Monday, September 30, 2019

Management and its Functions Essay

Management is the process of coordinating people and other resources to achieve the goals of the organization. One key characteristic is the ability to empower rather than order employees to do their jobs. Effective empowerment depends on the leader and the employees building mutual respect, trust, and commitment. Leadership also possesses the ability to communicate by fostering an ongoing dialogue rather than issuing mandates. Now the leadership and management are defined, we can move on to describe management in terms of its four functions. These functions are identified as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. How well managers perform these key functions determines whether a business is successful. Planning, in its simplest form, is establishing organizational goals and objectives and deciding how to accomplish them. It is the primary function, often referred as the â€Å"first† management function because all the management functions depend on planning. Managers engage in planning by determining where the firm should be going and how best to get there. Once goals and objectives have been set for the organization, managers must develop plans (or actions) for achieving them. A plan could be defined as an outline of the actions by which the organization intends to accomplish its goals and objectives. The company that I work for, 7-Eleven, I, as a manager, set a goal to sell as many products as possible to increase the sales. I have to ensure that the customer knows about the products we are selling. My number one target is the customer and the way to achieve is through my employees, who can provide the outstanding customer service and thus, the customer will come back. After goal setting and planning, the second major function of the management is organizing. Organizing is the grouping of resources and activities to accomplish effective and efficient results. From the reading, â€Å"Organizing activities include attracting people to the organization, specifying job responsibilities, grouping jobs into work unit, marshaling and allocating resources, and creating conditions so that people and things work together to achieve maximum success† (Bateman, 2004). Let’s first consider the example of an inventor who creates a new product and goes into the market to sell it. Eventually, as business grows, he/she will find that he/she needs  help. To begin with, he/she might hire a professional sales representative. Later, he/she might need to hire full-time sales staff, other people to assist with production, and an accountant. As he/she hires new personnel, he/she must decide what each person will do, and generally how that person can best take part in the organization’s activities. The way I work toward the organizing for the benefits of my organization is by providing at least week training to my staff about the products we are selling and its prices, promoting products to the customers, and ways to deliver excellent customer service. After a week of training, I oversee the employee I have trained, what I call as â€Å"shadow shift,† in which the trainee is evaluated for his/her performance. In addition, I hold weekly meeting with my employees for any questions, concerns, issues, and/or responsibilities. I delegate tasks to my personnel on daily basis and ensure that their obligations are understood clearly. The leading function is concerned with human resources within the organization. It is the process of influencing people to work toward a common goal as well as proving reasons for people to work in best interests of the organization. In other words, â€Å"It is directing, motivating, and communicating with employees, individually and in groups† (Bateman, 2004). Leading and motivating are critical activities for a growing company. Obviously, different people do things for different reasons – that is, they have different motivations. Some people are primarily interested in earning as much money as they can. Others may be spurred on by opportunities to get ahead in an organization. It is part of the manager’s jobs to determine what factors motivate workers and to try to provide those incentives in ways that encourage effective performance. For me, directing and motivating the employees is the most important function for the success of the company. I always tell my employees, â€Å"Be happy, and keep customers happy.† I believe that the communication is very important to keep the firm running smoothly; a good manager would always take care of his/her employees and make sure that they are appreciated for the hard work they put in. Therefore, I always encourage my personnel to talk over any issues or problems, if they have any, with me. Not only this, I always value them and make them realize that they are the most important component of the company and without them the  company can not move ahead. This way, a good relationship and trust is built between me and the employees and hence, the employees stay happy. With this, it gives them motivation to work for the best interests of the company. Regardless of how hard managers try, sometimes business activities don’t go as planned. Then, the fourth function, controlling, comes into play that evaluates and regulates ongoing activities to ensure that organizational goals are achieved. Reckon a rocket, for instance, launched to place a satellite. Do personnel simply fire the rocket and then check back in few days to find out whether the satellite is in place? Of course not. The rocket is constantly supervised, and its course is regulated and adjusted as needed to get the satellite to its destination. Thus, during this function, changes might be made to the plans in order to attain better success in the future. Therefore, the performance is compared and actions are taken according if necessary. Another example would be suppose that a specific firm establishes a goal of increasing its profit by, let’s say, 15 percent in a year. To ensure that its goal is reached, management might monitor its profit on monthly basis. After three to four months, if its profits have increased by 4-5 percent, then management might assume that the plans are going according to the schedule. Then, probably no action will be taken. However, if the profit has only increased by 1-2 percent, then the firm might take some actions or make some amendments to the planning to get things back on track. I can relate controlling to my organization because when the target is not reached to sell as many products as possible, I lower the price on the materials to meet the demands of the customers. For instance, if there’s a specific drink that is not selling as planned, I would try to sell it by promoting it for buying one sandwich and getting the drink free. A successful organization understands not only basic management functions, but also how to integrate these functions – planning, organizing, leading, and controlling – to improve revenues and profit and to win customer satisfaction needs. Each function tends to lead naturally to others; and if any one of the four functions is not conducted in effective manner, the company’s performance might fail. References Bateman, Thomas S. (2004). Management: The New Competitive Landscape, 6e. The McGaw-Hill Companies. Retrieved on August 10, 2004 from https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary/content/eReader.h

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Absolutism and Baroque Art in 17th Century

Europe in the 17th century was a continent in upheaval. Even this early on, it must be acknowledged that what was just said can be considered as an understatement. There is just not enough space and enough phraseology to describe the depth and sweeping changes occurring at that time. The transformation from Medieval Europe into Industrialized Europe can be likened to birth pangs – painful experiences that would result in something amazing if one can only go through the ordeal.In this period of turbulence there are two ideas and concepts that until now has caught the imagination of historians and art connoisseurs: a) Absolutism (political/religious) and b) Baroque (art). The complexity of these two terms offers a glimpse into a Europe emerging from slumber and into a collection of states that will rule the world. This paper will look into the relationship of absolutism and Baroque art in the context of the events that shaped 17th century Europe.At the end of the study the follo wing questions will be answered:1. What exactly is absolutism?2. What is Baroque art?3. What exactly is the relationship between absolutism and Baroque art?Absolutism For a 21st century American, a simple understanding of absolutism may be a form of rule that is anti-democratic. The modern world is so used to freedom of speech, freedom to assemble/protest and finally ability to choose its own leaders. Thus, anything that displays the opposite is ofcourse absolutism.But an accurate definition of absolutism is problematic. First of all there is an extreme difficulty tracing its origins and how it developed. According to Peter Wilson, in his book, â€Å"Absolutism in Central Europe†, â€Å"There seems little agreement as to when it emerged, what drove it forward, whether it progressed through distinct phases and when it came to an end† (2000, p. 10). But historians could not be denied. Many had pointed to the end of the Thirty Years War, as the beginning of the age of abs olutism.Wilson elaborated on this timeline when he wrote â€Å"The Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 [†¦] not only concluded the Thirty Years War in a major European peace settlement confirming France as a major power, but strengthened the German princes by weakening the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor† (2000, p. 12). Absolutism therefore is a transition phase between the Dark Ages and the coming capitalist society. And to simplify it much further, â€Å"†¦absolutism existed as a real form of monarchy†, according to Wilson (2000, p. 11).It is now easy to understand that this kind of rule which was exemplified by France, can find its origins in the past monarchial systems that ruled Europe and this include the display of absolute power by an infallible pope. Politics and Art The connection between Baroque art and absolutism is subtle. There is no proof that can show that Kings had a direct hand in developing this art form. Still, the force that propagated it an d encouraged it to flourish comes from leadership soaked in absolute power.This is because the line that connects absolutism and Baroque art is the term counter-reformation. It would be helpful to take one step backwards and see the development of counter-reformation and the subsequent use of an art form as a kind of information disseminating tool. It quickly developed into a fashionable thing for Kings to indulge in – collecting Baroque art and commissioning artists to create the same. Baroque Art The cultural product of the 17th century Europe was described as â€Å"Baroque† (Kleiner & Mamiya, 2005, p. 569).Kleiner and Mamiya then added that it is, â€Å"†¦a convenient blanket term. However, this term is problematic because the period encompasses a broad range of developments, both historical and artistic, across an expansive geographic area† (2005, p. 569). Since it is impossible to have an accurate description of Baroque art that will give justice to al l artwork done in this period, then it would be better to console oneself with a basic understanding of Baroque through Mary Marien’s work.In Fleming’s Arts and Ideas, Marien remarked that in this technique there is more emphasis on forceful striving and restless motion as opposed to calm and repose (2004, p. 359). Mariend added that, â€Å"Grandeur and magnificence prevailed in the baroque arts. Emperors, kings, popes, and princes vied with one another to attract great artists to their courts by offering large commissions† (2004, p. 359). Counter-Reformation The motivation and the directive to use baroque arts in the Counter-Reformation was traced by Klein and Zerner.It emanated from the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church and they wrote, â€Å"In reaction to the Protestant’s attacks against images, the Council of Trent, restating the ideas of the 15th century ‘Catholic Reformation,’ required art to regain dignity in its forms and coh erence (Klein & Zerner, 1966, p. 119). But the effect of baroque arts was not merely to create icons that are proper and dignified. It was able to move people by the way the subjects are portrayed.Reich and Cunningham elaborated on this and they wrote: Carvaggio’s work is emotional and dominated by strong contrasts of light and darkness. Annibale Carracci painted scenes of movement and splendor [†¦] Rembrandt used strong contrast of light and dark to paint deeply felt religious scenes†¦(2005, p. 195). Conclusion Attempting to define both Baroque art and absolutism proved to be problematic for the proponent since the two terms were used to describe a wide range of developments in 17th century arts and politics.Still, it was ascertained that absolutism is a form of monarchial rule that existed after Europe emerged from the Medieval Period. It was also a transition phase from the feudal type of governing the land to the more sophisticated nations states and unto the mo re recent capitalistic society of Europe. Around the same time that this kind of governance was used in Europe – of which France was the prime example of a more distinguishable absolutism – there were other events and movements that could be indirectly linked to said form of governance.In reaction to an earlier kind of absolutism – of which the Holy Roman Emperor was the prime example – Protestantism was the result of the discontentment of such rule. The counter-reaction of the Roman Catholic Church to the act of splitting the church in two is a program called counter-reformation. In essence it was a method aimed at strengthening Roman Catholics remaining strongholds at the same time actively defending the Catholic Church from further incursions by the Protestants.Baroque was one of the major tools used to display the superiority of the Roman Catholics, as opposed to the crudeness of the breakaway sect. But it was not only the Church who realized its impo rtance, the rich and royalty spared no expense in collecting and commissioning artists to produce one. Thus, there were two ways that Baroque art became a utilitarian tool in relation to those wielding absolute power. With regards to the Catholic Church an explanation was already given earlier. Concerning royalty, the nobility and wealthy merchants, it was a way of displaying opulence and status.ReferencesReich, J. & Cunningham, L. (2005). Cultures and Values: A Survery of the Humanities. CA: Thomson Wadsworth. Marien, M. (2004). Fleming’s Arts and Ideas. CA: Thomson Wadsworth. Kimmel, M. (1988). Absolutism and Its Discontents: State and Society in Seventeenth Century France and England. New Jersey: Transaction, Inc. Kleiner, F. & Mamiya, C. (2005). Gardner’s Art Through the Ages: The Western Perspective. CA: Thomson Wadsworth. Wilson, P. (2000). Absolutism in Central Europe. New York: Routledge.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Business Society Planet

By accessing different articles discussing the concept named â€Å"The Triple Bottom Line†, I have developed the fundamental knowledge associated with one of the vital factors of sustainability and its impact on the global business. In the process of investigation, I have gained the significant understanding by reviewing the work developed by Timothy F. Slapher, who is a Ph.D. from Indiana University. Thanks to the particular work, I achieved the suitable perception regarding the meaning and concepts of the triple bottom line (TBL) and its applicability to the business (Bocken, et al., 2014). Over the past decade, maintaining or achieving sustainability is one of the key goals of the companies, whether it is a profit making, non-profit, or government enterprise.   From the different research works conducted by the previous scholars and academics, I have observed that the businesses from multiple genres find it challenging to measure the required degree of sustainability rega rding the operations and activities. Therefore, measuring the required level of sustainability is an unavoidable approach for the modern day businesses to ensure the achievement of sustainable growth (Boons & Là ¼deke-Freund, 2013). Different researchers like John Elkington strove to measure the sustainability during the mid-1990s by encompassing a unique framework gauging the performance of the corporate businesses of America. From the overall analysis of the theoretical works developed related to TBL, I have obtained the understanding that the particular factor reflects a useful accounting framework incorporating three magnitudes of performance: social, financial, and environmental (Bocken, et al., 2013). All of these perspectives apply to the operations of the business organizations to ensure the induction of ecological and social measures, which creates some significant challenges in different sectors. By the application of different studies, I have gained the knowledge that there are â€Å"five types of sustainable capital available for the business†. These capitals are responsible for shaping up the goods and services produced by the firm with the inclusion of quality. The identified process subsequently helps to promote the enhancement of healthy lives within the respective society. The five forms of capitals are known as manufacturing capital, financial capital, social capital, human capital, and natural capital (Seuring, 2013). I identify the suitable differentiation regarding these five individual types through analysing a project developed to provide appropriate explanation. In case of the natural capital, it refers to the available stock or energy of the business responsible for producing the goods or services for the community. The stock may include the renewable or non-renewable resources or the major processes like the climate regulations. On the other hand, human capital in the form of knowledge, skills, and motivation of the individuals are also liable to produce the product by the business. Social capital deals with the institutions helping to develop the human capital by the productive collaborations from others like the businesses, communities, or trade unions (Welford, 2013). Manufacturing capital suggests the fixed assets or materials supporting the production process. Lastly, financial capital plays the most important role to the overall economy while providing understanding to the business regarding the types of capital to be owned or traded. Combining all of these capitals in the right place to produce the goods or services is a highly challenging task for the global businesses, as the process requires the suitable availability of needful sources.   Dunphy et al. (2003) have identified â€Å"The Six Phases of Business Approaches to Sustainability† stating six framing principles for the designing the economic models of the organizations in a non-linear world. Based on the analysis of the particular work, I understand that these policies should need to be treated as the philosophy for the organizations and the business practices must need to be developed accordingly. The concepts of these principles are based on managing uncertainty, ability to adopt, maintaining openness, developing the participatory cultures and tools, shaping up a value-based approach, and establishing the system of change (Kolk & Buuse, 2013). All of these concepts are needed to be maintained by the business for promoting the development of a sustainable presence in the modern day environment. In the process of managing uncertainty, organizations face challenges diagnostically regarding the detection of underlying patterns and hidden relationships drivi ng the particular type of chaos. On the other hand, the modern day business environment is highly competitive and dynamically changing (Seuring, 2013). Therefore, the global companies are facing a considerable amount of difficulty regarding the ability to adapt and response accordingly while continuously learning to become agile. Lastly, I have come to know about some important examples where businesses successfully able to adopt the sustainable requirements to become a sustainable organization in the global context. The leading names like Starbucks and Ford have adopted the best practices required to develop sustainable business operations through changing and modifying their policies (Bocken, et al., 2014). Specifically, I have observed that the activities of these companies are altered dramatically by considering the critical climate change policies identified by their respective country government.   Bocken, N. M. P., Short, S. W., Rana, P., & Evans, S. (2014). A literature and practice review to develop sustainable business model archetypes.Journal of cleaner production,  65, 42-56. Bocken, N., Short, S., Rana, P., & Evans, S. (2013). A value mapping tool for sustainable business modelling.  Corporate Governance,  13(5), 482-497. Boons, F., & Là ¼deke-Freund, F. (2013). Business models for sustainable innovation: state-of-the-art and steps towards a research agenda.  Journal of Cleaner Production,  45, 9-19. Kolk, A., & Buuse, D. (2013). Business models for sustainable energy development.  The European Financial Review,  2013(April-May), 64-69. Seuring, S. (2013). A review of modeling approaches for sustainable supply chain management.  Decision support systems,  54(4), 1513-1520. Welford, R. (2013).  Hijacking environmentalism: Corporate responses to sustainable development. Routledge.  

Friday, September 27, 2019

The Importance of Human Resource Management in the Management Dissertation

The Importance of Human Resource Management in the Management Strategic - Dissertation Example This essay stresses that HRM role is the provision of assistance in HRM issues to line employees, or those directly involved in producing the organization’s goods and services.† In order to achieve the goals of an organization the services of human resources should be acquired and their skills have to be developed by motivating them to achieve higher levels in their performance and assure their continuous services along with commitment to their jobs. This paper declares that HRM is â€Å"the strategic approach to managing employment relations which emphasizes that leveraging people’s capabilities is critical to achieving sustainable competitive advantage. This is achieved through a distinctive set of integrated employment policies, programs and practices.† HRM is the basic function of all management actions and it has developed from different chains of ideas. Thus HRM function can be divided into; body of management functions and approaches adopted in order to execute the different management activities. When the employees of an organization are used effectively the company stands to gain in meeting its objectives advantageously. Every employee has to be motivated and encouraged in order to get the best out of him/her. Training imparted by the organization to its skilled personnel or unskilled workers should be of high standards, so that management can get the best from each employee.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Imperialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Imperialism - Essay Example Like many other terms in the popular lexicon, imperialism is one that finds its use in bolstering the emotional appeals of populist arguments. Rarely are the words â€Å"imperial† or â€Å"imperialism† found in rational debate about political life and moral obligations; this is because these terms have grown to adopt connotations that hold purely emotional value for those who use them. That is, an accusation of imperialism is an accusation of civic viciousness: the will to destroy native cultures and to bind indigenous populations commercially to Western capitalism, itself an enslaving and demeaning force in the world, according to the worldviews of those of who use â€Å"imperialism† as an all-encompassing emotional plea. However, the meaning of the term is quite different from how it is used in public discourse, reflecting a changing philosophical attitude of the history from which the world has seemingly emerged and actually causing a fundamental misunderstand ing of one’s own social history in which â€Å"imperialism† referred to something concrete and not just purely theoretical. Regardless of what imperialism means to most people who use the word in common speak, its actual historical definition is quite clear: it is the belief in empire-building, the policy of extending the rule or influence of a country over other countries or colonies (Schurmann). As such, a belief is not a terrible thing in the world; it is only a mental idea, much like the idea of murdering someone ought not to be a crime. Of course, this belief in empire-building can, in some cases, be inspired by a best-intentions philosophy: that it is the moral duty of strong, capitalist nations to bring their way of life to primitive, warn-torn cultures in order to modernize these groups. This belief, known as the White Man’s Burden, has become associated with Eurocentric racism and the Eurocentric aspiration to dominate the

Strategy in practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Strategy in practice - Essay Example At this point emphasis should be made to the following fact: the strategy is not set by any member of the organization; it can be only defined by the organization’s leader (De Wit and Meyer 2010, p.502). Of course, other members of the organization, such as line managers, can have a role in the formulation of organization strategy but this role is limited, usually referring to the provision of information for the performance/ problems of their unit (De Wit and Meyer 2010, p.502). When setting the strategy of the organization leaders can take into consideration the comments of employees in various organizational departments; these comments can affect the organization’s strategy only at the level that the leader of the organization will decide (De Wit and Meyer 2010, p.502). The most important characteristic of strategy is the following: it refers to ‘all functions and parts of the organization’ (Toma 2010, p.16-17). Nestle was first established in Switzerland in 1866 (Nestle, Organizational website, History). Through the decades the company has managed to expand globally, a strategy that has been followed by the increase of the business objectives/ areas of operations. Indeed, in 1866 Nestle has been solely a milk factory; today the business is considered as one of the leaders in the food industry in general (Nestle, Organizational website, History). The strategy of Nestle is incorporated in a graph presented through the organizational website (Figure 1, Appendices). According to the particular graph the strategy of Nestle is divided into three parts (Organizational website, Strategy): a) the firm’s Competitive Advantages; the R&D department of the organization and its extended portfolio of brands are considered as the firm’s major advantages, b) the Growth Drivers: in this category emphasis is given to the firm’s reputation as a firm promoting health through its high-quality food products. At the same

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Bill of Rights - Freedom of religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bill of Rights - Freedom of religion - Essay Example The documentation of religious beginning in America is found in the Mayflower Compact of 1620 which is a common referencing material. In 1648, the â€Å"Lauues and Liberty† of Massachusetts adopted banishment as the punishment to any person who criticized the baptizing of infants. Execution was put forward as the punishment for any one who worshiped any other God rather than the Lord God. The witch, blasphemer or a child who cursed their parents were executed through capital punishment. In 1648 and 1688, a total of five women were put to death because of practicing witchcraft and 16 other practitioners of witchcraft were put to death through hanging on the Salem Common in 1692. In 1660, Mary Dyer who was a Quaker was hanged On Boston Common after it was alleged she refused to stop preaching that the baptizing of infants was wrong and people may have a direct relationship with God without clergy intervening. In year 1659 and 1661, three other Quakers were hanged on the Boston C ommon for heresy. The Puritans of Massachusetts and the Anglicans believed in God, Slavery and witchcraft but they did not believe in religious freedom. (Gunn, 2004, p 442)1(Gunn, 2004, p 442) In 1649, the Catholic Maryland adopted the â€Å"Act Concerning Religion† .This act protected Protestants and Catholics who professed to believe in Jesus Christ from being prosecuted by puritans 2(Feldberg, 2002, p 8). However, the law later established a death penalty among the people who did not believe in trinity and prevented any critical utterances against the evangelists, the virgins and the apostles. Many of the legislators saw the law as helping to reduce religious conflicts but the Puritans of Maryland opposed it because it was very negligent and later requested the American Puritans to suppress the law. When Cromwell came into power in England, the Puritans of Maryland and Virginia joined other groups in ousting the Catholics and the Act was revoked in 1654. As a result, four Catholics were executed, all Catholics priest were exiled and Jesuit estates vandalized. The Maryland experiment in tolerating of religious ideologies only lasted for five years. (Gunn, 2004, p 443) In the 17th and 18th centuries, anti-catholic, laws discriminating against Catholics existed through out colonies. In some instances, the Huguenots who had fled from France supported the legislation. The Pennsylvanians who for along time resisted the anti-catholic laws that prohibited Catholics to hold political office and from voting also embraced the laws. In 1774, the English parliament adopted the Act of Quebec Act which provided religious freedoms to all catholic in her colonies. The Continental Congress and the legislatures in America condemned the Act for establishing an act of tyranny even though; the Act provided partial freedom to Catholics. Thus freedom of religion became the first right to be identified in the Bill of Right. The problem was that the statement of â€Å"free e xercises of religion† was omitted in the fist constitution on the Bill of Right. In 1787, the congress debates led to the adoption of the Bill of Rights but they did not assert that the freedom of religion was above other rights. Even after the Bill of Rights and the constitution was ratified, freedom of religion did not manifest itself uniformly since anti-catholism was prevailing in all protestant settlements. In the 18 century, the prominent personalities in America who struggled for religious liberty like Thomas Jefferson engaged in the condemnation of anti-catholism. John jay sponsored a law which was meant to deny the Catholics political rights unless they gave up their allegiance to the pope. (Gunn, 2004, p 444) In 1786,

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Critiquing a Position Description in Relation to Health Promotion Essay

Critiquing a Position Description in Relation to Health Promotion - Essay Example The human resource manager, which is a position I would like to apply for, is well established to pursue the identification, assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion programs. The human resource manager already addresses health promotions activities such as personal employee wellbeing, ensuring a stress free working environment, and promoting mental wellbeing by ensuring the employees have time for debriefing and breaks. Health promotion is recognised under the docket of management, with a project manager or health promotion director mandated to run the program (O'Connor-Fleming & Parker 2001, p.112). However, I argue that the health promotion should be under the directorship of the human resource manager who has the capacity to develop workplace structures to ensure safe workplace environments. Agreeably, health promotion does not primarily focus on safe workplace, but incorporates aspects of this role of the human resource manager, namely personal wellbeing, safe facilities, and ensuring safety. This assumption is derived from the description of health promotion that it comprises of educational, organisational, and environmental activities designed to promote employee health and safety including that of their families (Chenoweth 2000, p.5). The activities lead to an improvement of health and wellbeing among the community members, and help in maintaining good mental, physical, economic, and social wellbeing, that facilitates the improvement of the workplace and employee productivity. As noted in the introduction, the human resource manager develops with some of the activities attributed with health promotion. These include ensuring mental wellbeing by facilitating debriefing sessions and ensuring employees have times for breaks, promoting a stress free environment, and looking after personal wellness, including physical fitness, self-confidence, job satisfaction, emotional well-being, and motivation as part of safe workplace programs (McNamara 2009). Furthermore, efficient working environment and health promotion is enhanced when the human resource management is part of decision-making because health promotion involve the human component, which is the work of the human resource department (Erven 2008). Despite the work already being done by the human resource manager and the potential in health promotion, some of the aspects of health promotion are dependent on the higher management, whereas they would be more effective under the human resource management. The health promotion attributes left out of the human resource manager docket include programme planning, advocacy, lobbying, networking, and implementation of activities classified as health promotion. These activities have been under higher management that mostly appoints a health educator to address the educational approaches, and ensure information transmission as well as planning and evaluation of the programmes (O'Connor-Fleming & Parker 2001, p.115). Instead, these should be part of the human resource manager, who can pursue effective methods of planning through to evaluation of the programme activities. Agreeably, even when the aspects of health promotion are embedded with human resource manager's duties, critical integration should be addressed to ensure the manager maintains all the critical phases. The

Monday, September 23, 2019

Financial Crisis and Their Possible Solutions Essay

Financial Crisis and Their Possible Solutions - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that financial crisis affected most parts of the world. It began in the US after the Difficulties in the US submarine market that had rapidly rocketed and spilled all over the world. Bordo et al find that the frequency of the financial crisis is higher than the previous one and can be comparable only to the Great Depression. It had detrimental impacts on different sectors of the economy in all countries. Reinhart, Reinhart and Rogoff have, in the past years documented the effects of the banking crisis that are typically proceeding by credit booms and asset price bubbles. They note that on average 35% real drop in housing prices stretch over a to almost six years. Equity prices fall over 55% over a period of 3 years, while output in those countries fall by 9% in two years, unemployment increases by 7% in four years while an 86% debt increase based on the pre-crisis level. Many models have documented the effects of the financial crisis. Adrian and Shin, Brunnermeier have documented a thorough review of the events preceding the financial crisis in late 2007 and early 2008. They note that the seeds of financial crisis can be traced back to the low interest rates policies adopted by the Federal Reserve and other world central banks after the collapse of the technology stock bubbles. The need for the debt securities by Asian banking institutions aided in fuelling the economic crisis. Acting as financial intermediaries, banks channel funds to potential investors. Through the process of borrowing and lending, they benefit from a diversified portfolio of risk sharing. They also act as monitors (Diamond, 1984) and streamline loans to well-organized customers (Gorton and Kahn, 1994) and other vital roles in maturity transformations. This implies that in crisis, every banking institution becomes concerned. For instance, Dell Aricia and Rajan (2008) provide that banks’ grief contributes to a decline in credit and low GDP .Fur ther evidence provides that those sectors, which heavily depend on external financing, perform relatively dismal during the banking crises. These effects are stronger and severe in developing countries. In addition, the report note that over the last two decades, banking sector continues to be complex in its modes of operations. For instance, banks use various instruments to hedge risks. However, despite the complexity banks have remained sensitive to the panics and runs. Gorton (2008) note that holders of short-term liabilities feared to fund banks as they the anticipated losses in the sector could have in their securities. The recent research proposes two theories to give a tentative explanation on the causes of the bank panics and runs. One argues that panics are undesirable events caused by random withdrawals unrelated to the changes in the real economy. Bryant (1980) and Diamond and Dybig (1983) note that agents have uncertain needs that relates to consumption. If other deposit ors believe and can even further establish the slightest of evidence, then all the agents will find it rational and imperative to redeem their claims from banking institutions and will cause the panics and banks’ runs. Another theory explains that banking crises are natural outgrowth of the business cycle. An economic slump will reduce the value of the bank resources, heightening the possibility that banks are unable to meet

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Operation Management - Honda Atlas Motors Essay Example for Free

Operation Management Honda Atlas Motors Essay COMPANY Profile Atlas Honda Limited (AHL) is a joint venture of two companies the Atlas Group and Honda Motor Co. Ltd., Japan. This company was created in 1988. The company is currently manufacturing motorcycles and auto parts. Honda motorcycles are the largest selling motorcycles in the country with matchless reputation for impressive quality, reliability and its customer service. Atlas has the country’s largest in-house manufacturing capability at its Karachi and Sheikhupura plants. AHL management is striving to modernize company operations by adapting applicable aspects of research and theory and more specifically, Honda’s unique philosophy of hard/soft technologies to the realities of Pakistani conditions. Company management structure, systems and processes are changed according to the demands of the customer, growth and new technology. Efforts are being made to develop participation at all levels of personnel in decision-making and a substantial and effective delegation has been established at levels where applicable. Various participation programs such as ‘Ala Mayar’ Quality Circles movement, launched in 1985, are strongly encouraged to allow constructive self-expression and teamwork. Atlas Honda is playing a pioneering role in creating conditions for easy and confident use of motorcycles all over the country. A vast and growing network of over 1600 motorcycles sales service and spare parts dealers has been established. In order to back up this system, Atlas has set up Technical Training Centers in Karachi and Lahore, which provide several courses of varying duration and complexity for motorcycle mechanics and users each year. Mobile training facilities take the latest know-how, technology and maintenance of motorcycles to major rural and urban centers around the country. STRATEGIC GOALS Customers * Our customers are the reason and the source of our business. It is our joint aim with our dealers to ensure that our customers enjoy the highest level of satisfaction from use of Honda Motorcycles . Quality * To ensure that our products and services meet the set standards of excellence. Local Manufacturing * To be the industry leader in indigenization of motorcycles parts. Technology * To develop and maintain distinct business advantages through continuous induction of improved hard and soft technologies. Shareholders * To ensure health and viability of business and thus safeguarding shareholders interest by maximizing profit. Payments of regular satisfactory dividends and adding value to the shares. Employees * To enhance and continuously up-date each members capabilities and education and to provide an environment which encourages practical expression of the individuals potential in goal directed team efforts and compensate them attractively according to their abilities and performance. Corporate Citizens * To comply with all government laws and regulation, to maintain high standard of ethics in all operations and to act as a responsible members of the community. BUSINESS ISSUES IMPACT High Price of Products Difficult to maintain high quality production at high market demand Complexity in coordination and communication among facilities, vendors and two geographical locations i.e. Karachi and Sheikhupura plants Slow response or long lead-time from the vendors

Friday, September 20, 2019

Effect of Homeopathic Treatment on Insomnia

Effect of Homeopathic Treatment on Insomnia CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Introduction Insomnia is a major health concern particularly when individuals develop dependency and problematic withdrawal symptoms related to conventional prescription drugs. Approximately 27% of the adult male population and 31% of the adult female population in South Africa suffer from insomnia (Strangers et al., 2012). Insomnia disorder is characterized by one or more of the following: difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early morning waking, and non-refreshing sleep (South African Association of Sleep Medicine, n.d.). Current conventional treatment for insomnia includes psychological and drug therapies. Conventional medication for insomnia is limited and has its drawbacks (Moch, 2011). While continued research and development is ongoing to broaden the clinical evidence on the use of homeopathic remedies in the treatment of insomnia to further establish its benefits, current information suggests that the effect of individualised homeopathic treatment has not been researc hed to date in females with insomnia disorder. Aim of the Study The aim of this study was to determine the effect of individualised homeopathic treatment on insomnia disorder in females using detailed case studies and the Insomnia Severity Index. Null Hypothesis It is anticipated that the individualised homeopathic remedy will not be effective in the treatment of insomnia disorder in females. Hypothesis It is anticipated that the individualised homeopathic remedy will be effective in the treatment of insomnia disorder in females. Importance of the Problem CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Sleep Sleep can be defined as a state of reversible unconsciousness in which the brain becomes less responsive to external stimuli (Schupp Hanning, 2003). Although the amount of sleep a person needs varies, most individuals need an average of six to eight hours of sleep a night in order to feel refreshed (Attele et al., 2000). Numerous physiological processes are regulated during sleep and therefore it is a universal need that is essential for well-being (Moch, 2011). 2.2 The Physiology of Sleep Normal sleep is divided into two distinctive states: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, which can be differentiated by an electroencephalogram (EEG) (Schupp Hanning, 2003). Normal sleep begins with NREM sleep and progresses through deeper NREM stages, before the first episode of REM sleep occurs about 80 to 100 minutes later. Thereafter, a sleep cycle, which is the alternation of periods of NREM and REM sleep, lasts approximately 90 minutes and recurs 3 to 7 times per night. NREM sleep is more prominent and deeper than REM sleep during the first half of the night; NREM constitutes the main sleep activity. NREM sleep is shallow during the second half of the night, and the proportion of REM sleep gradually increases during each subsequent sleep cycle (Carlstedt, 2010). Figure 2.1 shows EEG graphs of these sleep stages. 2.2.1 NREM Sleep NREM sleep appears as wakefulness-maintaining mechanisms decline. NREM sleep is divided into 4 stages (Lee-Chiong, 2006): Stage 1: an individual first enters stage 1. The EEG is difficult to distinguish from the waking EEG of a drowsy person, theta wave activity occurs, and heart rate and muscle tension begin to decrease. During this early stage of sleep an occasional muscle jerk, usually of an arm or leg, referred to as myoclonus may be experienced. This experience is often accompanied by a brief visual image, such as tripping or falling (Freberg, 2009). Stage 2: after 10 to 15 minutes in stage 1, the individual enters stage 2 NREM sleep. The EEG shows sleep spindles and K-complexes, which reflect the brain’s effort to maintain sleep while monitoring the external environment. Heart rate and muscle tension further reduce. During this stage the individual is able to sleep through familiar stimuli, but wakes in response to unfamiliar stimuli (Freberg, 2009). Stage 3 and 4: after approximately 15 minutes in stage 2, the individual enters stage 3 and stage 4 NREM sleep, also referred to as slow-wave sleep. In both stages, the EEG shows delta wave activity, however, stage 3 differs from stage 4 in the sense that a greater proportion of stage 4 consists of delta waves. During these stages heart rate, blood pressure and core temperature are at their lowest levels. Awakening the individual during these stages is difficult and disorientating (Freberg, 2009). 2.2.2 REM Sleep REM sleep is also referred to as paradoxical sleep because while the EEG resembles the waking EEG, it is accompanied by reduced skeletal muscle tone of stage 3 and stage 4 NREM sleep, except in the eye where rapid eye movements (saccadic eye movements) occur. These saccadic eye movements are small, fast, jerky movements, which bring the eye from one visual fixation point to another and may be associated with watching the visual images of dreams (Sanoop et al., 2012). Despite the apparently alert EEG it is more difficult to awaken an individual from REM sleep than it is to awaken them from slow-wave sleep. In addition, there is an increase in blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate, as well as increased blood flow to the genitals. Control of core temperature is poor during this state of sleep (Wagner Silber, 2004). During REM sleep the EEG becomes desynchronised and low voltage fast activity is seen, PGO (ponto-geniculo-occipital) spikes also appear, which is characteristic o f REM sleep (Sanoop et al., 2012). SLEEP STAGES ON AN EEG Figure 2.1 Different Stages of Sleep as seen on an EEG (Source: J. A. Horne. (1998). Why We Sleep: The Functions of Sleep in Humans and Other Animals. Oxford Uni. Press, England) 2.3 The Function of Sleep There are 3 theories accredited to the function of sleep: Energy conservation theory: according to this theory, energy expenditure that has occurred during waking hours recovers during sleep (OrthoApnea, 2012). Two mechanisms explain how sleep is able to conserve energy. First, sleep reduces energy expenditure by indirectly reducing activity; this mechanism is also active when individuals are awake, but inactive. Secondly, sleep reduces energy expenditure below that achieved by quiet wakefulness by causing a change in physiology (Kryger et al., 2011). Findings that endothermic mammals, including humans, reduce their core temperature and metabolic rate during sleep to support the waking demands support this theory (Kothare Kotagal, 2011). Restorative theory: this theory suggests that the function of sleep is to restore physiological and biochemical processes that have been depleted during waking hours. Indirect evidence supports this presumption: There is an increased release of growth hormone by the pituitary gland following sleep onset Endogenous anabolic steroids are released during specific stages of sleep There is an increased rate of bone growth, as well as increased mitosis of lymphocytes during sleep During sleep, genes involved in brain protein synthesis, myelin formation, synaptic vesicle turnover, lipid metabolism, and membrane maintenance are unregulated (Kothare Kotagal, 2011). Learning and memory theory: this theory proposes that sleep is necessary for brain plasticity, which is essential in the processes of learning and memory. Several studies have shown that sleep improves learning and memory without task repetition, which suggests that information processing and long-term memory consolidation are enhanced during sleep (Kothare Kotagal, 2011). 2.4 Insomnia 2.4.1 Definition and Description of Insomnia Insomnia is defined as the inability to obtain an adequate duration or quality of sleep (National Sleep Foundation, n.d.). It is characterized by one or more of the following: difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, early morning waking, and non-refreshing sleep (South African Association of Sleep Medicine, n.d.). Insomnia occurs despite an adequate time and opportunity for sleep and results in impairment in daytime functioning (World Health Organisation, 2009). 2.4.2 Incidence, Epidemiology and Demographics of Insomnia Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder and the second most common overall complaint reported in primary healthcare settings (Attarian, 2004), with approximately 30% of the general adult population in South Africa occasionally suffering from insomnia. Insomnia is present in around 50% of individuals treated in a clinical setting and about 10% of these individuals suffer from persistent insomnia. Although insomnia affects individuals of almost every demographic, complaints of insomnia increase with age, and women are more affected than men (Truter, 2008). 2.4.3 Insomnia in Females Epidemiological studies comparing the prevalence of insomnia between the genders all report a higher prevalence amongst females. Studies have shown that there is an increased prevalence of insomnia amongst younger females, even in adolescent girls, compared to their age-matched male counterparts. One of the most common perimenopausal symptoms in women aged between 35 and 55 is insomnia (Grewal Doghramji, 2010). Biological differences in sex hormones may contribute to the gender difference in insomnia. For some women, insomnia may arise secondary to menstrual symptoms e.g. headaches, bloating, cramping and breast tenderness. Sleep disturbances during menstrual periods are associated with alterations in progesterone, prolactin and melatonin levels. Melatonin modulation by sex hormones may cause dysregulation of sleep-wake mechanisms (Soares, 2005). Insomnia occurs in approximately half of all menopausal women and may be directly associated with the presence of hot flushes. Nocturnal hot flushes may cause repeated awakenings throughout the night. Menopausal women experiencing hot flushes report more frequent awakenings, inefficient sleep, and poor quality sleep, compared with those who do not experience hot flushes. Temperature-regulating and sleep-regulating centers in the brain may be disturbed by changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian hormone levels that occur during menopause, resulting in hot flushes and insomnia (Soares, 2005). In addition, increased levels of psychological distress have also been postulated as potential contributors to insomnia in women; including social changes, stress associated with the â€Å"empty nest† syndrome, nursing aging parents or family members, separation from life partners due to divorce or death (Soares, 2005). 2.4.4 Classification of Insomnia Insomnia may be situational (acute), persistent, or recurrent. Situational insomnia lasts for a few days up to a few weeks and is usually caused by life events or rapid changes in environment or sleep schedules. Once the precipitating event subsides, the insomnia usually resolves. In some individuals, insomnia may persist for a long period of time after the initiating event, possibly due to conditioning and heightened arousal; conditioned arousal may then persist and lead to persistent insomnia. However, in some individuals, insomnia may have an insidious onset where no identifiable cause can be found. Insomnia may also be episodic, with recurrent episodes of sleep difficulties occurring during stressful events (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). According to the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition), insomnia disorder is classified as: A predominant complaint of dissatisfaction with sleep quantity or quality, associated with one (or more) of the following symptoms: difficulty initiating sleep; difficulty maintaining sleep, characterized by frequent awakenings or problems returning to sleep after awakenings; and/or early-morning awakening with inability to return to sleep The sleep disturbance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, educational, academic, behavioural, or other important areas of functioning. The sleep difficulty occurs at least 3 nights per week. The sleep difficulty is present for at least 3 months. The sleep difficulty occurs despite adequate opportunity for sleep. The insomnia is not better explained by and does not occur exclusively during the course of another sleep-wake disorder (e.g., narcolepsy, a breathing-related sleep disorder, a circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder, a parasomnia). The insomnia is not attributable to the physiological effects of a substance (e.g., a drug of abuse, a medication). Coexisting mental disorders and medical conditions do not adequately explain the predominant complaint of insomnia (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). 2.4.5 Signs and Symptoms of Insomnia Symptoms and signs of insomnia include lying awake for extended periods of time before being able to fall asleep, waking up several times during the night (sleeping for short periods of time), waking up early in the morning with an inability to fall back to sleep and/or waking up in the morning feeling unrefreshed or tired (NIH, 2011). 2.4.6 Predisposing, Precipitating and Perpetuating Factors of Insomnia Factors that predispose an individual to insomnia include: genetics, personality traits, psychologic arousal (eg. anxiety, agitation, and heightened vigilance), and time of day sleep-wake preference (Lee-Chiong, 2008). One theory is that physiological hyperarousal may be a predisposing factor for insomnia; research has shown that individuals with insomnia disorder have an increased metabolic rate, increased secretion of ACTH, increased beta activity in the EEG, a more rapid increase in heart rate in response to stress, and increased daytime alertness despite having a shorter sleeping period. Another predisposing factor for insomnia may be a decreased homeostatic drive for sleep; research has shown that patients with insomnia disorder do not have the same increase in slow-wave sleep following sleep deprivation that is seen in those without insomnia. A decreased sleep drive would make it more difficult to initiate and maintain sleep under baseline as well as sleep-deprived conditions ( Lee-Chiong, 2006). Insomnia is a symptom with numerous and diverse aetiologies, and in a large percentage of the population more than one cause may be present; these include: stressful life events such as conflicts in the workplace, marital distress, or final examinations; a change of usual habits; sudden changes in sleep-wake schedules caused by jet lag or changes in work shifts; environmental disturbances such as excessive noise or light in the bedroom; medication use or medication withdrawal; substance abuse; and chronic medical or psychiatric conditions. Examples of chronic medical conditions include: any condition associated with pain, respiratory or cardiac diseases associated with paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea, renal failure, hyperthyroidism, and neurodegenerative diseases (Lee-Chiong, 2006). Perpetuating factors are cognitive and behavioural changes that occur after an individual has had insomnia for a period of time. Cognitive changes that occur include preoccupation with sleep during the day, as well as a fear of not being able to sleep and fear of daytime impairment. This leads to tension at bedtime, and upon waking up during the night. Behavioural changes include keeping irregular sleep-wake schedules, taking naps during the day, staying in bed in an attempt to gain more sleep, and engaging in stimulating activities during the night. Individuals often make these changes in response to their insomnia, in an attempt to get more sleep; however, while these changes may relieve insomnia in the short-term, they promote insomnia in the long-term (Lee-Chiong, 2006). 2.4.7 Consequences of Insomnia Insomnia may result in feelings of fatigue and sleepiness. A number of individuals complain of mood disturbances and cognitive difficulties such as irritability, mild anxiety and depression; they may also complain of poor memory and concentration, and difficulty performing complex mental tasks. Because of the irritability and fatigue that is associated with insomnia, interpersonal difficulties may result; on the other hand, interpersonal difficulties may be the cause of insomnia. Insomnia may result in restriction of daytime activities, such as work, exercise and social events. This lack of regular daytime activity may in turn contribute to insomnia. In addition to these, insomnia may exacerbate symptomatology of co-morbid disease, and may herald the onset of mood disturbances (Schutte-Rodin et al., 2008). 2.5 Measurements used to asses Insomnia 2.5.1 The Insomnia Severity Index The Insomnia Severity Index is a 7-item questionnaire that provides a global measure of an individual’s perceived insomnia severity based on the following indicators: difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and early morning awakenings; satisfaction with sleep; degree of impairment with daytime functioning; degree to which impairments are noticeable; and distress or concern with insomnia. Each item is rated on a 5 point Likert scale, and the total score ranges from 0-28. The ISI has good internal consistency and test-retest reliability. It has proven to be sensitive to therapeutic changes in several treatment studies of insomnia. This instrument can be used to evaluate the initial severity of insomnia, as well as the clinical significance of improvements achieved during the treatment of insomnia (Edinger Carney, n.d.) 2.6 Treatment of Insomnia 2.6.1 Pharmacological Treatment

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Education: The Idea of A University Essay -- Sociology Sociological Es

Education: The Idea of A University It is true that every human being should have the right to a formal education. A great majority of parents send their children off to Kindergarten (or preschool if they should be so fortunate) in the hopes that someday they will watch their child receive his or her high school diploma. And the dream continues in the form of college. And who are these people who are privileged enough to receive such an honor. Just that...the privileged and the honored. The ones who are embarking into higher academia are the ones of the upper and middle classes; the privileged; the honored. The ones who might not have the money; but have the grades or physical talent to obtain scholarships. And what happens to the rest? For some kids, high school is where it ends. Some will go on to work for a family business, get a job in a drug store, travel and see the world or get married and have a family. Some will not be so fortunate and may not even make it out of high school. The kindergarten class where all of these youngsters started out together has now been divided into two groups: the educated and the uneducated. The effects of poverty and life circumstance have made their way into people’s lives transforming them into the "people that don’t go to college." Having defined these two distinct groups of people, it is time to examine their relationship. How do, more appropriately how should a society and a university interact and relate to one another? In answering this question I would like to examine two notions. First, how it is that people learn and become educated. Second, how can these people, belonging to both the "university" community and the "common" community, be linked together. I would like to b... ... educated from the uneducated, defined as humanities. Giving students the "know-how" to get along in the world was deemed just as important and the actual knowledge that one has obtained. The subject of formal knowledge was also brought to the table. Another way to link the university and society together is to use the canon as a common core. Making this canon accessible to everyone is essential if there is to be a merging between these two worlds. Works Cited Rose, M. "Lives on the Boundary." The Presence of Others: Voices and Images That Call for Response. Eds. Andrea A. Lunsford & John J. Ruszkiewicz. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 105-119. Spayde, J. "Learning in the Key of Life." The Presence of Others: Voices and Images That Call for Response. Eds. Andrea A. Lunsford & John J. Ruszkiewicz. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's. 2000. 58-64.

Wondrous Strange :: Character Analysis, Kelley Winslow

Life is the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death. â€Å"It is believed that in life no one can change your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change† (de Angelis, Barbra). The struggles that the main character, Kelley Winslow, faces strongly affects herself, as well as drives the plot for the reason that she struggles with the decisions she makes, she encounters physical hardships as well as mental that allows her to eventually find her identity. Some people may say that a person has not found themselves; however, you do not find yourself. People create ones self. During the process of creating ones self, you have to know what you fear, and what you cannot live without. Kelley learns what she is afraid of, and who she does not want to lose. â€Å"†¦fear of losing him, sorrow of what he has already risked for her† (Livingston 274). In the novel Kelley finds out that she is adopted. â€Å"Emma†¦ Was I†¦ adopted† (Livingston 222). In continuation to this, Kelley learns from her aunt, Emma, that she is adopted. She also leans more about where she came from, who her birth parents are, and about faerie history. This proves that Kelley wants to know more about where she came from, which leads to making her own identity. In order to create herself, Kelley needs to know more about her heritage. She also learns what she likes, and does not like and what she wants to do with her life. â€Å"Kell ey was speechless. She dreamed of this†¦ This is it. This is my big break!† (Livingston 5), â€Å"Kelley was a Faerie princess. In defiance of the Faerie king, she had taken up her destiny on her terms" (Livingston 316-317). This shows that she accepts herself, in addition to gaining her goals. Kelley Winslow goes went through a huge development, and journey in finding herself, even through the many obstacles she faces. Decision is a mental process you conduct to result in a making of a selection of a choice. Kelley Winslow had made various decisions throughout her life, which had made an impact on her characteristics. Kelley says, â€Å"Hey! Do you need help?" (Livingston 32).

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Prenatal Diagnostic Tests and the Social, Legal, and Ethical Implicatio

Prenatal Diagnostic Tests and the Social, Legal, and Ethical Implications Introduction Jackie and Michael are expecting their first baby. Jackie is 32 years old and is in good health. She is 15 weeks pregnant and wants to do everything possible to ensure a healthy baby. Even though they do not have risk factors within their families, she and Michael decide to have an amniocentesis. The results indicate that their baby is a female with Turner Syndrome. This condition is caused by a missing X chromosome and results in short stature, ovarian failure, and medical problems involving the heart, thyroid glands, and kidneys. Some of these conditions can be treated and managed with great success. The question that arises after diagnoses is whether or not they will choose to terminate the pregnancy with an abortion or carry the child to full term. The availability of methods that determine the genetic predisposition of a fetus gives rise to a whole array of questions and issues that must be confronted as we develop policies to deal with genetic testing. In this essay, I will present current and future methods for prenatal diagnosis, ethical concerns and related problems dealing with this new technology, my personal opinion on the issue, and finally, future goals in the science of genetics. All of us are potential carriers of several deleterious recessive genes that could be lethal to our offspring if combined with another recessive allele carrying the same fate (IOM 1994). The chances of a genetic disease being passed on are 1 in 100 Americans born today (March of Dimes 1997). Because of the risks involved, many people are having prenatal tests to examine the genetic makeup of their fetuses. For many couples, this option... ...able to cure diseases we never dreamed possible, and the lives of humans will be improved eminently. References Cited Arc. Genetic Discrimination. Obtained from WWW 10/09/97: http://www.the.arc.org/depts/gbr03.html Botkin, Jeffrey R. Fetal Privacy and Confidentiality. Hastings Center Report, Sept.-Oct. 1995:32-39. Institute of Medicine. Assessing Genetic Risks. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. 1994. March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. Genetic Testing and Gene Therapy: What They Mean to You and Your Family. Obtained from WWW 10/09/97: http://ubeclu.unibe.ch/insel/GENETEST.HTML Mattei, Jean-Francois. Prenatal Diagnosis. World Health, No. 5, Sept.-Oct. 1996:22-23. Morejon, Diana Punales. Commentary. Hastings Center Report, May-June 1996:21-22. Weatherall, D.J. The New Genetics and Clinical Practice. Oxford University Press, 1991.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Psychosocial Effects Of Aging Health And Social Care Essay

Geriatricss is a subdivision of medical specialty covering with the aged and the jobs of the ripening. The field geriatrics includes of unwellness bar and direction, wellness care, and publicities of quality of life for the aged. Research on a broad assortment subject ramping from household facets of aging economic resources, and the bringing of long-run attention provinces that gender, race, ethnicity, and societal category systematically influenced the quality of the experience of aging. The experience of aging consequences from interaction of physical, mental, societal and cultural factors. Aging varies across civilizations. Culturally, aging every bit good as the intervention of the aged, is frequently determined by the values of an cultural group. Culture besides may find the manner the older individual views the procedure of aging every bit good as the mode in a more heterogenous aged population than any coevals that proceed it can be expected. Health attention professionals wi ll necessitate to cognize non merely diseases and upsets common to a specific age group but those common to a peculiar cultural group every bit good. An grasps of backgrounds can assist the wellness attention professional provide a personal attack when covering with and run intoing the demands of aged patients. Aging is a board construct that includes physical alterations in people ‘s organic structures over big life, psychological alterations in their heads and mental capacities, societal psychological alterations in what they think and believe, and societal alterations in how they are viewed, what they expected of them. Aging is invariably germinating construct. Impressions are a biologic age is more critical than chronologic age when finding wellness position of the aged is valid. Aging is an single and highly variable procedure. The functional capacity of major organic structure organs varies with progressing age. As one grows older, environmental and lifestyle factors aff ect the age-related functional alterations in the organic structure organ. The bulk of the aged seen in the wellness attention puting have been diagnosed with at least one chronic status. Persons who in the seventiess would non be able to last a debilitating unwellness, such as malignant neoplastic disease or a ruinous wellness events like a bosom onslaught, can now populate for more drawn-out periods of clip, sometimes with a assortment of coincident enfeebling conditions. Although age is the most consistent and strongest forecaster of hazard for malignant neoplastic disease and for decease from malignant neoplastic disease, Management of the aged malignant neoplastic disease patient becomes complex because other chronic conditions, such as degenerative arthritis, diabetes, chronic clogging pneumonic disease ( COPD ) , and bosom disease, must besides be considered in their attention. The attitude of wellness attention suppliers towards older grownups affect their wellness attention. Unfortunately, research indicates that wellness attention professionals are significantly more negative in their attitudes towards older patients than younger 1s. This attitude must alter if the wellness attention supplier is to hold a positive interaction with the aged patient. These attitude appear to be related to the permeant stereotyping of the aged, which serves to warrant avoiding attention and contact with them, every bit good as being reminders of our ain mortality. Ageism is a term used to depict the stereotyping of and favoritism against aged individuals and is conside red to be similar to that of the racism and sexism. It emphasized that often the aged are perceived to be abhorrent and that a antipathy for the aging procedure itself exists. Ageism suggests that he bulk of aged are doddering, suffering most of the clip, and dependant instead than independent persons. The media have besides influenced on traveling stereotyped impressions about the aged. Health attention suppliers must larn to appreciate the positive facets of aging so that they can help the aged in holding a positive experience with their imaging process.PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS OF AGINGThe human organic structure undergoes a multiplicity of physiologic alteration 2nd by 2nd. Small considerations is given sing these alterations unless they are brought on by sudden physical, psychological, or cognitive events. Radiographers must retrieve that each aged individual they encounter is a alone person with distinguishable features. These persons have experienced a life filled with memories and achievement. Young or old, the definition of quality of life is an person and personal 1. Research has shown that wellness position is an first-class forecaster of felicity. Greater societal contact, wellness satisfaction, low vulnerable personality traits, fewer nerve-racking life events have been linked to successful aging. Self-efficacy can be defined as the degree of control one has over one ‘s hereafter. Many aged people feel they have no control over medical exigencies and fixed incomes. Many have fewer picks about their personal life agreements. These environmental factors can take to depression and decreased self-efficacy. An addition in unwellness will normally parallel a lessening in self-efficacy. The aged may see altering functions from life of independency. The household function of an grownup lovingness for kids and grandchildren may germinate into the kids caring for their lovingness aging parents. It is besides a clip of loss. Losses may include the decease of a partner and friends, every bit good as loss of income due to retirement. The loss of wellness may be the ground for the wellness attention visit. The overall loss control may take to isolation and depression in the aged. Death and death is besides an at hand fact of life. The aging procedure entirely does non likely alter the indispensable nucleus of human being. Physical unwellness is non aging, and age-related alterations in the organic structure are frequently modest in magnitude. As one ages, the inclinations to prefer slower-paced activities, take longer to larn new undertakings, go more unretentive, and lose parts of centripetal processing accomplishments increase easy but noticeably. Health attention professionals need to be reminded that aging and disease are non synonymous. The more closely a map is tied to physical capablenesss, the more likely it is to worsen with age, whereas the closer a map depends on experience, the more likely it will increase with age. Joint stiffness, weight addition, weariness and loss of bone mass can be slowed through proper nutritionary intercessions and low-impact exercising. The importance of exercising can non be overstated. Exercise has been shown addition aerophilic capacity and mental velocity. Exercise plans designed for the aged should stress increased strength, flexibleness, and endurance. One of the best forecasters of good wellness in ulterior old ages is the figure and extent of healthy life styles that were established in earlier life. The aged individual may shown lessenings in attending accomplishments during complex undertakings. Balance, coordination, strength and reaction clip all lessening with age. Falls associated with balance jobs are common in the aged population, ensuing in a demand to concentrate on walking. Not overpowering them with instructions is helpful. Their vacillation to follow instructions may be fear instilled from a old autumn. Sight, hearing, gustatory sensation and odor are all centripetal modes that decline with age. Older people have more trouble with bright visible radiations and tuning out background noise. Many aged people become expert at lip reading to counterbalance for loss of hearing. For radiographers to presume that all aged patients are difficult of hearing is non usual ; they are non speaking in a normal tone, while doing volume accommodations merely if necessary, is a good regulation of pollex. Talking easy, straight, and clearly when giving instructions allows older grownup s an chance to screen through waies and improves their ability to follow them with better truth. Cognitive damage in the aged can be caused by disease, aging, and neglect. Dementia is defined as progressive cognitive damage that finally interferes with day-to-day working. It includes cognitive, psychologic, and functional shortages including memory damage. With normal aging comes a decelerating down and a gradual have oning out of bodily systems bit it does non include dementedness. Yet the prevalence of dementedness additions with age. Persistent perturbations in cognitive operation, including memory and rational ability, accompany dementedness. Fears of cognitive loss, particularly Alzheimer ‘s disease, are widespread among older people. Alzheimer ‘s disease is the most common signifier of dementedness. Therefore wellness attention professionals are more likely to meet people with this type. The bulk of aged people work at keeping and maintaining their mental maps by remaining active through mental games and exercisings and maintaining engaged in regular conversati on. When caring for patients with any grade of dementedness, verbal conversation should be inclusive and respectful. One should ne'er discourse the patients as through they are non in the room or are non active participants in the process. One of the first inquiries asked of any patient come ining a wellness attention installations for exigency service â€Å" Do you cognize where you are and what twenty-four hours it is? † The wellness attention suppliers need to cognize merely how watchful the patient is. Although memory does worsen with age, this is experienced largely with short-run memory undertakings. Long-run memory or subconscious memory undertakings show small alteration over clip and with increasing age. There can be a assortment of grounds for confusion or freak out. Medication, psychiatric perturbation, or retirement can confound the patient. For some older people, retirement agencies making a new set modus operandis and seting to them. The bulk of seniors like construction in their lives and have familiar modus operandis for nearing each twenty-four hours.PHYSIOLOGY OF AGINGHealth and well- being depend mostly on the grade to which organ systems can successfully work together to keep internal stablen ess, With age, there is seemingly a gradual damage of these homeostatic mechanisms. Aged people experience nonuniform, gradual, on-going organ map failure in all systems. Many of the organic structure organs bit by bit lose strength with forward age. These alterations place the aged at hazard for disease or disfunction, particularly in the presence of emphasis. At some point the likeliness of unwellness, disease and decease additions. Assorted physical diseases and upset affect both mental and physical wellness of people of all ages. They are more profound among aged people because diseases and upsets among older people are more likely to be chronic in nature. Although aging is inevitable, the aging experience is extremely single and is affected by heredity, lifestyle picks physical wellness, and attitude. A great part of usual aging hazards can be modified with positive displacements in life manner. In aged, the ripening of the variety meats systems is one of the procedure where th ey need to understands and there are as list below: Integumentary systems upsets Nervous systems upsets Centripetal systems upsets Musculoskeletal systems upsets Cardiovascular systems upsets Gastrointestinal system upset Immune system diminution Respiratory system upset Hematologic system upsets Genitourinary systems upsets Endocrine systems upsets.THE RADIOGRAPHER ‘S ROLEThe function of the radiographer is no different than that of all other wellness professionals. The whole individual must be treated, non merely the manifested symptoms of an unwellness or hurt. Medical imagination and curative processs reflect the impact of ongoing systemic ripening in documentable and ocular signifiers. Adapting processs to suit disablements and disease of geriatric patients is a critical duty and a challenge based about entirely on the radiographer ‘s cognition, abilities, and accomplishment. An apprehension of the physiology and pathology of aging, in add-on to an consciousness of the economic the societal, psychologic, cognitive, and economic facets of ripening, are required to run into the demands of the aged population. Conditions typically associated with aged patient constantly require versions or alterations of everyday imagination processs. The radiographer must be able to distinguish between age related alterations and disease procedures. Production of diagnostic images necessitating professional determination doing to counterbalance for physiologic alterations, while keeping the conformity, safety, and comfort of the patient, is foundation of the contract between the aged patient and the radiographer.RADIOGRAPHIC POSITIONING FOR GERIATRIC PATIENTSThe preceding treatments and apprehension of the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial effects of aging can assist radiographers accommodate to the placement challenges of the geriatric patient. In come instances everyday scrutinies need to be modified to suit the restriction, safety, and comfort of the patient. Communicating clear instructions with the patient is of import. The undermentioned treatment references positioning suggestion for assorted constructions. The common skiagraphy scrutinies for gerontologies are: Chest Spinal column Pelvis/hip Upper appendage Lower appendage Thorax The place of pick for the chest radiogram is the unsloped place ; nevertheless, the aged patient may non be able to stand without aid for this scrutiny. The traditional posteroanterior ( PA ) place is to hold the â€Å" dorsums of custodies on hips. † This may be hard for person with impaired balance and flexibleness. The radiographer can let the patient to falsify his or her weaponries around the chest bases as a agency of support and security. The patient may non be able to keep his or her weaponries over the caput for sidelong projection of the thorax. Supply excess security and stableness while traveling the weaponries up and forwards. When the patient can non stands, The scrutiny may be done seated in a wheelchair, but some issues will impact the radiographic quality. First, the radiotherapist demand to be cognizant that the radiogram is an anteroposterior ( AP ) alternatively of a PA projection, which may do comparing hard. Hyperkyphosis can ensue in the lung vertexs being obscured, and the venters may befog the lung bases. In sitting place, respiration may be compromised, and the patient should be instructed on the importance of a deep inspiration. Positioning of the image receptor for crookback patient should be higher than normal because the shoulder and vertexs are in a higher place. Radiographic landmarks may alter with age, and the focus may necessitate to be lower, if the patient is highly crookback. When positioning the patient for the sitting sidelong chest projection, the radiographer should put a big sponge behind the patient to tilt him or her forward. Siting Chest PA Chest Standing Spinal column Radiographic spinal column scrutinies may be painful for the patient enduring from osteoporosis who is lying on the x-ray tabular array. Positioning AIDSs such as radiolucent sponge, sandbags, and a mattress may be used every bit long as the quality, of the image is non compromised. Performing unsloped radiographic scrutiny may be besides appropriate if a patient can safely digest this place. The combination of cervical hollow-back and pectoral humpback can do placement and visual image of the cervical and pectoral spinal column hard. Lateral cervical projections can be done with the patient standings, sitting, or lying supine. The AP projection in the sitting place may non visualise the upper cervical vertebrae because the mentum may befog this anatomy. In the supine place the caput may non make the tabular array and consequence in magnification. The AP and open-mouth projection are hard to make in wheelchair. The thoracic and lumbar spinal columns are sites for compaction breaks. The usage of positioning blocks may be necessary to assist the patient remain in place. For the sidelong projection, a lead blocker or shield behind the spinal column should be used to absorb every bit much spread radiation as possible. Lateral Spine PELVIS/HIP Osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and hurts as the consequence of falls contribute to hip pathologies. A common break in the aged is the femoral cervix. An AP projection of the pelvic girdle should be done to analyze the hip. If indicant is trauma, the radiographer should non try to revolve the limbs. The 2nd position taken should be a cross-table lateral of the affected hip. If hip hurting is the indicant, help the patient to internal rotary motion of the legs with the usage of sandbags if necessary. Immobilization device are topographic point to the patient pes. UPPER EXTREMITY Positioning the geriatric patient for projections of the upper appendages can show its ain challenges. Often the upper appendages have limited flexibleness and mobility. A cerebrovascular accident or shot may do contractures of the affected limb. Contracted limbs can non be forced into place, and cross-table positions may necessitate to be done. The inability of the patient to travel his or her limb should non be interpreted as a deficiency of cooperation. Supination is frequently a job in patients with contractures, breaks, and palsy. The everyday AP and sidelong projections can be supported with the usage of sponges, sandbags, and blocks to raise and back up the appendage being imaged. The shoulder is besides a site decreased mobility, disruption, and breaks. The healer should measure how much motion the patient can make before trying to travel the arm. The usage of finger sponges may besides assist with the contractures of the fingers. Hand Projection Lateral Wrist LOWER EXTREMITY The lower appendages may hold limited flexibleness and mobility. The ability to dorsiflex the mortise joint may be reduced as a consequence of neurologic upsets. Imaging on the x-ray tabular array may necessitate to be modified when a patient can non turn on his or her side. Flexure of the articulatio genus may be impaired and required a cross-table sidelong projection. If digressive projection of the kneecap, such as the Settegast method, is necessary and the patient can turn on his or her side, topographic point the image receptor superior to the articulatio genus and direct to cardinal beam perpendicular through the patellofemoral articulation. Projections of the pess and mortise joints may be obtained with the patient sitting in the wheelchair. The usage of positioning sponges and sandbags support and keep the place of the organic structure portion being imaged. AP Ankle Projection Lateral Ankle ProjectionPATIENT CAREPatient attention must be apply to geriatric patient because they all are all fragile where their bone can easy interrupt or they can be easy fainted during the scrutiny. For communications, take clip to educate the patient and his or her household, talk lower and closer, and handle the patient with self-respect and regard. Transportation and raising patient are besides be need because gerontologies patient is non stronger than normal individual. If possible, give the patient clip to rest between projection and processs. Avoid adhesive tape because aged tegument is thin and delicate. Supply warm covers in cold scrutiny suites, use table tablets and custodies tracks and ever entree the patient ‘s medical history before contrast media is administered. Take clip with the patient Immobilization DeviceDecisionThe imaging professional will go on to see a alteration in wellness attention bringing system with the dramatic displacement in the population of individuals older than age 65. This displacement in the general population is ensuing in an on-going addition in the figure of medical imagination processs preformed on aged patients. Demographic and societal effects aging find the manner in which the aged adapt to and see the procedure of aging. An person ‘s household size and perceptual experiences of aging, economic resources, gender, race, ethnicity, societal category, and the handiness and bringing of wellness attention will impact the quality of the aging experience. Biologic age will be much more critical than chronologic aging when finding the wellness position of the aged. Healthier life styles and promotion in medical intervention will make a coevals of successfully aging grownups, which in bend should diminish the nega tive stereotyping of the aged individual. Attitudes of all wellness attention professionals, whether positive or negative, will impact the attention provided to be turning aged population. Education about the mental and physiologic changes associated with aging, along with the cultural, economic and societal influences attach toing ripening, enables the radiographer to accommodate imagination and curative processs to the aged patient ‘s disablements ensuing from age-related alterations. The human organic structure undergoes a multiplicity of physiologic alterations and failure in all systems. The aging experience is affected by heredity, lifestyle picks, physical wellness, and attitude, doing it extremely individualized. No person ‘s aging procedure is predictable and is ne'er precisely the same as that of any other single. Radiologic engineers must utilize their cognition, abilities, and accomplishments to set imagination processs to suit for disablements and disease encountered with geriatric patients. Safety and comfort of the patient is indispensable in keeping conformity throughout imaging processs. Execution of accomplishments such as good communicating, listening, sensitiveness, and empathy, all lead to patient conformity. Knowledge of age-related alterations and disease procedure will heighten the radiographer ‘s ability to supply diagnostic information and intervention when supplying attention that meets the demands of the increasing aged patien t population.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Philippine Contemporary Issue-Abortion

Philippine Contemporary Issue – Abortion Why is abortion a social problem today? I think why abortion is a social problem is for the fact that not everyone agrees with that and everyone puts in their prospective. So then everyone else does to which leads into making it a big problem. The act of seeking or obtaining an abortion is not a real issue today. The personal issue of the people in the position of seeking an abortion hasn't changed with the exception that these people don't have to do it on a criminal basis from unsafe, illegal sources.Personal issues of fear of discovery, regret, guilt (or lack thereof), and what this will mean to their future and future relationships has not changed overtime Predominantly Catholic, the Philippine Islands have banned all abortion, except that which saves the life of the mother. Yet there are an average of 470,000 abortions induced annually. Filipinas do not have the same socio-political climate as they do in the United States.There is no taxi service to public abortion clinics, judicial waivers, or counseling sessions. If you are caught having an abortion in the Philippines, it’s against the law and you are thrown in jail – plain and simple. Of the women who are successful in inducing their own abortions, many go to great – and often grotesque – lengths to achieve their goal. Most of them take some form of anti-clotting or aspirin-related drugs, to induce bleeding.Some drink incredible quantities of alcohol. When all else fails, they throw themselves down flights of stairs or beat on their stomachs, with the â€Å"help† of a local midwife†¦ others self-catheter their vaginas. All of these violent practices greatly endanger the mother as well; it’s shocking that a woman would harm herself like that for an abortion. I’m not detailing this because I think pregnant Filipinas should have it cushy like they do in the States.No way! I believe just the opposite: The U nites States needs to outlaw abortion, now. I’m amazed at how desperate we are, as a civilization, to kill unborn babies and end inconvenient pregnancies. It is stunning that the world feels so entitled to its desires and personal gain that we have huge social movements trying to protect murder on demand. Think hard about that. Murder on demand – on a worldwide scale.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Comparing and Contrasting the Children in Susan Skinner’s ‘the Minnow Catching Boys’ and ‘My Parents Kept Me from Cildren Who Were Rough’ by Stephen Spender

Comparing and Contrasting the children in Susan Skinner’s ‘The Minnow Catching Boys’ and ‘My Parents Kept Me from Children who were Rough’ by Stephen Spender. In this essay I am going to discuss ‘The Minnow Catching Boys’ by Susan Skinner and ‘My Parents kept me from Children who were Rough’ by Stephen Spender. I will focus on the similarities and differences between the children in the poems in terms of their actions, the language used to describe them and their impact on the reader. The Minnow Catching Boys’ is a poem about a group of boys who very skillful and adventurous. ‘My Parents kept me from children who were rough’ is also about a group of boy bullies who really torture others a lot and play rough. The children in ‘The Minnow Catching Boys’ are described as skillful and the outdoor-type boys. This poem is based on a Victorian/older lifetime according to its facts; Boys nowadays play video games and are interested in technology or sports. This also refers to the quote â€Å"the sun burnt boys’ which means that sunscreen was not invented.I would imagine them as scruffy boys wearing a shirt with a waistcoat and knee breeches (knee length shorts from older times); all dull colours and by looking back it says ‘Breeches rolled’. The children are in a focused, competitive mood, as said in the poem, ‘Scan and dip’ as well as ‘they make bets poke and tip, their nimble catch’. ‘For they have always been here the minnow catching boys. ’ makes me think that this competitive hobby has been passed down from many generations. ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. And when they have had enough, the minnow catching boys make their way home’ makes me think these boys are very carefree.I thought quotes like ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. And a small girl who can never quite catch up calls for them to wait, but no one waitsâ€⠄¢ give me a feeling that these boys are mean and cruel or maybe just in a rush. The quote ‘ The dog shakes off in a cascade of diamonds’ is one of the most striking pieces of imagery for me because it imaginatively describe thousands of sparkling water droplets as a ‘cascade of diamonds’. The tone which this poem would be read in would be slow and suspending- long pauses. You would read this poem in this tone so you can get your audience right ‘into’ the scene-as the boys are focused and concentrating too hard.The children in ‘My Parents kept me from Children who were rough’ are described as mean, arrogant and a fierce group of bullies. I imagine them as very scruffy boys with their clothes torn; as they don’t care. I think they would be wearing the same clothes as the boys in the other poem but in an ill-suited manner. I think this poem is also set in the same time as the other poem- older times/Victorian times. This poem quotes ‘They threw words like stones’ which makes me think that these boys are rude, ill-mannered and that their insults really ‘hurt’ people- using words like weapons.These boys were also involved in physical abuses to others, which refers to the quote’ Their knees tight on my arms’. ‘They were lithe’, this quote makes me think these boys are super-fit, strong, flexible and very versatile. I think these boys look like are big headed and want to be threatening to people. Their parents might not able to control them or maybe are not even aware of their actions. ‘Muscles like iron ‘says that these boys are unbeatable and formidably strong. I would like to read this poem in a fast, envious tone, because I think that the narrator is envying these strong and super-fit boys. Comparing and Contrasting the Children in Susan Skinner’s ‘the Minnow Catching Boys’ and ‘My Parents Kept Me from Cildren Who Were Rough’ by Stephen Spender Comparing and Contrasting the children in Susan Skinner’s ‘The Minnow Catching Boys’ and ‘My Parents Kept Me from Children who were Rough’ by Stephen Spender. In this essay I am going to discuss ‘The Minnow Catching Boys’ by Susan Skinner and ‘My Parents kept me from Children who were Rough’ by Stephen Spender. I will focus on the similarities and differences between the children in the poems in terms of their actions, the language used to describe them and their impact on the reader. The Minnow Catching Boys’ is a poem about a group of boys who very skillful and adventurous. ‘My Parents kept me from children who were rough’ is also about a group of boy bullies who really torture others a lot and play rough. The children in ‘The Minnow Catching Boys’ are described as skillful and the outdoor-type boys. This poem is based on a Victorian/older lifetime according to its facts; Boys nowadays play video games and are interested in technology or sports. This also refers to the quote â€Å"the sun burnt boys’ which means that sunscreen was not invented.I would imagine them as scruffy boys wearing a shirt with a waistcoat and knee breeches (knee length shorts from older times); all dull colours and by looking back it says ‘Breeches rolled’. The children are in a focused, competitive mood, as said in the poem, ‘Scan and dip’ as well as ‘they make bets poke and tip, their nimble catch’. ‘For they have always been here the minnow catching boys. ’ makes me think that this competitive hobby has been passed down from many generations. ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. And when they have had enough, the minnow catching boys make their way home’ makes me think these boys are very carefree.I thought quotes like ‘†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. And a small girl who can never quite catch up calls for them to wait, but no one waitsâ€⠄¢ give me a feeling that these boys are mean and cruel or maybe just in a rush. The quote ‘ The dog shakes off in a cascade of diamonds’ is one of the most striking pieces of imagery for me because it imaginatively describe thousands of sparkling water droplets as a ‘cascade of diamonds’. The tone which this poem would be read in would be slow and suspending- long pauses. You would read this poem in this tone so you can get your audience right ‘into’ the scene-as the boys are focused and concentrating too hard.The children in ‘My Parents kept me from Children who were rough’ are described as mean, arrogant and a fierce group of bullies. I imagine them as very scruffy boys with their clothes torn; as they don’t care. I think they would be wearing the same clothes as the boys in the other poem but in an ill-suited manner. I think this poem is also set in the same time as the other poem- older times/Victorian times. This poem quotes ‘They threw words like stones’ which makes me think that these boys are rude, ill-mannered and that their insults really ‘hurt’ people- using words like weapons.These boys were also involved in physical abuses to others, which refers to the quote’ Their knees tight on my arms’. ‘They were lithe’, this quote makes me think these boys are super-fit, strong, flexible and very versatile. I think these boys look like are big headed and want to be threatening to people. Their parents might not able to control them or maybe are not even aware of their actions. ‘Muscles like iron ‘says that these boys are unbeatable and formidably strong. I would like to read this poem in a fast, envious tone, because I think that the narrator is envying these strong and super-fit boys.