew while little boys fix cars and make furniture. The way we are told we should behave, is largely responsible for the types of vocations chosen by people and also why new world upbringing has led to current trends of women in previously exclusively male vocations such as engineering. Margaret Atwood writes a compelling, if rather disturbing account of gend er and sexuality in the modern world where her chief character battles with her own stress in the new expectations of women in the modern world. Surfacing by Margaret Atwood is essentially a feminist manifesto that looks at the complexity of how society organizes its gender differences and sexuality. It is not an easy novel to digest neither does it attempt to dissipate the uncomfortable truths about life in the modern world.... This is because women in the workplace have had an affect both on men and women: men now have to share their workplaces with women and women have to contend with previously masculine issues. The problem with academic representations as opposed to popular writing is that the academia is unable to see the interpretive mode of translation. It is not possible for academic representations to see inside the person's actual being, making it difficult to determine what it is exactly that makes employees or ordinary people tick. Any number of aspects can affect the way the person reacts to the environment around them. The past, present and future are all parts of the human life cycle that affect the way organizations are perceived by individuals. The popular culture representation for this reason is more personal, more realistic. If we look for instance at the film Portrait of a Lady we see the difference between how women were perceived in the past and now how they are perceived today. There are two female characters in the book Surfacing, the narrator and Anna. Anna is the epitome of the old-world passive female mentality. Concerned most of all about her weight and her appearance, "I told her she should wear jeans or something but she said she looks fat in them."(Atwood, 1997: 5). On the other hand, the narrator writes about her lover, Joe whom she refrains from marrying, explaining his appearance, "with small clenched eyes and the defiant look of a species once dominant, now threatened with extinction. That's how he thinks of himself too: deposed, unjustly."(Atwood, 1997: 2). If we compare this piece of writing to the above example of Portrait of a Lady, we see the way in which gender roles

The Role of Technology in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

The Role of Technology in Business - Essay Example Making information available online and reaching prospective consumers via Social Networking can increase the visibility of the products and their qualities. With the increasingly hectic lifestyles of young professionals; marketing online and allowing for sales via the internet makes purchasing convenient and easy, and thus leads to more sales. The consumer populations keep changing as the baton of purchasing power and desire are passed from generation to generation. It is necessary that the industry recognizes the changing needs of the new generation of consumers and make available products and services that compliment the needs of the consumers in such a manner that the products are most visible to the consumer in a positive manner. Knowledge about production and delivery is becoming increasingly common as the connections increase between different parts of the world. Consumers are becoming aware of products that are not local, and are making demands for them; which are quickly met be importing technology and skills. This increases the set of suppliers for any said product or service, increasing the competition for existing organizations. This competition has to be met head-on in order to survive. The busy consumer will prefer to give allegiance to the organization that makes the product and information about it available easily to the consumer. If a consumer is able to get the details s/he requires easily; they are more likely to buy the product. Needs change as the environment of the consumer changes. A product or service that sold well before may not be received well in new circumstances. It is important that the organization is tuned to the pulse of its market and modifies its product/service to suit the needs of its new consumers. Â  

Traditional Marketing and E-marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Traditional Marketing and E-marketing - Essay Example The reason is obvious to this decade where for a customer the phenomena of switching over and over a brand is not a tough decision to make. Since the market is saturated for brands, and competition has swayed every brand to be as good as its competitor, traditional marketing does not work as much as e-marketing does. However there are some factors to which I think traditional marketing is still preferred by many of the retailers. Those factors when viewed in the light of the electronic commerce appear as 'threats' to many of us. For example electronic transactions which are concentrated only within a certain number of product categories, poses a threat to many of the e-retailers (Fritz et al, 2002, p. 73). However there are some other good reasons for choosing e-marketing. The easy integration of the traditional strategic marketing tools, which include generic marketing strategies, competitive marketing positions, and capabilities, into the e-marketing environment provides the consu mer a user friendly edge to opt for the specific brand.

Business mangament Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business mangament - Essay Example The underlying objective is to meet client demand with the desired tastes and preferences. Resource utilization is a critical aspect to monitor in operations management. The operations management purvey herein can take a number of forms, with the most commonly employed being strategic, tactical and/or operational. Activities that characterize each of the three depend on the operational decisions reached at an individual organization level. This is done by evaluating and assessment the market, customer base and the industry trends. The aim is to strike a long lasting relationship between stakeholders, so that the operational aspects of the firm are effective and efficient prior to the firm’s product and/or service line. The focus of operations management is primarily rooted in fundamental players in the business environment. These players highly influence the functionality and success of firms’ business aspects. Operations management focuses on the customers, suppliers, shareholders, employees and the society (Kumar, 2006, p.153). Customers are the main driving factor in the market. This is because they create market demand, prompting supply of products and services. In the case of shareholders, organizational welfare consequently influences shareholder wealth. The employee aspect of operations management accounts for working conditions at the workplace. Through corporate social responsibility, operations management integrates the society into the firm’s operations. This is done to ensure that business activities by a firm do not affect the society negatively. Based on the interests and the focus of operations management, five specific objectives are pursed. These are: quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost (Khanna, 2007, p.382). Quality addresses product and/or service specifications conformity. In other words, the quality of

Concepts Of Equaltiy Diversity And Rights Essay Example for Free

Concepts Of Equaltiy Diversity And Rights Essay Equality: Equality has been established to ensure that everyone has the right to equal opportunities, equal rights in work environment or in general and therefore classed as important focused and organizations take it really seriously as they have to ensure that every individual employee are entitled to same choices, opportunities and are treated equally. There are various types of equality such as the racial equality act, gender equality act, women’s equality act, Marriage equality and many more however the Equality Act 2010 (the Act) replaced previous anti-discrimination laws with a single Act. The equality of act in health and social care setting came into force on 1 October 2010. Whenever an individual need health care or medical treatment or when an elderly or an individual with mental problems who are being cared for in nursing homes, care in day Centre and such, they have the right not to be discriminated against because of their race, gender, gender identity, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation. Diversity: is to understand that every individual is unique and recognize individual’s difference, therefore respected and valued in community or in the workforce. We live in an increasingly diverse society and need to be able to respond appropriately and sensitively to this diversity. In the healthcare setting, workers will reflect this diversity around gender, race and ethnicity, disability, religion, sexuality, class and age. Rights Every individual is entitled to basic human rights and in turn they have to able to and if not learn to respect other’s human rights. Right to life nobody even the government can try to end an individual’s life. This also means that an individual has the right to be protected if their life is at risk. The human rights act also prohibits the death penalty in UK. The courts have held that the right of life however don’t include right to take your own life. The right to life is absolute however it does not always apply in certa in situation. A person’s right to life is not breached if they die when a public authority (such as the police) uses necessary force to: †¢stop them carrying out unlawful violence †¢make a lawful arrest †¢stop them escaping lawful detainment Of course, even in these circumstances, death would be avoided wherever possible, and the force used must be absolutely necessary and strictly  balanced. According to law, Everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be disadvantaged of his/ her lives intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his/her conviction of a crime for which the penalty is provided by law. In health and social care setting career or anyone has to be able to respect other’s human rights. Right to liberty every individual has the right to their personal freedom. The government cannot take away an individual’s freedom by detaining them without any good reason even if it’s just for short period of time. Importantly, the Human Rights Act provides that if an individual is arrested, they have the right to: †¢Why an individual have been arrested and what charges they face, would be told in a language they would understand. †¢Be taken to court punctually. †¢Have a trial within a reasonable time. †¢If an individual is confident enough than Go to court to challenge their detention if they think it is unlawful. In health and social care setting worker/career, every patient is entitled to right of their personal freedom therefore they have the right to equal required health care services needed as everyone else within the care setting. Discrimination is unlawful within Britain. Law protects you from discrimination at situation like these †¢At work. †¢As a consumer †¢When using public services. However there are two types of discrimination overt discrimination and covert discrimination. Overt discrimination is when a colleague of an individual is paid more because of their gender even though they both are doing the same job with the same qualification, there should be no differences at all. Unfortunately sometimes it does still takes place and that individual have to be aware and make sure that it is sorted out. Covert discrimination is opposite to overt, this is more complicated to demonstrate as it is hidden. For example it is when an individual is applying for a job with the same qualifications and experience as other applicants, someone between those two might not get picked because of their skin color or their sexuality or their ethnicity. It still does take place but the only thing is hard to  demonstrate as it is hidden. An individual has to be aware of covert discrimination against people using health and social care services. Stereotyping is dangerous and common with the children, which they tend to pick up from the adults. The most common types of stereotypes are that All overweight people are too lazy to get anything done All homeless people do not want to work. The Williams and Best gender study from 1992 found that within 30 different countries, males were typically characterized as adventurous, powerful, domineering and independent. Females, on the other hand, were characterized as sentimental, submissive and superstitious, however slowly the society has been making transition away from the stereotyping. Prejudice is when someone makes and judgment about someone without really knowing the facts. Sub culture is a culture is a culture with its own distinctive norms and values for example chav, Emo, Goth etc. people might judge them and stereotype them without knowing, some people see Goth as dark inside, dark thoughts and heavy makeup, but who are they to know assume that, because in fact they are only seeing them visually, if they actually approach them and talk they might not be what they think they are at all. In the health and social care profession an individual may still have these thoughts not just health and social care settings but everywhere however they have to be careful of how they see and treats others which will make an impact in their work. If individual lets prejudices interfere them with their work in health and social care the person will not be treated fairly.

Study On The Changes Of The Nhs Nursing Essay

Study On The Changes Of The Nhs Nursing Essay In the last five years, United Kingdom has experienced a significant change in its national health services (NHS). This paper therefore focuses on that change. The first section is a detailed description and the main objective of the change. Using appropriate models and frame works, the second section identifies the key drivers to the change and how their interaction has affected the issues addressed by management. Drawing upon the examples of best management practices, the third section assesses the appropriateness of the approach taken by management in effecting the change and how effective management implemented the change strategy. The final section examines the extent to which the change has been successful in meeting its objective and assesses the need for any further related change. 2. Organisational change overview 2.1 The National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the public funded health care system in the United Kingdom (UK) that provides the majority of health care to the UK residents. Its areas of health care coverage are the primary health care, in-patient care, long term health care, ophthalmology and dentistry. The Department of Health (DOH) headed by the Secretary of State of Health is the UK government department that is responsible for the NHS (Department of Health 2007). 2.2 Major change in the NHS Since 2005, the United Kingdoms NHS (UK NHS) has been implementing an innovative technology that will help patients stay healthy and maintain their independence. This technology is targeted at terminally ill patients with long term health condition that require regular monitoring. It also covers elderly people suffering from dementia and individuals with Down syndrome who may be at risk of injury. Thus, with this new technology, patients emergency room visits as well as unnecessary nurse visits to patients homes are reduced. Furthermore, this technology increases clinical efficiency and reduces the mounting financial cost of institutional health care in the UK. The implementation is said to be the worlds biggest trial of remote monitoring of chronically ill patients in their homes. Patients in New Ham, East London and Hull Yorkshire have benefited from this programme. This programme, funded by the department of health is been implemented by Philips, the worlds leading electronic companies. Philips electronics is hoping to prove to the NHS that it can immensely reduce the financial burden of institutional health care by implementing ultra-modern diagnostic equipment that uses internet technology to link patients from their homes to care providers in the hospitals. Since over 14.5 Million people in Britain have long term health conditions, it is expected that they will require regular monitoring (Department of Health 2007). I am a trained Electrical Engineer and have been providing tele-health equipment installation consultancy for Philips UK since 2008. I am directly involved in the implementation going on presently in Hull and New Ham. Patients in New Ham and Hull are been monitored at Home using diagnostic equipments linked via broadband internet connected to local hospitals and clinics. These patients are able to use the diagnostic equipments to take their vital signs and blood sugar level. Subsequently, the information is wirelessly uploaded to patients TV for their own monitoring and electronically sent via broad band to staff at the primary health trust. Further implementation is underway in Cornwell and Kent and will gradually expand to all cities in the UK as the department of health targets technology efficiency that could save the NHS Millions of pounds. Although the technology enables people to live independently in their homes, it is not intended to replace hospitals and care homes but to make better use of recourses and reduce financial burden on the system. 3. Drivers for NHS change Force field analysis by Lewin (1951) is a diagnostic tool used in looking at the variables involved in determining whether organisational change will occur. Once change priority has been agreed, a force field analysis can be used to identify actions that will enhance or deter their successful implementation. Applying Lewins force field analysis as shown in figure 1 below, it can be seen that the NHS Tele health technological implementation has some internal and external driving and forces. 3.1 Internal Drivers Among the strongest internal driving forces as can be seen in figure 1 below are; strong leadership and the need for accurate and consistent patients information availability. Strong leadership and commitment of top management are often cited as the most important factor for implementing a successful change programme (Bashein et al, 1994). NHS leadership is effective, strong and was able to provide a clear vision of the change programme. Other internal driving forces are the fact that the technology will aid patients to be independent and free up nurses and doctors to concentrate on other important task. This motivated medical practitioners in looking forward for the change. 3.2 External Drivers The identified external driving forces as can be seen in figure 1 are Governments desire to reduce the cost of administering health care in the UK, New European Union legislation in support of tele-montoring and the recent economic recession. Since 2005 the UK government has been researching on ways of bringing down the cost of instructional health care. Limited resources availability as a result of the recent economic down turn and an increasing UK population has necessitated the need for a cost effective alternative as the status quo is unsustainable. Another external driver is the new European Union legislation in support of tele-monitoring. Figure 1: Lewins Force Field Analysis of health care change in the NHS DRIVING FORCES INTERNAL Strong leadership and shared goal across the NHS Accurate and consistent information availability Patients independency Free up nurses and doctors to concentrate on other important task. EXTERNAL Governments desire to reduce the cost of administering health care in the UK European Union legislation in support of tele-monitoring The recent economic down turn necessitating the need for fiscal responsibility Adapted from Lewin (1951 4. Main objectives in making the change 4.1 Reduce cost of administering health care in the UK As the case load in primary care in the UK is increasing in size and complexity and the number of people with multiple long term disease is also increasing, there is increasing financial burden of administering primary care in the UK. The tele-health technology will in the long run help to reduce the mounting financial burden of institutional care. 4.2 Reduce nurse visits to patients house. Prior to the implementation of the tele-health technology in the NHS, each patient with long term condition is assigned a care taker nurse whos duty includes regular house visit. The nurses are required to take patients vital signs, blood sugar level and other related data that are necessary in monitoring the patients health condition. Upon implementation of the tele-health technology, the required data are taken by patients and are automatically sent via the internet from patients house to the hospital through the diagnostic equipment. As a result, nurse visit to patients house is considerably reduced. 4.3 Maintain patients independent. The technology ensures that nurses only visits when it is necessary and as a result allows patients to leave more independently. From a medical point of view, it is usually helpful for patients to be independent as it can give them the agility they may need to remain healthy. 4.4 Reduce patients emergency room visits. As patients health situation is monitored on a daily base, doctors and nurses are able to know when a patients condition is deteriorating and therefore avoid emergency situation. In Hull and New Ham it has been noticed that emergency room visits by monitored patients is much reduced. 4.5 Increase in clinical efficiency The diagnostic equipment interacts with the patient through a user friendly interface. It provides reminders, collects vital data and asks questions that help assess the condition of the patients. It also gives warning when a patients condition is changing. This in general allows doctors and nurses to intervene more quickly and accurately and as a result increases the overall clinical efficiency. 6.0 How action required was planned Management tools for problem analysis are very crucial for success in change management. One of such tools is the Cause and Effect analysis. Cause and Effect analysis is also referred to as the Fishbone diagram because the diagram has a fish bone appearance. The technique was proposed by Ishikawa in the 1960s and as a result called the Ishikawa diagram. The diagram is used to determine the root cause of a problem and identify areas that changes can be made. (Ishikawa 1985) In applying the Cause and Effect analysis to the NHS in determining what change is required and what action is to be taken. The first step is to get a clarity and consensus on what the problem is. Among many others, the focused problem statement identified in the NHS is the mounting financial burden of institutional health care in the UK. The economic recession and increasing overseas debt is forcing the UK government to look for ways of cutting cost and saving money. This necessitated the need for fiscal accountability and cost cutting in the NHS (NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination 2008). In constructing the Fishbone diagram for the NHS, the problem statement forms the head of the fish bone alone with the fish backbone as illustrated in the figure 5 below. The next step is to brainstorm potential causes of the problem. The major causes are laid out as large bones connected to the backbone. In the NHS, the major causes identified as responsible for the increasing financial burden are staffs people, technology, procedures, and policy. The fish bone diagram is then developed based on the identified causes. The final step is to probe deeper into each cause. A question asking-technique included in Senge et al (1994) Five Ways model can be used. It involves asking repeated why does this happen until it is clear that the root cause have been found. The answers are then added as sub-bones to the cause as shown in figure 5 below. Fig. 5 Fishbone Diagram stage three Too many admin staffs Increased number of nurses Too many Doctors Increased ageing population More sick patients More hospital admissions Expensive bureaucracy Productivity failure Expensive medical equipment Increased drug prescriptions Pay increase by government Increasing fixed cost Inflation policy Staffs People Procedure Policy Equipments/Materials Mounting Financial Burden of Institutional Health Care. There is increased spending in the NHS as there are now more people been treated in the hospitals than ever before. This is the direct consequence of increase in population and immigration over the years. Increase in the number of sick people and the ageing population has also contributed to increase spending. These increases in people requiring attention have necessitated an increase in Nurses, GP consultations and a large increase in drugs prescriptions. (Slywotzky and Morrison 1997) Furthermore, pay increases offered by the government to medical practitioners were in many cases over generous. Economic inflation and increased cost of fix asses has in no little way affected NHS budget. The office of the national statistics (ONS) has shown that NHS productivity is falling as spending is increasing. As output has not kept pace with rise in spending it is important to implement an efficient and cost effective way of administering health care. As the tele-health technology will ensure that the increasing number of people requiring health care is efficiently covered with little resources, it will therefore provide an efficient and cost effective way of administering health care in the UK. Looking at it critically, it is important to know that cause and effective relationship may not be easily apparent and that an intervention in any part of a health care organisation will have outcomes in many others, not all of them anticipated, and not all of them desirable. Smith (1995a; 1995b) in his work on response to performance indicator highlighted that change can lead to unanticipated and indeed dysfunctional consequence. Additional technigues that was used. The NHS employed process modelling technique in order to gain understanding of how the current process works and provide a clear articulation of how the new process is to be different. The process modelling technique provided clarification of the expected process so that the NHS is able to plan the required action. Fig. 6 Current and expected process flow Current process flow Expected process flow Is he in the clinic? Doctor decides that a patient needs monitoring No Yes Specialist nurse visits patient for information and counselling Vital information register created for patient and care nurse assigned to patient Care nurse visits patient and takes vital readings Vital readings recorded in patients information register Doctor assesses patients register Necessary actions take for abnormal readings Process repeated daily Action suspended Is he in the clinic? Doctor decides that a patient needs monitoring No Yes Specialist nurse visits patient for information and counselling Tele-Monitoring equipment is install and doctors assesses patients information remotely Necessary actions take for abnormal readings The process flow in fig.6.0 above is a diagrammatical representation of all the staged involved in a patents monitoring task. It shows both the current and process and what the process is expected to be after the implementing the tele-health system. The current process requires 9 steps and would take between 12 to 24 hours to complete a cycle while the expected process will require 5 steps and would take 10 minutes to complete a cycle. With the process modelling technique, the NHS identified that in order to successfully implement the change; it must fundamentally re-think the way work is done and adequately prepare the organisation for change. How management implemented change Having understood the situation, knowing why change is needed in the NHS, who and what needed to change, it is important to examine how these insights and what framework can be used to deliver the results that are needed. The technique of Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) is employed in the NHS in order to implement the change that is needed. Davenport and Short (1990) defines BPR as a technique for redesigning the way work is done. They also stated that it enables organizations to rethink work process so as to improve customers satisfaction, reduce operation cost and become more competitive. In addition, Hammer and Champy (1993, p32) stated that BPR is the fundamental rethinking and redesigning of business process to achieve dramatic improvement in cost quality service and speed. In the health sector, Walston and Kimberley (1997) observes that over 60% of hospitals are involved in re-engineering initiatives. In the NHS, the re-engineering initiative of the tele-health system is focused on optimizing productive work time, automating process to increase productivity and quality and resource management. The steps that were employed to implement BPR in the NHS are show in the model below. Fig.6 Change process model Communication the need for change Effective communication is considered a major key to successful BPR change implementation (Jackson 1997). The NHS implementation process began with series of meetings between the NHS management and stake holders inside and outside the HNS that would be involved in the change process. The purpose is to communicate the need of the change and the technology that would be implemented to effect the change. The meeting also helped to ensure patience and understanding of the structural and cultural change that are needed. Cooper and Markus (1995) suggest that communication should be open, honest, clear and in both direction between those in charge of the change initiative and those affected by them. Effective communication continued in the NHS throughout the change process. This formed the base that prepared the entire organization for change. Preparing the organization for change Hammer and Champy (1993) stated that organizational culture is a major factor to consider in preparing for a successful BPR implementation. Organizational culture influences the organizations ability to adopt to change. In the NHS, management ensured that the organization can understand and can conform to the new values and management process that are created by the newly re-designed process. This is so that a culture which upholds the change is established. Benjamin and Levinson (1993) argue that preparing the organization to respond positively to BPR related change is critical to success. In preparing for change, the NHS ensured that adequate trainings were given to staff that are involved in the change process. The New Ham University in conjunction with tele-health engineers from Philips UK provided the required trainings to staff. This is in line with the suggestion made by Tower (1994) that training and education is an important component in preparing an organization for change. Bruss and Roos (1993) also state that IT skills and techniques are important dimension of training for BPR. Fundamentally rethinking the way work is done After identifying and analyzing core business process, the NHS was able to define key performance objectives and design new processes to achieve the objectives. Davenport and Short (1990) define a process as a set of logically related tasks that are performed to achieve a defined outcome. Patient monitoring involves process with a great number of intermediate steps. The objective of the NHS is to reduce the processes involved in to single process that takes part directly to the final outcome. The single process designed with the needs and wants of patients in mind will allow the NHS to gain important advantages in the following ways; It reduces process steps and the time it takes to accomplish task; Improving the accuracy of patients medical information; Eliminate human mistake inherent with complex and repetitive task; Improve NHS efficiency and effectiveness and drastically cut down the overall cost of health care Implementing new technology to achieve change In order to make changes, certain known elements are required Harrington (1991). These are elements that act as variables for processes to change. Thus, , adequate IT infrastructure is considered as a vital factor in successful BPR implementation Moad (1993). Also, identification of enabling technology for redesigning business process and proper installation of IT components contributes to building an effective infrastructure for business process Barrett (1994) . In the HNS, the IT based tele-health system aimed at people with long term condition is the enabler for achieving change. The equipment connected to users television allows user to measure their vital signs. The results are automatically sent over the internet to monitoring centre. The results are monitored daily by health care professionals who can take immediate and appropriate action if there is any abnormality in the result. The system is designed to be user friendly, clear and straight forward. After installation, the technician will go through the system with the user to explain how it works and how to use it. Users are also able to call the monitoring centre at any time should they have any issue with the system. Extent to which change was successful Despite the significant benefits gained from the successful implementation of BPR, it is noted that not all organization embarking on BPR projects achieve their intended result. Hammer and Champy (1993) estimate that as many as 70 percent do not achieve the dramatic result they seek. This in most cases is attributed to poor implementation of BPR rather than a problem with the concept itself. Implementation process is complex and needs to be checked against several factors to ensure successful implementation (Alter 1994). However, it is important to note that the process re-engineering change initiative in the NHS can be said to be successful as it has implemented a modern technology which can be the way of the future for in-home patient care in the UK. It has helped increase productivity through reduced process time and has also drastically reduced cost. It has also improved quality and greater patient satisfaction in the NHS. Comparing the periods before and after implementation of the tele-health technology in the NHS, there has been a reduction in GP and Nurse Visits to patient and also a reduction in hospital admission of patients with long term condition. General satisfaction with the tele-health technology and the use of the equipments is high for all groups of patients. Patients felt comfortable using the technology and did not find it difficult. They also felt it helped improved the awareness of their condition (Department of Health 2009). To the 1.75 Millions who now rely on the tele-health service in the UK, it offers peace of mind and the certainty that there is always someone to help them in times of difficulty. Resistant to change in the NHS Cultural Issue Johnson (1992) in his cultural web model shown in fig 6 below suggests that until the paradigm at the heart of culture is changed, there will be no lasting change. Based on Drennan (1992) definition that culture is how things are done around here it is a general believe that organizational culture is a very strong resistant to any change implementation program. Figure 6. Garry Johnson Cultural Web In the NHS, evaluation has shown that the central principles of BPR radical, revolutionary approach to change is fundamentally incompatible with the traditions, culture and politics of the NHS. This in no small measure is a major resistant to change in the NHS (Buchanan 1997). Threat to Status One of the resistant to change in the NHS is that many of its staff perceived the change as a threat to their personal position. This is in agreement with Hanner and Champy (1993) who argued that the fear of job loss by employees is a major resisting factor to the success of management change program. Dawe (1996) added that, change moves the whole organization as well as every single employee out of their comfort zone and as a result, there are always going to be some people who would try to resist the change process. This is true for the NHS as some of both its management and medical staff try to stop or ignore the process of change. This is because the management failed to make a compelling case for change to its staff. Some NHS employees believed that the change was initiated only for the sole aim of saving money and cutting cost, that there is nothing in it for them. As a result they were not motivated to support the change process. This is supported by Kotter (1998) when he suggests that failure to create a win over hearts and minds will reduce the impact of a change program. Privacy issue Another major resistant experience in the implementation of tele-health change program in the NHS is fact that some people for personal reasons do not like to be watched over. They did not welcome the idea of been monitored on a daily base as they felt it violate their privacy right. The NHS management was able to resolve some of this problem by identifying patients who has indicated such fears and assuring them that only authorized medical officials would have asses to their information and that monitoring was mainly for their own good. Patients who were still skeptical and would rather not want to be monitored were all together exempted from the program. Recommendation for future improvement The overall improvement in patient health condition and reduction in hospital admission observed after implementing the tele-health system in the NHS supports continuation and further improvement of the scheme. A recommendation for further improvement is that the NHS could develop an assessment and measurement system that would help to register the build-up of momentum and identify early victories. Success in management is of little value unless they are supported by best practices and hence Senge (2003) suggest that success depends on the application of best practice. Nelson et al (1998) argues that although measurement is essential if change are to be sustained, the measurement them self must be defined practically. In the light of this, the NHS could adopt outcome and cost measurement, qualitative and quantitative measurement and a balances set of process to build measurement into the daily work routine and display it so that it tell a story of where they are, where they should be and where they are going in the change process. Furthermore, the management of the NHS should be aware that resistant is part of the change program and that anticipation and planning for resistant is important in implementing a successful change program (Clemons 1995). It is observed that the NHS management communicated change information only to stakeholder that was directly involved in the change program. This was only able to disfranchise the other stakeholders and strengthened the resistant. It is important that communication with a wide range of stakeholders directly or not directly involved in the change program be made so that they become involved and motivated (Stanton et al. 1993). The major future challenge that the NHS may encounter is how to engender a culture of continuous change in which change is on-going, evolving and cumulative. It would require a major shift in assumptions made by the organization and its members. Many of the individuals and groups whose assumptions and behaviors must change if this cultural shift is to be achieved are perceived to be of high status and are used to the exercise of individual and professional autonomy. Conclusion As people are living longer and there are more and more people who are unwell, going into residential and nursing home and living with long term conditions, the NHS which is the public service most valued by the British people must be able to keep pace with these change in society. The Remote monitoring tele-health technology will enable the NHS to effectively cope these increases in demand for health care. It would also help to reduce the overall cost of administering institutional health care in the UK. Although there are still pockets of issues and resistant, the program is generally termed as successful as it is already yielding the desired objective of improving life and saving cost. This paper presented an analysis of the approach take by management to effect the change and how effective management implemented the change strategy. It also demonstrated the extent to which change was successful and made recommendations for future development.

Co-ordination and Control of the Excretory System

Co-ordination and Control of the Excretory System Homeostasis,  Co-ordination and Control  and the Excretory system Homeostasis is when a living being keeps control of the internal bodily conditions to keep the inside the â€Å"same†. It maintains things such as the bodies temperature at around 37 degrees, keeps the blood amount at around 5 liters and maintains water amount inside the body. All these can change due to different conditions, such as, the temperature outside or exercising causing the body to â€Å"sweat† which looses water. Inside the human body there are lots of, â€Å"Sensors† which monitor everything. They send signals to the brain when something is â€Å"different†, sensors in the brain will then monitor the changes and signal to effectors to make changes if necessary. The human body temperature sits at 37 degrees, whatever the temperature externally the temperature within the body will always try to remain the same. This is controlled by what is known as the, â€Å"Negative feedback system†. There are receptors all over the bodies skin which detect and analyse all changes in temperature. All information passes from these receptors to the hypothalamus, which is the part of the brain that processes temperature regulation. When the body gets too hot, blood vessels will dilate. This means the blood vessels will become larger allowing the blood flow to increase nearer to the surface of the skin allowing body heat to escape. As well as this, when hot, the body will also sweat. When we sweat water is removed from the body and evaporates onto the skin, this effect will cool the body down slightly. If the temperature gets to high it could cause the body to oversweat. If the person isnt able to get liquids in them they will become dehydrated. This is known as a heat stroke. When the body gets to cold, blood vessels will become smaller and will reduce blood flow around the surface of the skin, this will keep body heat within the body. This is known as Vasoconstriction. Quite often people will get what is called, â€Å"goosebumps† over their skin. This is when the hairs over the body become raised by the small muscles on the skin, the hairs will catch the air which helps to insulate our body. When the bo dy temperature drops below 37degrees it will typically start to shiver, this is when the muscles inside the body start to shake involuntarily and produce extra heat. If the temperature of the body falls below 35degrees the body will suffer from hypothermia, typically the body will violently shiver which can lead to difficulty in moving. This can be treated by warming the person up.   Around 50-75% of the human body consists of water. In babies its higher at around 75% to 78% dropping as they get older. We must always be in-taking liquids to keep our water level up as we can excrete water though things such as sweating, urinating and breathing out water vapour. We take in water from food and drink. The human body NEEDS water to live. Cells within the body need water to pass through their membrane depositing needed partials inside them. Water helps to digest food, carry waste products, sends electrical messages amongst cells, regulates body temperature and lubricates joints. The water levels must be kept at the correct balance and this is done through the kidneys. The kidneys are one of the major organs of homoeostasis, the human body has two kidneys found in the abdominal cavity (below the ribcage).They regulate waterloss in the body, blood goes through the kidneys and is filtered. Kidneys produce urine, this is the waste of â€Å"filtered† molecules of wat er etc.. leaving the body. Around 180 litres of water is processed through the kidneys on a daily basis. The remains of what was filtered and not secreted from the body is then redistributed across the bodies circulatory system. Kidneys produce urine at different concentrations which maintain water balance. When the body is dehydrated and we intake more liquids the kidney will filter and keep the majority of liquid processing through it. Any urine that does exit the body will be more concentrated appearing darker in colour. Whereas if we are fully hydrated and drink more fluids than our body needs the kidney will process the liquids and filter out the majority, it will be very diluted and will be more in quantity than when your dehydrated. The kidneys water balance can change according to temperature, exercise, fluid intake and salt intake. 308 Within the body we require a certain volume of glucose (Sugar) in order to create Andesine triphosphate (ATP), energy within the body. ATP i s important as it’s the only energy source used by cells in the brain and nervous system. ATP levels will always be changing; therefore the body must regulate its blood sugars through Sugar homoeostasis. Too much sugar could result in a high PH level in your blood, which breaks down sugars into energy without 02 making acids. This makes blood more acidic and disturbs the balance, thus insulin is needed. This homeostasis is regulated by two hormones, Insulin and Glucagon. Insulin and Glucogon are protein hormones with a half-life, they need to be rapidly produced to maintain a constant homoeostasis. This all happens within the pancreas, inside the pancreas are lots of receptors which monitor sugar levels within the bloodstream. Insulins main job is to decrease the blood sugar levels, insulin also synthesizes fatty acids and muscle tissue and transports (k+), which is responsible for causing the electric pulses in your nerve system that transmits signals to your brain and muscles. Insulin is produced by the beta cells of the pancreatic islets when there is a high blood sugar. When the levels of blood glucose drop the production of insulin will also lower. Whenever the blood glucose levels become elevated, for example when we have just eaten, the production of insulin will become higher again. This will occur because of Parasympathetic stimulation from the nervous system. During this phase insulin levels in the blood increase and sugar levels lower. Glucagon is the opposite of insulin, it will increase blood sugar levels and is secreted from the pancreas when blood glucose gets low. It’s produced in the alpha cells of the pancreatic islets. In the Sympathetic stimulation of the nervous system glucagon will help to elevate the amounts of blood glucose in the blood stream. There is normally around 70 – 99mg of glucose in our blood, 70-120mg after eating. Diabetes is a disorder some people can get when the glucose levels in the blood are too high and remain so. Treatment for this is an insulin shot. In type 2 diabetes the persons cells that detect certain parts of sugar, which will simulate the production of insulin will become damaged or destroyed hence they won’t be simply produced. So treatment for this is a lifestyle change by changing diet and exercising regularly, type 2 can be cured through this unlike type 1. All responses to any stimulus come from the central nervous system (CNS). The central nervous system consists of the Brain and the spinal cord which react to information received from senses. The brain is quite often compared to the humans processor and memory of a computer. The front of the brain is responsible for receiving and processing information ie/ thinking and controlling motor functions (motor pathway). The midbrain is responsible for audio and visual responces whereas the hindbrain contains all the sensory infromation (Sensory pathway). This is responsible for controlling things such as breathing, heart rate and digestion and is attached to the spinal cord. The spinal cord is a group of nerve fibres connected together which lead up to the brain. They appear in a cylinder shape and run down the centre of the spinal column towards the lower back. The spinal cord transmits data from the body organs to the brain. The Peripheral Nervous system (PNS) consists of two types of cel ls. Sensory and motor nervous cells and is divided into Somatic and Autonomic nervou system. The Somatic nervous system controls the skeleton muscle whereas the Autonomic nervous system controls involuntary muscles. 194 Similarities and Differences between Endocrine system and Nervous system Endocrine System Nervous System Similarities Both the Endocrine system and the Nervous system rely on the release of chemicals, such as Epinephrine, around the body to work. They are both regulated by the negative feedback system and both work to monitor and regulate activities inside cells, organs, tissues etc they respond to external and internal environments to help maintain the perfect homoeostasis. Differences One of the main differences between the Endocrine and Nervous system is, the Endocrine system works on chemical stimuli to pass signals around the bodies cells and organs. It is made up of a set of glands which secrete hormones. Every glad is responsible for a different area of the body and they use the circulatory system to transmit signals around the body. Communication is transmitted slowly across long distance and their effect becomes longer lasting. Whereas the nervous system relies on electrical pulses to pass the signals. Is made up of a collection of cells called Neurons which are split into two systems, the Central nervous system (CNS) and the Peripheral nervous system (PNS).The nervous system used these Neurons to transmit signals. Communication is transmitted fast and across shorter distances and are shorter in life. The excretory system is the process of the body removing waste through excretion. It removes waste produced through the homoeostasis cycle and In doing so it maintains a constant homoeostasis. The majority of organs in the human body produce a metabolic waste and thrus the whole body relies on the excretion system to maintain a perfect equilibrium. The major parts of the body involved in this process are the; Kidneys, Ureters, Urethra, Bladder, Skin, Lungs, Large intestine and the Liver. The urinary system is the major part of the excretory system. The kidneys are two bean shaped organs located below the ribcage, in the middle of the human back. They are processors which process through blood and filter out around 2liters of waste products and water every day. All the waste will become urine which is passed through the Ureter to be stored in the bladder. When you go to the toilet, urine exits the body through the urethra tube. The second major part of the urinary system is based in the liver, one of the largest organs in the human body. Its found on the right side of the body and is the chemical powerhouse within the body. Its purpose is to detoxify and breakdown any alien chemicals that might enter our bodies. The liver produces something called bile, which breaks down fats into waste and usable fats. Around 5ft in lengh, the large intestine sits inside our stomach and transports solid waste to be excreted. It can take up to 24 hours for food to travel through a per sons large intestine. The lungs are responsible for respiration, cellular respiration produces carbon dioxide which is a waste product and is eliminated from the body through exhalation. Finally the skin, a crucial part of the excretory system eliminates sweat from the body, sweat contains salt and is a metabolic waste. 310 References abpi, (2012), Homeostasis – Kidneys and water balance [online]. Available: http://www.abpischools.org.uk/page/modules/homeostasis_kidneys/kidneys2.cfm?coSiteNavigation_allTopic=1> [23/03/2015] BBC Bitesize, (2014), Maintaining Water Balance [online]. Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/add_ocr_pre_2011/homeostasis/waterbalrev1.shtml>[23/03/2015]   ForDummies, (2013), Why your body needs water [online]. Available: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/why-your-body-needs-water.html> [23/03/2015] Biomed,(2014), Insulin. Glucagon [online]. Available: http://biomed.brown.edu/Courses/BI108/BI108_2002_Groups/pancstems/stemcell/insulin_glucagon.htm> [23/03/2015] About Education, (2012), Nervous System [online]. Available:http://biology.about.com/od/organsystems/a/aa061804a.htm> [23/03/2015] Mcwdn, (2011), Excretory system [online]. Available:http://www.mcwdn.org/body/excretory.html> [23/03/2015] Distance Learning Center, (2014), Homeostasis, coordination and Control and the Excretory System [online]. Available: http://www.distancelearningcentre.com/access_2014/materials/Biology/Homeostasis_and_Excretory_Systems/Homeostasis,_Coordination_and_Control,_and_the_Excretory_System.pdf> [23/03/2015]

Crow Lake :: Character Analysis, Kate Morrison

Crow Lake Essay In Crow Lake, Mary Lawson portrays a family who experience a great tragedy when Mr. and Mrs. Morrison are killed in a car accident. This tragedy changes the lifestyles of the seven years old protagonist Kate Morrison and her siblings Matt, Luke and Bo. The settings are very important in this novel. Though there are limited numbers of settings, the settings used are highly effective. Without effective use of themes in this novel, the reader would not have been able to connect with the characters and be sympathetic. Lawson uses an exceptionally high degree of literary devices to develop each character in this novel. The element of setting is used to create a definite atmosphere, and therefore, helping to create a desired mood .In Kate’s childhood, she and Matt visited the ponds regularly. They used to go â€Å"through the woods with their luxuriant growth of poison ivy, along the tracks, past the dusty boxcars lines up receive their loads of sugar beets, down the steep sandy path to the ponds themselves† (Lawson 4). Lawson has used powerful imagery to further describe the ponds. The settings of the ponds are a central part of the story. The ponds are a symbol of the tight relationship between Matt and Kate. They had spent â€Å"hundreds of hours there† (Lawson 15). Ponds were like a home to her. In the prologue, Kate stated that â€Å"there is no image of my childhood that I carry with me more clearly than that† (Lawson 4). The ponds also symbolizes Kate’s childhood. Matt and Kate were able to overcome the tragedy of their parent’s death by visiting t he ponds, but however, they did not survive Matt’s â€Å"disloyalty†. The ponds later developed into the scene of the crime. Kate mentions in the book â€Å"By the following September the ponds themselves would have been desecrated twice over, as far as I was concerned, and for some years after that I did not visit them at all† (Lawson 218). Therefore, the ponds are of great significance in Crow Lake. The setting has developed from a warm, sweet, memorable place to a scene of crime in crow Lake. The theme of isolation is established and developed through the setting of Crow Lake. Located against the deserted territory of Northern Ontario, Crow Lake is a diffident farming settlement that is â€Å"... linked to the outside world by one dusty road and the railroad tracks† (Lawson 9).

Consumerism Essay -- consumer movement

In the fourth era of the consumer movement, the key marketplace features include concern for the environment, increasingly complex technology, a diverse market, and a global market. Concern for the environment has manifested itself in a number of different ways. One example is the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which caused many consumers to become disappointed in Exxon. Exxon has had to work at improving its environmental image after this accident, and there are still individuals who will not buy gas at Exxon as a result of Exxon’s handling of this situation. There has been a trend in the past ten years or so to protect the environment and to also buy products that are more natural and environmentally sound. In our era, Fresh Fields, a supermarket that has sells organic and more natural products, has prospered because of consumers’ interests in buying food that is not contaminated by pesticides, chemicals, and other non-natural ingredients. Interestingly enough, a news report last week on TV indicated that organic produce, which is more expensive than regular produce, may actually be more dangerous to consume because it is fertilized with manure that contains E. Coli bacteria. There may be a consumer backlash against organic products if they are shown to pose a danger to the consumer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Complex technology, has also been a key marketplace feature of the fourth era of the consumer movement. Through the Internet, it is possible to buy even the most obscure goods and services, often at prices which are significantly less expensive than at a retail establishment. However, the Internet also presents serious risks to the consumer. The Clinton administration recently announced that it is proposing legislation that will address the illegal sale of drugs via the Internet. It is now possible to purchase prescription drugs though Internet companies, by placing the orders online. However, this practice is not sufficiently regulated, and consumers may be getting medicines that would ordinarily require close supervision by a personal physician, without having adequate medical supervision when they buy through the Internet. It is very easy to do an Internet search for Internet drug companies, some of which are located overseas (especially in Asia, Mexico and Europe), and find companies which sell Viagra, Xenical, Propec... ...r safeguards to protect the interests of the consumer. The FDA, for example, did not exist at the turn of the 19th Century. There were no regulations or laws to protect the environment. People were generally at the mercy of businesses, large and small, that could make claims about their products and services even if these claims were misleading or untrue. The activism in the beginning of the consumer movement was revolutionary, because this activism introduced and established the idea that consumers have rights and must be treated justly by business. Consumer activism is no longer a revolutionary idea, but it is more prevalent than it was fifty years ago. Consumer activism, in this day and age, actually is ubiquitous. Now, we think of consumer activism as a normal part of business. We buy Consumer Reports, check the Internet to compare products and prices, and engage in political activism for the purpose of preserving consumer rights. Moreover, businesses have become much more se nsitive to the needs and wants of consumers. Consumer reaction has a great impact on the way that companies operate today, and business have learned that consumers wield great power in today’s marketplace. Consumerism Essay -- consumer movement In the fourth era of the consumer movement, the key marketplace features include concern for the environment, increasingly complex technology, a diverse market, and a global market. Concern for the environment has manifested itself in a number of different ways. One example is the Exxon Valdez oil spill, which caused many consumers to become disappointed in Exxon. Exxon has had to work at improving its environmental image after this accident, and there are still individuals who will not buy gas at Exxon as a result of Exxon’s handling of this situation. There has been a trend in the past ten years or so to protect the environment and to also buy products that are more natural and environmentally sound. In our era, Fresh Fields, a supermarket that has sells organic and more natural products, has prospered because of consumers’ interests in buying food that is not contaminated by pesticides, chemicals, and other non-natural ingredients. Interestingly enough, a news report last week on TV indicated that organic produce, which is more expensive than regular produce, may actually be more dangerous to consume because it is fertilized with manure that contains E. Coli bacteria. There may be a consumer backlash against organic products if they are shown to pose a danger to the consumer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Complex technology, has also been a key marketplace feature of the fourth era of the consumer movement. Through the Internet, it is possible to buy even the most obscure goods and services, often at prices which are significantly less expensive than at a retail establishment. However, the Internet also presents serious risks to the consumer. The Clinton administration recently announced that it is proposing legislation that will address the illegal sale of drugs via the Internet. It is now possible to purchase prescription drugs though Internet companies, by placing the orders online. However, this practice is not sufficiently regulated, and consumers may be getting medicines that would ordinarily require close supervision by a personal physician, without having adequate medical supervision when they buy through the Internet. It is very easy to do an Internet search for Internet drug companies, some of which are located overseas (especially in Asia, Mexico and Europe), and find companies which sell Viagra, Xenical, Propec... ...r safeguards to protect the interests of the consumer. The FDA, for example, did not exist at the turn of the 19th Century. There were no regulations or laws to protect the environment. People were generally at the mercy of businesses, large and small, that could make claims about their products and services even if these claims were misleading or untrue. The activism in the beginning of the consumer movement was revolutionary, because this activism introduced and established the idea that consumers have rights and must be treated justly by business. Consumer activism is no longer a revolutionary idea, but it is more prevalent than it was fifty years ago. Consumer activism, in this day and age, actually is ubiquitous. Now, we think of consumer activism as a normal part of business. We buy Consumer Reports, check the Internet to compare products and prices, and engage in political activism for the purpose of preserving consumer rights. Moreover, businesses have become much more se nsitive to the needs and wants of consumers. Consumer reaction has a great impact on the way that companies operate today, and business have learned that consumers wield great power in today’s marketplace.

Duke basketball :: essays research papers

Duke Basketball If you want to talk about success stories, Duke basketball is the one to talk about. This miracle didn't just happen overnight, it took time. Krzyzewski became coach in 1980-81 with not a lot of talent. He makes big moves in recruiting in 1982. Some of the people he recruited included Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, David Henderson, Jay Bilas and Weldon Williams. People looked at this new and approved team as one of the nations best team. This started the miracle the still lives on today. Joining this powerful team was guard Tommy Amaker in 1983. Duke won 24 games in 1984 and earned the first NCAA bid under Coach K. With the same boys, they were now seniors, the 1986 Duke team won an NCAA-record 37 games while claiming titles in the Big Apple NIT, ACC regular season, ACC Tournament and the NCAA East Regional. They made a school record with a 21-game winning streak during the year. They were undefeated at home, advanced to the NCAA Championship game in Dallas and played more games than any other team in college basketball history. With the loss of the five seniors, many expected Duke to start losing again. Coach Krzyzewski was going backwards, he wanted to keep moving forward. . The team won 24 games and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament before losing to eventual national champion Indiana in 1987. Amaker closed out his career as the National Defensive Player of the Year, while Coach K looks back at the season as the one that showed people how Duke was going to become a winning basketball program. The 1987-88 season began the school's amazing streak of five straight NCAA Final Four appearances as the Blue Devils won 28 games, again swept to the ACC title, won another East Regional championship and ended up in Kansas City. Senior Billy King followed Amaker by winning the National Defensive Player of the Year award, the second in a row by a Blue Devil. The role of leadership again fell to the senior class in 1988-89. This time it was the National Player of the Year Danny Ferry, Quin Snyder and John Smith taking the role. They lead the team to another trip to the NCAA Final Four with a win over favored Georgetown in the East Regional final. In 1989-90, seniors Alaa Abdelnaby, Robert Brickey and Phil Henderson again took a big role.

Assignment 4: Internet Technology, Marketing, and Security Essay

Assignment 4: Internet Technology, Marketing, and Security The purpose of this assignment is to â€Å"evaluate the reasons Social Media Marketing has become exceedingly popular among businesses of all sizes. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of Social Media Marketing for business entrepreneurs. Assess how Social Media Marketing is helping Pepsi gain more customer insight than it would have otherwise. Research two (2) other businesses that have used Social Media Marketing to their advantage. Discuss how each of these businesses has utilized Social Media Marketing and provide examples with your discussion. Speculate what impact Social Media will have business over the next decade and identify what skills you need to improve to take advantage of the changes (Boone, Kurtz, 2012).† Evaluate the reasons Social Media Marketing has become exceedingly popular among businesses of all sizes. â€Å"The experimentation era in social media marketing is long over. Social media has proven to be a viable and potentially lucrative marketing channel for B2B and B2C companies of all sizes, across the globe. As more and more companies jump on the social media bandwagon, it is more important now than ever that you provide value, not add to the clutter already on the social web. The reigning champions of social media are the brands that listen to their community, and deliver worthwhile information based on what they hear (Top Rank, 2013).† Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of Social Media Marketing for business entrepreneurs. â€Å"Your online advertising strategy might include paid advertising on search networks such as Google, Bing, or Yahoo. Social ads on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn may also be effective tools for your messaging. Our first step is to determine your goals and where your audience lives, in order to place your brand in front of the right people, in the right place, at the right time (Top Rank, 2013).† â€Å"Through compelling, creative copy and imagery, our search, display and social ads inspire your audience to take your desired action, whether your intent is to: †¢ Attract new prospects and customers †¢ Engage consumers and build community around your brand †¢ Convert prospects to loyal customers (Top Rank, 2013).†. â€Å"Regular reporting and ongoing optimization ensures you receive maximum accountability and the best results possible from your online campaigns (Top Rank, 2013).† Assess how Social Media Marketing is helping Pepsi gain more customer insight than it would have otherwise. â€Å"The rise of social and mobile is rewriting the marketing playbook for even the most established companies. While many brands are still casting a wary eye at social media for business, Pepsi has embraced the technology, carving out an ambitious social strategy aimed at building relationships with the Millennial generation, soon to be the largest consumer group in US history (Social, 2012).† â€Å"A recent article by David Hatch of US News and World Report does a great job of breaking down Pepsi’s social strategy, the centerpiece of which is its â€Å"Live For Now† marketing campaign. The campaign, targeting 18-35 year olds, is a great example of an established brand effectively utilizing five critical aspects of social media marketing: consumer engagement, user-generated content, data aggregation, geo-local, and inbound marketing (Social, 2012).† DYNAMIC CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT â€Å"Pepsi’s new digital dashboard is the most recent iteration of an online strategy that included last year’s debut of Pepsi Pulse and Sound Off, online destinations that encouraged visitors to comment on The X-Factor, a Fox network reality television show whose sponsors include Pepsi (Social, 2012).† â€Å"To further engage its online community, the song selection and encores for a Pepsi concert series this summer featuring major artists will be chosen in part by tweets from the live audience and people watching online (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Pepsi is learning that if you want to remain relevant with this new type of consumer, you have to be where they are, you have to talk their language,† and you have to connect with them in a way that â€Å"keeps them feeling like they want to be part of your brand,† says Brian Solis, a principal analyst at the Altimeter Group. Connected consumers, he adds, are â€Å"getting groomed and conditioned to expect the world to come to them (Social, 2012).† â€Å"USER-GENERATED CONTENT ‘Social media marketing is becoming increasingly dependent on user-generated content, meaning reviews, comment, or any other input from customers. Peer influence has a measurable impact on consumer purchase decision, especially among Millennials (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Understanding this, Pepsi has created a new digital dashboard on their Pepsi.com place page to support the Live For Now campaign, highlighted by user-generated messages from Facebook and Twitter that include the #LiveForNow hashtag (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Moreover, with the help of SocialFlow, a tool that ranks the popularity of editorial content within audience segments, Pepsi is paying attention to what their target audience is interested in. â€Å"It’s all about that movement [online], and where people’s time is being spent,† says George Smith, senior manager, social strategy and execution, for Pepsi Beverages (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Actually listening to consumers in order to understand their wants and needs builds user loyalty, creating brand evangelists who will spread the word and act as online defenders of the company brand (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Moreover, by monitoring what people say online about its products, Pepsi is able to manage user complaints in real time, before they take on a life of their own (Social, 2012).† â€Å"DATA AGGREGATION â€Å"Unlike traditional, harder-to-track advertising methods such as TV and print, social media provides a wealth of statistics about the age, gender, demographics, interests, and reactions of consumers. As Smith notes, â€Å"With digital, you end up with a lot of extra data, and you end up with a lot more understanding of who your consumer is (Social, 2012).† â€Å"This consumer data helps Pepsi refine its consumer engagement model, the effect of which is to attract new fans, and thus more data (Social, 2012).† â€Å"GEO-LOCAL REACH â€Å"Pepsi is hopping on the newest trend in social: SoLoMo, or Social, Local, Mobile. Thanks to the massive consumer adaptation of smart phones, companies like Pepsi can integrate social media with location-based mobile marketing. (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Why do so? Because Pepsi can be more surgical about reaching populations in specific geographic areas. â€Å"We’re seeing good results from that,† Smith says, explaining that the company can target local audiences with specially tailored advertising messages fueled by location information provided in Facebook profiles (Social, 2012).† â€Å"This kind of micro-targeting allows brands to hunt consumers with a high-precision rifle instead of a shotgun (Social, 2012).† â€Å"INBOUND MARKETING Out with the push, in with the pull (Social, 2012).† â€Å"Pepsi has recognized that the tech-enabled power shift to the consumer has effectively neutralized many traditional forms of outbound, or push, marketing. Today’s savvy consumer wants to be listened to and courted by  marketers. They want direct channels of communication to brands. In short, consumers expect brands to employ inbound marketing best practices as an engagement model (Social, 2012).† â€Å"When done properly, this approach is a win-win for brands and consumers. Pepsi’s social strategist George Smith recognizes the mutual benefit of direct consumer interaction: â€Å"It’s nice to be able to have that direct conversation with them, and not have to rely on a specific media channel to push this, or buy TV constantly to push that message,† he says (Social, 2012).† â€Å"By last count, Pepsi’s 8,181,075 Facebook fans agree (Social, 2012).† Research two (2) other businesses that have used Social Media Marketing to their advantage. â€Å"At TopRank ® Online Marketing, we understand that your company’s success in social media requires a deep understanding of your customers’ needs and their journey throughout all stages of the buying cycle. We specialize in crafting targeted, high quality content that serves to attract, engage and even convert customers as they factor their social relationships into their purchasing decisions. Many companies offer social media marketing, yet we are one of the few with experience and proven results to consistently reach goals in branding, social PR, and even lead generation using social (Top Rank, 2013)† â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ BFM ® is a unique industrial pipe connector designed to provide safe, sanitary and efficient connections for the transportation and movement of powder within bulk powder processing plants (Top Rank, 2013).† Their objective was â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ develop a new website and launch a strategic online marketing program that would increase visitors as well as sales inquiries for the company†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Top Rank, 2013).† â€Å"The decision was made advertise their brand on the website utilizing search engine optimization (SEO) tactics: †¢ Website development and technical assessment †¢ Keyword research and content optimization †¢ Content promotion and link building †¢ Web analytics and conversion tracking (Top Rank, 2013).† These actions utilizing social media marketing resulted in, â€Å"†¦ website traffic increase more than 700% in its niche market. Additionally, with the launch of its creative campaign, The Powder Doctor, organic traffic to the company website has more than doubled. (Top Rank, 2013).† â€Å"Organic search, combined with the creative concept leveraged for online PR and email marketing campaigns, have helped to increase bottom line sales for the company by 83% (Top Rank, 2013).† Discuss how each of these businesses has utilized Social Media Marketing and provide examples with your discussion. â€Å"A success social media strategy ties outcomes to overarching business goals and connects you with the right prospects and customers on the proper platforms. It engages your loyal fans, friends, and followers through a combination of organic and paid media (Top Rank, 2013).† â€Å"Our social media marketing experience at TopRank spans all of the major social networks and a variety of niche sites, including Google+, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, SlideShare, YouTube and more (Top Rank, 2013).† Speculate what impact Social Media will have business over the next decade and identify what skills you need to improve to take advantage of the changes. In closing, the purpose of this assignment is to â€Å"evaluate the reasons Social Media Marketing has become exceedingly popular among businesses of all sizes. Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of Social Media Marketing for business entrepreneurs. Assess how Social Media Marketing is helping Pepsi gain more customer insight than it would have otherwise. Research two (2) other businesses that have used Social Media Marketing to their advantage. Discuss how each of these businesses has utilized Social Media Marketing and provide examples with your discussion. Speculate what impact Social Media will have business over the next decade and identify what skills you need to improve to take advantage of the changes (Boone, Kurtz, 2012).† References Boone, L. E. & Kurtz, D. L. (2012 Update). Contemporary business (14th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John & Sons. Social Media Today (2012). 5 Ways Pepsi’s Use of Social Media is Right On. Retrieved from http://socialmediatoday.com/synecoretech/509355/5-ways-pepsis-use-social-media-right Top Rank (2013) Online Marketing. Retrieved from http://www.toprankmarketing.com /services/social-media-marketing// [pic][pic]