Aruna in fasting and feasting Essay

2007 was the year in which I failed to finish the Indian novels I started. I read 2 and faltered at the 500 page mark in both. I found Vikram Chandra’s amalgam of literary fiction and crime in Sacred Games remarkably tedious. But my failure with Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy was downright weird. An absolute 5-star epic, I was enjoying it. Unfortunately I had listened to an abridged audio a few years before, so I knew where it was heading and I couldn’t motivate myself to read the extra 1000 pages I needed to reach the end. So 2008 heralds a change of tactic. For starters, a short novel by an Indian authoress. Desai was born and educated in India and has spent many years teaching in the States. Well placed, therefore, to write about the similarities and differences of both cultures and she does this with a text that is by turns witty, farcical, poignant and shocking. It’s quite a mix and one that kept the pages turning †¦.. right to the end! It could be argued that this novel is actually two novellas linked only by the character who moves from India to America. Each section is self-contained. Yet separating them would dilute the impact of the message that modern culture (be it Indian or American) is dissatisfying with gender inequality rife in both. In India, MamaPapa (so in tune with each other, they cannot be divided) are raising their two daughters and a son. Aruna is beautiful. Uma is clumsy and plain. But both must be married off. Aruna has her pick of suitors but finding a bridegroom for Uma is a desperate task and the squandering of two dowries is source of much entertaining farce. Flip the coin, however, and the farce becomes tragedy. A failure to marry means a life of humiliating servitude to parents and a life of spinsterly loneliness and suffocation. My heart aches for Uma but it bleeds for Anamika (Uma’s cousin), denied her Oxford scholarship and married off to a family who cared little for her.  She endures 25 years of servitude and married loneliness before †¦. well, you’ve heard the rumours of what happens when unloved wives grow old and a second dowry is required. Desai barbecues American family life as thoroughly as Mr Patton does his steaks. America, the land where freezers are full yet the food cannot be eaten because what would we eat in an emergency? Housewives wear t-shirts with born-to-shop slogans because that is all they are good for! Keep the cupboards full. We’ll help ourselves. The tv is king – forget spending time together and eating at the dinner table. Eating disorders are both cry for attention and rebellion against the profligate overconsumption of the West. Mrs Patton, as neglected as many as Indian bride. seeks to keep herself cheerful with the shopping and her sun-bathing. One day Arun comes home to find her bikini-clad and oiled-up ready for her day in the sun. She might have been on display in the Foodmart, a special offer for the summer, gleaming with invitation. Almost, one feels, one might see a discount sign above it. Surprising that Desai has painted this incident with so cruel a brush? Yet a major point of the novel is that daughters suffer most when their mothers unquestioningly comply with traditions or the lead of their men-folk. Actually not only daughters. Sons too. Arun is damaged by the excess of education and the weight of familial expectation. Seeking solitude and anonymity (the ultimate freedom) when he reaches America, his behaviour unconsciously mirrors that of his sister Uma, back at home. Just one of many echoes which Desai uses to tie her two stories together. Shortlisted for the 1999 Booker prize, Desai’s novel was, in effect, the runner-up. In a rare glimpse of the judging process, Gerald Kaufmann, the chair that year said, â€Å"If we could have a chosen a runner-up, we would undoubtedly have given the runner-up award to Anita Desai and Fasting, Feasting; a most beautiful novel, very moving, very funny, terribly  illustrative of what happens to women in different parts of the world.†

Psychology Matters Essay

It is a fact that society is dealing with numerous problems at this time, which includes violence, poverty, and health issues. More and more people who engage in violent acts are being shown in the news. It does not even matter how young or old these people are because age is not a factor in committing violence. Homelessness and unemployment are also two of the most serious issues that the public have to deal with everyday of their lives. There is also the growing concern over health and medicine because having good health and long life are important to everyone. These problems can affect people’s mental well-being, especially if they experience it firsthand and are not able to receive professional help to help them recover and deal with the situation. If their mental health has proved to be unstable and affecting their behavior, they might cause harm to other people as well. Psychologists can help find solutions by conducting more studies so that they can research about the issues and how people react to them better. They can also find solutions by getting into the field and talking to people about what their concerns are and how they might be of help. Receiving recommendations from average people will greatly help the professionals handle real-life situations much better. Going into the field would also allow psychologists to learn more about certain issues and situations, which would help them become better in what they do. Not only will they be able to help their patients, but they also have the opportunity to grow personally and professionally. Indeed, there are numerous psychological issues that society faces everyday, which is why it is very comforting to know that psychologists are doing what they can to help the average person and families to handle these stressful situations. Psychologists and other health professionals should conduct further studies involving psychological issues for the benefit of society.

Ellingtonia Music Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ellingtonia Music - Essay Example The two principles that he applied to his life and which could guide others to achieve success were (a) willingness to learn, and (b) capacity to move with the demand of times. One, who rose from the grassroots level in life, knew the value of success and how to maintain that level, once he reached the top. His upbringing had much to do with the leadership qualities in his professional life that led him to success. John Edward Hasse writes, â€Å" Even before he acquired the nickname â€Å"Duke,† young Ellington was a natural aristocrat—in bearing, manners, taste, dress, and self-confidence. Cultivating airs and graces, and foreshadowing his future relationships with women, he even had his female cousin bow down to him as a sign of respect.† To him music was the passion and mission of life and not commission. (Meaning earning money for self-aggrandizement, forsaking the business ethics) It was a rare combination of qualities for an artist to be guided by business acumen. He began taking lessons in piano at the age of seven, and by then his family friends had recognized his latent genius in music. Hasse writes, â€Å"When he was seven or eight, attending Garnet Elementary School, his mother signed him for his first formal training in music.†At the age of 18, he entered the music world with a bang, and this was his first master-stroke to make entry in the business world in relation to music. He issued the biggest advertisement in the telephone yellow pages regarding his aspirations to become a bandleader.... One, who rose from the grassroots level in life, knew the value of success and how to maintain that level, once he reached the top. His upbringing had much to do with the leadership qualities in his professional life that led him to success. John Edward Hasse writes, â€Å" Even before he acquired the nickname â€Å"Duke,† young Ellington was a natural aristocrat—in bearing, manners, taste, dress, and self-confidence. Cultivating airs and graces, and foreshadowing his future relationships with women, he even had his female cousin bow down to him as a sign of respect.†(24)To him music was the passion and mission of life and not commission. (Meaning earning money for self-aggrandizement, forsaking the business ethics) It was a rare combination of qualities for an artist to be guided by business acumen. He began taking lessons in piano at the age of seven, and by then his family friends had recognized his latent genius in music. Hasse writes, â€Å"When he was seve n or eight, attending Garnet Elementary School, his mother signed him for his first formal training in music.†(26)At the age of 18, he entered the music world with a bang, and this was his first master-stroke to make entry in the business world in relation to music. He issued the biggest advertisement in the telephone yellow pages regarding his aspirations to become a bandleader. His reach in the world of music was limited then, and yet he had self-confidence and faith in his own abilities to make a mark in his chosen field. The advertisement worked and soon he was directing many area bands in Washington D.C. At the same time, he revised his techniques of playing piano, in the light of the practical experience gained. His next

International business-Business Environment Country Analysis Project Essay

International business-Business Environment Country Analysis Project - Essay Example Healthcare industry supported by advanced technologies in medical equipment like the ultrasonic devices, x-ray equipment and MRI scanners can be the right platform for business development in fast growing Indian market. This paper analyzes the socio-economic conditions and the policy frame work in India to assess the market conditions and to decide on the best approach to tap this market. Endowed with democratic institutions and supported by internationally acknowledged legal frame work, India presents an attractive opportunity. Since the time of economic reforms undertaken in the early 90s, GDP grew steadily to the level of over $1 trillion in 2008 (Silicon news, 2008). During the four years since 2003-04 the average annual GDP growth rate was 8.83%, and exports formed around 26.5% of GDP on the average (India Country Report, 2007). Even in the current financial year (April 2008 – March ’09) GDP growth rate is expected to be around 7% (RBI Bulletin, 2009), confirming that the Indian economy is relatively less affected by the current global economic crisis. Sector-wise, agriculture & allied activities, industry and services constitute 17.8%, 19.4% and 62.9% respectively of the GDP during 2007-08 and among the services, community, social and personal services segment that has relevance to healthcare industry constitutes 13.4% and has been growing at over 7% annually since 2004-05 (RBI Annual report, 2008). IT and IT enabled services, metallurgy, automobiles and telecommunications are some of the most visible sectors. Tata Consulting Services, Infosys, Wipro, Tata Sons, Mittal Group, ICICI etc. are some of the global Indian companies. Large infrastructure investments are changing the landscape of the country. With US$ 250 plus billion foreign exchange reserves, GDP growth rate of 7%, fiscal deficit target of 3.3% and inflation target of below 5%, the Indian economy is on a

Huck Finn and The Censorship of the word nigger Research Paper

Huck Finn and The Censorship of the word nigger - Research Paper Example Words have colors and it’s meant to be that way especially if one is as the literary genius as Mark Twain. However, there are things to consider in executing ideas through words such as kind of audience, sensitivity of audience, appropriateness in setting, and the likes of these. Censorship is the ultimate resort in filtering some content that seems inappropriate in situation and kind of audience. Censorship is the â€Å"suppression of words, images, or ideas that are offensive, happens whenever some people succeed in imposing their personal political or moral values on others.† (American Civil Liberties Union 2006) The implementation of censorship can be done by the government and can also be carried out by some private sectors that are concerned with the case by appellation. Pornography, violence, and slurs are the subjects that are often being censored if being presented for general viewing. Figure 1 Huck Finn and Jim History. The censorship of Huckleberry Finn doesn ’t take place recently. Huck Finn was highly criticized and equally censored one year upon its publication. The book was banned at Concord Public Library in 1885. The library declared Twain’s book to be â€Å"demeaning and damaging† with its crude language. This particularly pertains to the use of Twain of the word â€Å"nigger† for over 200 times in the book, as well as the slang â€Å"injun† that is meant to be a derogatory term for American Natives. Brooklyn Public Library in New York had followed Concord Library’s lead in pulling out their copies of Mark Twain’s controversial book in 1905. They have explained that â€Å"Huck not only itched but scratched, and that he said sweat when he should have said perspiration.† Contemporaries’ Stand. Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, had berated publicly Twain with the kind of writing he did with the book. She commented, â€Å"If Mr. Clemens cannot think of something but to tell our pure-minded lads and lasses he had best stop writing for them.† On the other hand, Twain found a defender in Ernest Hemingway. â€Å"It’s the best book we’ve had,† Hemingway praised Twain’s Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain was just fortunate during his time as his fans outnumbered his critics, that’s why the censorship of the of the context that time was not as persuasive as today. In Other Media. Due to the censorship controversy of Huckleberry Finn, the CBS had produced TV-movie adaptation of the novel in 1955 without casting any African-American actor to portray the slave Jim. It did not even tackle the subject of slavery which is its prominent theme in the novel. The result is a safe material for general viewing but lacks the complete thought that Twain had intended to convey. It also appeared to be racist for casting non-black actors while a black character has prominent role in the story. The New Huck Finn: Censored. The new U.S. edition of Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn has now the words â€Å"slaves† replaced the more than 200 â€Å"nigger† word. Mark Twain is obviously an anti-racist and Huckleberry Finn is actually the book that holds the strong message of his disconformities with the dehumanized treatment to the non-white race. The evidence is that through its disturbing dialogue courtesy of Huck and his Aunt Sally. â€Å"No’m. Killed a rigger,† answered Huck when Aunt Sally asked him upon hearing about the riverboat explosion. â€Å"Well, it’s lucky; because sometimes people do get hurt,† replied by Aunt Sally. The insensitivity to the misfortune of the black people is very visible in the context. Prof. Alan Gribben, a scholar of Twain, had

Culture awarness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Culture awarness - Essay Example The course was designed according to what the students wanted and needed. The students wanted to learn about the cultures of certain countries and specifically, the way business is conducted in these countries (Vollmer, Alnuaimi and Macku 3). A flaw in our needs assessment design was our failure to determine the student’s level of awareness. We failed to ask questions concerning much they already knew about the cultures of the different countries. In hindsight, we forgone general awareness questions because we gave the students the choice of which countries they would like to learn about. Doing this made it difficult to assess any prior knowledge of the countries the students may have had. Another flaw within our course was we realized in hindsight more emphasis could have been given to the industries that have the greatest potential in the country. We now realize we could have been more industry specific within our presentation since most of the students communicated their concerns about jobs and business. Information about how to perform during business meetings within the different countries was included in the course because the survey results indicated the students agreed upon the importance of learning about different cultures in light of the recent globalization of the business world. Dining etiquette and dress codes were also included within the course because of unanimous agreement within our group that both topics are extremely significant to a country’s culture and therefore should be included within cultural awareness training. Based on research evidence, students realize the need for cultural awareness especially with the trend of business moving towards globalization. Students agreed that they will need the necessary skills to be able to prepare for expatriatism. Two-thirds of the students, deem it important to be aware of the different cultures of the world because they will need that knowledge and skill base for their future jobs. The

Harvest Moon by Aba Bayefsky Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Harvest Moon by Aba Bayefsky - Essay Example The essay "Harvest Moon by Aba Bayefsky" discovers the painting of Aba Bayefsky. Through out his career there is a recurring theme of destruction, skeletons and dark symbols. His choice of rich, bold colors cause the subject matter to jump out of the canvas, but at the same time, the subject is locked into it’s environment and the piece moves as a solid and single unit. This essay will explore the painting, Harvest Moon, by first discussing the initial reactions to the piece upon preliminary examination at the gallery. Later, the essay will investigate the formal elements of art, such as line, shape and how they interplay to create a haunting feeling for the viewer by drawing upon the familiarity of the subject matter and turning it into an expressionist piece of work that evokes emotion and a response.When first encountering this piece of work it’s simple and rather typical physical size doesn’t instantaneously capture the audience’s attention, especially in comparison to the surrounding works that are much bigger in scale. What’s captivating about this piece is how the viewer is drawn toward it for curiosity’s sake of wondering what’s inside the house, what’s behind the jack-o-lanterns and what the artist is possibly hiding. The soft lighting in the gallery creates a warm feeling that counteracts the â€Å"scary† images so that a sense of safety is felt amongst the gruesome images in the exhibit. In examining the painting the slick quality of the oil paints are apparent and one would imagine. it would be slippery and smooth to the touch with prickly peaks that terminate each stroke. The carved expressions of the jack-o-lantern's faces appear hollowed out just as if they were real pumpkins but these are a hollowing of paint instead of the true pulp. In general, the nine jack-o-lanterns wear uniform expressions that aren't jolly nor sinister, but more vacant and void if anything. Looking straight on at the painting gives a rather flat view, but by approaching the work from the left or the right it seems as though the jack-o-lanterns' eyes are following movement and beckoning the viewer to stop and reconsider it's mysticism. Line in this painting is very straightforward. The lines of the two houses ran horizontally across the top of the canvas, but once one reaches the lower half of the canvas these lines are interrupted by waves, or peaks that divide the houses from the jack-o-lanterns. These waves suggest a division between the two objects, the houses, and the jack-o-lanterns. For an oil painting, the outline of the objects is quite crisp and thin, almost as if the painter were using a printed coloring book that already had the outline, and the painter was left to fill in the empty spaces with paint. The diagonal lines that make up the house's awning direct the viewer's eye to the jack-o-lanterns in the foreground, forcing the eye to forget the homes and instead meditate on the orange of the pumpkins. The straight lines of the house are juxtaposed against the wavy lines of the clouds in the sky creating a balance or harmony between the two so that the painting is not too rigid, nor too flimsy. Shape is rather flat in this piece. In this two-dimensional piece of work shape is primarily offered to the pumpkins, as they appear plump and hearty. The painting is made up of simple geometric shapes that contain the painting to single solid

Capital Punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Capital Punishment - Essay Example In some occasions, crimes such as rape, incest, sodomy as well as adultery were punished through death penalty. In a country like china, high level corruption, human trafficking as well as drug trafficking are punishable by death (Cullen, Bartkowski and Unnever 317). There is no doubt that use of capital punishment was used by a variety of society as a process of enhancing justice. At present a total of 58 countries still use capital punishment while about 97 states have done away with it for whatever crime, 8 countries have abolished it for specific common crimes while about 10 countries have not used death penalty on the last 10 years. It is worth mentioning that approximately 90.0% of death penalty occurs in Asia. In the United States of America, the history of death penalty has centred on the two views of the same issue. One side holds the view that death penalty is necessary in the society to bring sanity while the other side believes that an advanced and civilized society like the US should not resort to using death penalty as a way of punishment since it is a cruel way of instilling sanity in the society. It is important to note that over the years, advocates for improvement in the way capital punishment is done has resulted a in a number of changes. For instances, through passage of laws which are in line with the constitution, some states have abolished capital punishments. However, others have embarked on strategies aimed at changing the techniques utilized when executing offenders, critically examining the types of crimes that warrant death penalty as well as developing plans to identify factors that lead to crime. Ideally, capital punishment in the US has its root in the primitive British laws. It has been argued by proponents of capital punishment that the approach helps the society tremendously reduce crime. This paper seek to present arguments for and against capital punishment and make a judgment whether the approach is good in deterring people from committing crime or not. Arguments for capital punishment Eliminating future dangerousness It has been argued by proponents of capital punishment that executing individual who have committed serious crimes such as killing, others, stealing, raping, treason among others will eliminate that individual and the society will live with no fear of being raped, killed among others. This school of thought can be traced to moral theory of John Mills. In this theory, the guiding principle is that the best option to be taken is the one that generates greatest happiness to the greatest number of people. To that effect, if majority of the citizen will live comfortably when a few thieves, rapists, corrupt individuals, drug traffickers are eliminated so be it. Berry, in his article published in 2010 stated that the rationale for punishing someone based on their dangerousness is that the state needs to protect its citizens from the threat that the offender poses to society. In other words, the state chooses to incapacitate an offender in order to ensure that the offender does not commit another criminal act (Berry, 894). From the beginning of the post-Furman era, most states have included and relied on an evaluation of an individual‘s dangerousness to contribute to the determination whether a criminal offender should be put to death. Texas and

Mental Disorder Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mental Disorder - Essay Example Mental Disorder and Treatment Modalities Through media, the general public often conveys an image of mental disorders as patients who are unpredictable, violent, and dangerous (Flores, 2008, p. 1). However, not all mental disorders portrayed these signs and symptoms, as in the case of major depression. Major depression is a serious medical condition that affects thoughts, feelings, behavior, mood, and physical health of approximately 5-8 percent of United State’s adult population (NAMI, 2009, 3). Among all the mental disorders, major depression is the most responsive to treatment. There are three types of treatment available for depression: medication, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy (NAMI, 2009, p. 8). Psychotherapy has been shown to be effective in treating depression (NAMI, 2009, p. 11). Under this therapy is the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps to modify the negative thinking of depressive patients by setting positive thou ghts and moods. Unlike any other method, CBT is considered to be the most rapid in producing obtained results. In fact, the average number of sessions the clients’ received is only 16 sessions.

Critical Thinking Essay Example for Free

Critical Thinking Essay Strong critical thinking (CT) skills are necessary for every successful nurse manager. Giving them an edge at creating a positive work environment, that is conducive to job satisfaction and retention of staff RNs. This study is entitled, â€Å"Critical Thinking of Nurse Managers Related to Staff RNs’ Perceptions of the Practice Environment. † The California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) was used to measure critical thinking in nurse managers in relation to their respective staff RNs. Enhancing critical thinking skills is important, staff RNs that work in an environment perceived to be positive are in a better position to deliver higher quality and safer patient care. As nurses we are responsible for helping a patient every way we can, being able to engage in critical thinking is a skill that must be obtained. This study was based off of twelve volunteering nurse managers and their respective one hundred and thirty-two staff RNs. Assessment of Nurse Manager’s Critical Thinking Skills This study (Critical Thinking of Nurse Managers Related to Staff RNs’ Perceptions of the Practice Environment) used the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) to measure CT skills in nurse managers in relation to their staff RNs. This study was conducted in a nonprofit, hospital in the northeast United States. This study was completely voluntary, only thirty-one percent of nurse managers chose to participate, leaving the pool of staff RNs slim. This article is about a study that took place in the northeast United States at a 490 bed nonprofit, tertiary care hospital. The study explores,† the differences between nurse managers’ dispositions to use critical thinking skills and their respective staff RNs’ perceptions of the practice environment† (Zori, Nosek amp; Musil, 2010). This study was completely voluntary and with a limited number of nurse manager participants, the number of staff RNs was also very limited. Nurse Managers need to have good leadership skills and critical thinking skills; these skills are assed in comparison to those of their respective staff RNs. Research Question amp; Hypothesis There is a correlation between the Critical thinking skills of Nurse Managers and their respective staff nurses perception of the practice environment. Nurse Managers skilled in the use of critical thinking, may be able to create a positive practice environment for staff RN’s. Positive practice environments means increased retention of staff RN’s and improved job satisfaction. Sample of the Study Twelve nurse managers and one hundred and thirty-two staff RN’s were sampled. The study was conducted at a 490-bed voluntary, nonprofit, tertiary care hospital located in the northeastern United States. Only nurse managers who voluntarily chose to answer the CCTDI were included in the study (31. 6%). Sample size limited the ability to address how the difference in type of unit and full- or part-time work may influence the outcome. Descriptive Study In this descriptive study nurse managers were categorized as weak or strong in critical thinking dispositions based on scores achieved on the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI). Then, staff RNs from the units of participating nurse managers completed the Practice Environment Scale (PES). Staff nurses’ Practice Environment Scale (PES) results were dichotomized based on the critical thinking disposition scores of their nurse managers. A two-tailed, independent sample t test was conducted to determine if there were significant differences in the Practice Environment Scale(PES) mean overall and subscale scores of the two groups of staff RNs (Zori, Nosek amp; Musil, 2010). CCDTI was created based on the APA Delphi Study. Reliability testing was conducted, with an overall score of . 90. The CCDTI is therefore considered reliable. Practice Environment Scale PES was developed from Nursing Work Index (NWI). Reliability testing of the final 31 items was conducted on both individual nurse scores and on the aggregate of subscale scores. Individual nurse subscale scores (n = 1,610) were analyzed using Cronbach’s ? , with ? gt; . 80 for all subscales except the collegial nurse-physician relations (? = . 71). The nurse manager ability, leadership, and support of nurse’s subscale scored the highest. The results are reliable. The PES has been endorsed by the National Quality Forum and is used by the ANA as part of the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators to measure staff nurse job satisfaction (Lake, 2007). Enhancing critical thinking skills and dispositions of course managers may help to create positive work environments for staff RNs. Staff RNs who work in an environment perceived to be positive may be in a better position to deliver high quality, safe patient care (Zori, Nosek amp; Musil, 2010). Table One Table one, of the article is entitled, â€Å"Nurse Manager California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) Score Distribution and Standard Deviation by Subscale. † This table breaks down the CCTDI Scale into seven subscales: truth-seeking, open-mindedness, analyticity, systematicity, CT confidence, inquisitiveness, and cognitive maturity (Zori, Nosek amp; Musil, 2010). The table also shows the minimum score, maximum score, mean score, median score, and standard deviation for the twelve sample nurse managers. Table Two Table two of the study entitled, â€Å"RN Staff Nurses’ Practice Environment Scale scores by Nurse Managers’ Critical Thinking (CT) Dispositions. † According to the study, â€Å"As this table indicates, there are significant differences in PES scores when they were compared based on their nurse managers’ strength or weakness on the CCTDI subscales of analyticity, systematicity, open-mindedness, and critical thinking confidence† (Zori, Nosek amp; Musil, 2010). The biggest difference between staff nurses and nurse managers scores were in the truth-seeking subscale (strength versus weakness), within the nurse-physician relationship. Limitations This study was conducted in one medical facility in the northeast United States. This may not be a proper representation of the whole population of nurse managers and their respective staff nurses. Also the nurse managers who participated did so by choice and were not required to, therefore, the number of staff RNs were limited to those whose nurse manager participated. Out of thirty-eight nurse managers only twelve chose to participate, this limited the three hundred and twenty-seven possible staff RNs down to one hundred and thirty-two. If there were more willing participants then the findings could be better generalized to the entire nurse manager population. My Findings and Improvements Nurse Managers skilled in critical thinking create a positive environment for staff RN’s resulting in increase in job satisfaction and retention of RN’s, decreasing job turnover. This study is extremely important because the World Health Organization (WHO) anticipates the RN shortage to reach 285,000 by the year 2020. If I was conducting this study, I would look at part-time vs. full-time employees, and areas of practice. Is burn-out more noted in critical care areas? Statistical Procedure, Methodology amp; Measurement This was a voluntary survey conducted at one tertiary hospital. A t-test was conducted. Scores of 40 or above were considered strengths, and scores of 39 and below were weakness. Scores on inquisitiveness and cognitive maturity were all in the strength range. Final Analysis As nurses we must use critical thinking every day, nurse managers are no exception to this. This study shows that by having a nurse manager who has strong critical thinking skills, the staff RNs respond positively.

Literature Review of the Impact of Human Resource Management on Organisational performance

Literature Review of the Impact of Human Resource Management on Organisational performance Organisations worldwide are under pressure today to continually improve their performance. The major trends behind these competitive pressures are globalisation, advances in information technology, and increasing deregulation of global markets (Becker Gerhart, 1996; Dany, Guedri, and Hatt, 2008). These changes have a strong impact on a countrys ability to maintain its competitiveness (Laprade, 2005). Without an efficient workforce organisations lose their ability to compete, both locally and internationally, eventually leading to poor organisational performance and thus ending up with little or no economic success (Tomaka, 2001). Unlike in the past when natural resources, technology, and capital used to be the key factors to determine the competitive advantage of the firms of one nation over the other nations, human resources today in modern times have become the most important resource for the firms to obtain strategic advantage over the other firms (Dany et al, 2008). This is beca use managers in both the public and private sector organisations regard the human resources of their organisation as its major source of sustaining competitive advantage by having the best of the best Human resource systems in place for recruiting, selecting, motivating, and efficiently managing their people (Mesch, 2010). As a result of these changes in the global economic environment business strategy, the field of human resource management is rapidly changing more than ever today (Becker Gerhart, 1996). Furthermore, among all the organisation factors which contribute to organisational performance, the human resources are now regarded as the most fundamental factor (Mesch, 2010). Recent researches on HRM show strong and positive relationship between HRM practices and organisational performance (Carlson, Upton, and Seaman, 2006; Collins Smith, 2006). Therefore, it is vital for managers to have a better understanding of the role of HRM in order to create successful organisational performance. Accordingly this chapter presents a review of the literature, relevant to this research study, on the relationship between HRM practices and organisational performance. HRM and Organisational Performance Human Resource Management Armstrong (2006, p3) defines Human Resource Management as, a strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organizations most valued assets the people working there whom individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of its objectives. Human Resource Management is, the policies, practices and systems that influence employees behaviour, attitudes and performance (De Cieri, Kramar, Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, and Wright, 2008, p5). Delery and Doty (1996) assert that the HRM best practices, once identified and implemented would always produce improved organisational performance. Fox and McLeay (1992) found from their landmark empirical study of forty-nine companies, composed of companies mainly from the UK engineering and electronics sectors, strong supportive influence between six critical HRM practices in achieving successful above average sector performance relationship, over a 10 year period. These HRM practices are (ibid): Recruitment and Selection, Management Education, Training and Development, Performance Appraisal, Remuneration and Rewards, and Company-wide Career Planning. Organisational Performance A recent definition of Organisational Performance is given by Antony and Bhattacharyya (2010, p43). They define Organisational Performance as, a measure of how well organizations are managed and the value they deliver to customers and other stakeholders. According to Daft (2000) Organisational Performance is the organisations ability to achieve its objectives efficiently and effectively. Organisational Performance represents the value of the organisation in terms of the total contribution made by the efficient and effective management of its human resources (Neumann Segev, 1978). Chien (2004) strongly posits that organisational performance is composed of five major critical components. And these are (ibid, p290): Motivation Models, The Leadership, The Organizational Culture and Environment, The Work Design, and The Human Resource Management Policy. Relationship between HRM and Organisational Performance The traditional role of HRM in organisations was mainly to support the operations through managing people to win the employees organisational commitment to the goals of the organisation (McGunnigle Jameson, 2000). In consequence, HR managers had to strictly comply with the detailed procedures of personnel administration which drove the ways in which the organisations handled their human resource activities (Huselid, Jackson, and Schuler, 1997). The key HRM activities included in this regard are: recruitment, selection, performance measurement, training and development, and administration of compensation and rewards (Dany et al, 2008). In addition to performing these HRM activities HR managers have to create value for the organisations in which they work (Huselid et al, 1997). However, todays HRM focuses heavily on the organisations successful outcomes through the integration of the various HR functions (Dany et al, 2008). Ulrich (1996, p2) strongly suggests that human resources determine an organisations success in overcoming major challenges facing executives today: globalisation, value chain for business competitiveness and HR services, change, attracting and retaining intellectual capital. Together these major challenges require that HR practices create and add value that can be measured reliably (ibid). Todays top performing companies pay extraordinary attention to managing effectively the HR dimensions which affect employee behaviours: morale, motivation, attitude, commitment, etc (Cadle Yeates, 2008, p28). Each of these HR dimensions plays powerful part in determining organisational success (ibid). Modern HRM global best practices include Lawlers (1986) High-Involvement Work Systems (HIWS), Appelbaum and Batts (1994) High Performance Work Systems (HPWS), and Wood and Albaneses (1995) High Commitment Management. Research shows that these modern HRM practices have a strong and positive influence on organisational performance (Ramsay, Scholarios, and Harley, 2000). More and more researches strongly indicate that that there are positive links between HRM practices and organisational performance (Carlson et al, 2006; Collins Smith, 2006). For instance, Delery (1998, p289) asserts that, the methods used by an organization to manage its human resources can have a substantial impact on many organizationally relevant outcomes. Gerhart and Milkovich (1992) conducted studies to measure the impacts of compensation and rewards systems on the successful accomplishment of organisational goals and objectives. Likewise research study conducted by Terpstra and Rozell (1993) shows that five key HRM selection practices are linked to business profit. In his review of the key empirical studies on the relationship between HRM and organisational performance Ulrich (1997) writes that these studies investigated the impact of specific HR practices on specific successful organisational outcomes; for example, effective HR practices in training and compensation were related to business turnover, labour productivity, and organisational performance. Ulrichs (1997) review summarised that the empirical studies were based on the assumption that efficient use of human resources through best HR practices would lead to successful organisational performance. Empirical studies conducted by Huselid (1995, p635) to assess the relationship between a set of HRM practices (referred by Huselid as HPWS High Performance Work Systems, which included: extensive recruitment, selection, training procedures, formal information sharing, attitude assessment, and job design) and organisational performance of 968 large companies have shown that there is a positive relationship between HRM and successful organisational performance. The key organisational performance measures used to evaluate the high performance HRM practices in the empirical studies included: labour productivity, financial performance, and turnover (ibid). Delaney and Huselid (1996) investigated the effects of recruitment and selection, compensation, training and development, decision making, complaints and grievance procedures, promotion practices, and the combined synergetic impact of these HRM practices in 590 for-profit and not-for-profit companies. Overall, their study concluded that these progressive of HRM practices were positively associated with firm performance. Harel and Tzafrir (1999, p186), based on their extensive theoretical and empirical research as well as from the prior studies conducted by other researchers in the HR field, have identified six core components of strategic and universalistic HRM best practices that are strongly related to organisational performance. These 6 core components of HR best practices are (ibid): Recruitment; Selection; Compensation; Employee Participation; Internal Labor Market; and Training. Likewise Becker and Huselid (1999) strongly agree with the seven high performance HRM best practices put forward by Pfeffer (1998) as having strong links to organisational performance. These 7 high performance HR best practices are (Pfeffer, 1998, cited in Huselid Becker, 1999, p297): Employment Security Selective Hiring Teams and Decentralized Decision-making High Pay Extensive Training Reduced Status Distinctions Extensive Information Sharing. Each of these seven high performance HRM best practices offer options for the HR professionals to choose the appropriate ones for enhancing the organisational performance and at the same time one should remember that each of these HRM best practices form an integrated high performance HRM system (Huselid Becker, 1999, p298). Approaches to Examine HRM and Organisational Performance Relationship There are two major fundamental approaches to study the relationship between HRM and organisational performance. These are termed as: Best-Practice approach, and Best-Fit approach. Best-Practice Approach The best-practice approach claims that HRM practices are universalistic and thus any organisation can obtain enhanced organisational performance by adopting the HRM best practices for managing people in any organisational context (Boxall Purcell, 2000). Best-Fit Approach On the other hand the best-fit approach argues for a vertical fit whereby the HRM systems are integrated with the corporate strategy of the organisation for obtaining improved organisational performance within a specific organisational context (Boselie, Paauwe, and Richardson, 2003). Between these two approaches, the best-practice approach is considered to be superior by HRM professionals and researchers for examining the impact of HRM practices on organisational performance ((Hoque, 1999, p422). Cautions in Examining the HRM and Organisational Performance Relationship Although there is wide support to the idea that HRM practices lead to improved organisational performance yet there are some cautions that have to be observed. Huselid (1995), states that successful organisational performance has been obtained by high-performance firms since they were able to afford expensive HRM systems and practices and this may not be affordable to most other firms. Furthermore, leadership style could have a stronger impact over the deployment of HRM practices due to the different types of influences which the leaders can exert on their people (Becker Huselid, 2006). Organisational Performance in Public Sector Organisations The power and water sector in Oman is a not-for-profit sector. As stated earlier (in chapter 1) the power and water sector in Oman is striving for reducing its operating costs. Only those not-for-profit organisations which possess human capital resources that operate with increased professionalism and more advanced multi-tasking skills through enhanced productivity (and thus ensuring and effecting control over operating costs) can accomplish their mission successfully (Mesch, 2010). Furthermore, in the times to come, the not-for-profit sector has to inevitably pursue more efficiency and with more economies of scale in order to provide cost-effective services to their stakeholders and prove organisational effectiveness (ibid). Evaluating organisational performance in the public sector organisations is not easy and this is further compounded by the fact that measurement of organisational performance in the public sector has not been developed in the organisation theory literature (Waheed, Mansor, and Ismail, 2010). This primarily because of the following factors that are unique to public sector organisations (ibid, p330): Lack of well-defined objectives and large number of multiple objectives; Central administration; Absence of generally accepted performance indicators for measuring organisational performance; Diffused and largely fragmented responsibility because of the interdependency of the performance of the public sector organisations. As a result of which accountability is difficult to extract. Evidence from their review of the limited literature available on organisational performance in the public sector organisations show that the three most common major indicators (the other not common indicators are: relevance, and efficacy) of organisational performance used in the frameworks provided by the various researchers are (ibid, pp331-336): Efficiency, Effectiveness, and Innovation. Katou and Budhwar (2006) studied 178 manufacturing organisations in Greece to investigate the relationship between the HRM systems and policies and organisational performance. Their study used the following indicators of organisational performance from their literature review (ibid, p1226) which can also be applied to service organisations as well: Efficiency: usage of fewer resources to achieve organisational objectives; Effectiveness: achieving the organisational objectives successfully; Development: developing and building the capacity of the organisation for meeting the future challenges and opportunities; Satisfaction: satisfying all the key participants customers, stakeholders, and employees; Innovation: of products and the related processes; and Quality: enhanced higher quality of products (services). Summary This chapter reviewed the available literature relevant to this study on HRM practices that can improve organisational performance. The above review of HRM literature shows that HRM best practices is distinctly composed of recruitment and selection, training and development, compensation and rewards system, information sharing, and employee participation. Organisational performance can be measured through the successful organisational outcomes in the form of efficiency and effectiveness, customer satisfaction, service quality, and labour productivity.

Congo: The Novel and the Movie :: Art

Congo: The Novel and the Movie Congo was an astounding bestseller novel. It was a great fictional novel that took place in the depths of the Congo rainforest. The novel was later made into a movie. Both the novel and the movie were good, however, I prefer the novel. It just seemed like a more entertaining piece than the movie. This movie was based much upon the novel, but had many alternatives and a completely different ending than the novel. The first difference between the novel and the movie was the press conference that was held on behalf of Amy the gorilla. In the novel, this press conference never took place. In the novel, the press conference was held to settle a legal debate on whether or not Peter Elliot was abusing Amy and whether or not Amy should be released from Peter’s studies and experiments. However, in the movie, there was no reason stated as to why the press conference was being held. Another difference was the way that Peter and Dr. Ross met. In the novel, Dr. Ross called Peter and invited him to go on an expedition to the Congo with herself and her team. After receiving this call, Peter was begging Dr. Ross to include him on her travels. However, in the movie, Dr. Ross met up with Peter at the airport and Peter was already packed and ready to leave for his own expedition. He had no intention of taking Ross along, but he found himself with insufficient funds to pay for the trip. This pushed Peter to invite Ross along if she was to pay for the remainder of the trip’s expenses. The airplane in the novel belongs to Dr. Ross’ company Earth Resources Technology. In the movie, however, she works for TraviComm. A man named Travis is still in charge of the company in both the novel and the movie. Travis forces Dr. Ross on this mission in the movie, but in the novel, Travis finds it his last hope to send Dr. Ross. He has no initial intention to send her because he feels that she is incapable of the expedition. Dr. Ross and her team encounter a setback when they cannot fly their second plane. The cause for this in the movie is that while at the airport, the African President’s car is blown up. On the other hand, in the novel, the second plane is bugged and Amy is kidnapped.

Effects of Extramarital Affairs with Divorce on Middle Aged Women Essa

I interviewed Ann (pseudonym), who is a middle-aged woman who is a mother of three and has always been a happy, loving, and positive human being. However when I knew that I was going to interview her, I instantly knew that I was going to focus on the topic of how extramarital affairs (emotional and or sexual relationship a spouse has outside of their relationship) and divorce affects middle aged women. I chose this topic as the effects it has on a woman can be life-changing and can result in them becoming an entirely different person, and in the case of Ann it couldn’t be any more apparent. It is important to acknowledge that a divorce and the effect that it has is one subject matter, but a divorce caused by extramarital affairs is an entirely separate issue as it can have damaging short term effects, long term effects, and financial consequences. While divorce is not a primary process of aging, it is a secondary process that affects a large amount of women as they age in life. Understanding the basics of extramarital affairs such as the prevalence of them, who participates in them, and why they participate in them is the first step in understanding the effect they can have. There isn’t a known culture that accepts extramarital affairs (Jankowiak, Nell, and Buckmaster, 2002). Eric Widmer, Judith Treas, and Robert Newcomb (1998) published an article concerning attitudes on premarital sex, teenage sex, homosexual sex, and extramarital sex in 24 different countries. Their research consisted of surveying over 33,000 people. Their findings were very interested as while premarital sex gathered the strongest acceptance and homosexual sex gathered the most varied responses; it was extramarital sex that countries agreed on the mo... ...2002. "Managing infidelity: a cross- cultural perspective." International Journal of Psychoanalysis volume 87 (issue 2): (Retrieved from Questia on February 26, 2010.) Lauer, Robert and Jeanette Lauer. 2009. Marriage & Family: The Quest for Intimacy. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Wiederman, Michael. 1997. "Extramarital Sex: Prevalence and correlates in a National Survey." Journal of Sex Research volume 34 (issue 2) 167-174. (Retrieved from EBSCOhost on February 26, 2010.) Widmer, Eric, Judith Treas, and Robert Newcomb. 1998. "Attitudes Towards Nonmarital Sex in 24 Countries." Journal of Sex Research volume 35 (issue 4): 349-358. (Retrieved from EBSCOhost on February 26, 2010.) â€Å"5% of Americans Addicted to Sex.† 2008. Times of India. Retrieved February 26, 2010 (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/5_Americans_addicted_to_sex/articleshow/3820228.cms).

Lux target audience Essay

First Male Brand Ambassador – Shahrukh Khan (female following) Lux — derived from the word luxury – has always used successful film actors of the time such as Madhubala, Hema Malini, Kareena Kapoor to endorse the product. Leader in the marketplace (14.4%) – Lux has been facing intense competition from Wipro Consumer’s Santoor (8.8%) and ITC’s Vivel and Fiama di wills which have been gaining market share much faster. -Started off as a feminine skin and beauty soap in 1925. -Focuses on external beauty (fine fragrances) – can play with fragrances idea -Targets typical Indian mindset of outer beauty (more ‘active’ stance on beauty) -An aspiration for every girl living in rural area – uses personalities from the silver screen, which makes it an inspirational brand -Uses Bollywood connect to communicate the same (movie-loving target audience) -Theme – Combination of style and romance Demographic: Gender – Female Age – 16 – 35 Income – Middle Income Group. Targets the urban and semi urban upper middle class and middle class segment of the population, who falls under A to C of SEC Target Area – Urban and Semi urban – Middle and Upper Middle Class Lifestyle: – Frequent movie watcher (genre – romantic) (can use Multiplex as the media) – Liking for fragrance – Day Dreamer? – Advertisement driven – Status conscious – Looks conscious – Liking for new clothes – Advertiser’s beloved Influencer – Retailer can be the influencer. Recent: Signed Sonam Kapoor and Dhanush as Brand Ambassadors. Change in positioning? The brand is slowly moving away from a beauty soap for a star to a soap for couples. While the overarching Lux celebrity quotient has remained intact since 1929 when Leela Chitnis promised smooth skin through Lux, the brand positioning has shifted. Good to know: -Many variants -Labelling – prominent, female model -Introduced Mini Lux for Rs. 5 (45gms.) Not sure whether it is available in the market now. -Lacks unisex appeal

Halliburton Essay

One of the most important functions for any organization to succeed in any particular direction is planning. Planning is an activity that enables companies and their employees to understand the company’s purpose and its strategic direction so that they can align themselves to it. This paper will discuss the importance of planning at Halliburton Company and analyze the extent to which it impacts the legal, ethical and CSR issues in the organization. Furthermore, it will discuss three factors that have an influence on the company’s strategic, tactical, operational and contingency planning. Halliburton Company was established in 1919 in Houston, Texas with a second headquarter in Dubai, UAE. Currently employing over 50,000 people, it is a huge multinational and global leader in the energy services sector operating in more than 70 countries. Using its technological edge in its operations and assistance from its world-class human resource, Halliburton has demonstrated outstanding growth and development in the energy sector over the past several decades. Its focus on innovation dates back to its early years when its founder, Erle P. Halliburton initiated his oil well cementing business by building a wooden mixing box only by hiring a wagon, a team of mules and a pump in Oklahoma. Careful planning and effective strategies have enabled Halliburton to remain as the market leader in the energy sector for almost a century now. Its planning strategies are comprehensive, focused on global changes and follow the â€Å"Think globally, act locally† theme. Halliburton management realizes the fact that for global survival it is essential to adopt different methodologies in different countries. For this purpose, it operates from 2 headquarters – Texas, the oil hub of the West and Dubai, the trading hub of Asia and Europe. â€Å"The number one priority of Halliburton is to provide competitive, safe and superior quality products and services†. Halliburton management maintains that in order to ensure business continuity they must explore the unexplored parts of the world for newer energy reserves bringing in environmental concerns. Thus, there are several instances when Corporate Social Responsibility and other issues have an impact on the planning of Halliburton and its strategy planning. There are often differences in the legal framework of different countries, for example, the British and American laws pertaining to environmental exploration have different clauses. This results in differences in the local planning of future steps to be taken by Halliburton in maintaining its market position and extending its operations. Ethics also play a key role in shaping up its policies and plans for the future. Environmental concerns, consideration for animal and plant wildlife are some of the factors the Halliburton management takes into account when planning its activities. For example, if oil exploration in the Sahara will result in extinction of the sub-Saharan tigers living in the region, the company will develop an alternative plan. Global companies as large as Halliburton have to manage their activities and operations collaboratively; sometimes the ethical and legal frameworks of adjacent countries can render certain actions legal in one nation and illegal in another nation. Thus corporate planning is a very extensive process at Halliburton which involves considerable amount of consideration given to regional subsidies of the company. Though corporate social responsibility and legal issues dominate the effect on the planning activities of Halliburton, ethical considerations also sometimes require plans to be modified. For example, Halliburton’s operations in Saudi Arabia have to be controlled differently than its operations in the US. The ethics standards and beliefs in the two countries are different and regulate different practices. For instance, daytime operations during the fasting season where the temperature is very high is not restricted by law. Even the workers may be willing to work, but ethics and moral standards suggest that Halliburton operations should be continued at night during those days. There are several factors which affect the course of action of companies. Often we see changes in the stock market leading to important strategic planning changes in companies. However, most of these are short-term plans and do not affect the vision of the company by a significant degree. Some of the most important factors which have a contribution towards the company’s strategic, tactical, operational, and contingency planning are as follows: Potential Energy Reserves: Halliburton thrives on its energy reserves and constant exploration of newer energy sites. Its strategic and international planning is based upon the potential energy reserves of a region. A region where there are high energy reserves would naturally be an area for long-term planning for Halliburton management while a exit strategy may be prepared for a dried up site in Japan. Its strategy is the key to business continuity and profits and thus takes into account the future business that can be generated from a particular region. Taxation and Corporate Laws: The reason why Nevada is the registered as the corporate head office of thousands of companies is because of its tax-friendly laws. Halliburton’s expansion and acquisition strategies are dependent on the corporate taxation and regulations that are enforceable in a particular state or country. These laws influence to a great degree the company’s operational and contingency panning as well. Avoiding over-taxation requires careful hindsight in operational and acquisition activities. Companies like Halliburton need to have effective planning strategies in order to save huge amounts in taxation and legal fees. Culture: The culture of Texas may be very oil-friendly however, that may not be the case in Brazil. The differences in culture, customs and therefore the code of ethics is important for Halliburton to realize and respect. Companies not caring about these factors often face problems in the long-term. Nike could not stop the sweatshop crisis news from coming into the media which caused hundreds of thousands of dollars loss to the company and several protests were lodged against the company till it finally winded up its operations. Halliburton’s planning should take into account the resident cultural practices and base its plan according to them – violation of local culture is often taken very strongly by the people and is revoked at some point or the other.

Costa Rican Dress

Costa Rican clothes are similar to most Central and South American countries. There clothes were developed by the Climate of Costa Rica. Costa Rica Clothing today is separated into two groups traditional cultural clothes and modern clothing. Costa Rican traditional dress is used for traditional practices. Most of the cultural dress has layers. This is because of the climate of Costa Rica. You never know when it is going to rain because of its varied climate. Traditional dress is only worn on special occasion such as when they dance. Both women and men have different style of traditional clothing. Usually the clothes are the colors of the Costa Rican flag which are red, blue , and white. Mens dress is very simple but elegant. Mens traditional costume usually have a few different things. The pants are a solid color which usually is blue or tan. They usually wear a white button down shirt. Then around the waist they wear a red cummerbund which is like a sash. Around the neck of the man they would wear a kerchief tied around it. Then on their head they would wear a â€Å"chonete† which is a traditional type of Costa Rican hat. A Chonete is like a straw cowboy hat. Usually men in Costa Rica will not really wear shorts on a day to day basis but only to the beach despite the tropical weather of Costa Rica. Today in the fields Men still wear the traditional dress. Women's traditional dress has a few important characteristics. The dresses are usually tailored in a special style. All traditional dresses have thick ruffles that start at the shoulders and go out all the way down the dress. The dresses have no sleeves to cover the arms. They are usually the colors red,blue,and yellow. Another type of Costa Rica dress has a long ruffled skirt. This is usually made in shinny colored fabric. A white shirt is usually worn and a red cummerbund connects the dress at the waist. To top off all these wonderful dresses a flower is usually placed in the ear of the women.

Data Summary and Discussion

The data presented shows the amount charged on credit cards by households of a given size and income. This data shows that while the amount spent by households varies depending on the size and income, the combination of both might also have an important bearing on the amount of that household’s debt. The debt range for the entire data set of 50 households is $1,864 to $5,678 per year, while the incomes in the set range from $21,000 to $67,000 per year. The households’ sizes in this data set range from one (1) to seven (7). When each variable is taken singly, one finds that each does to a significant extend predict the amount of debt that the household carries. What is specifically shown in this data is that households tend to have a higher amount of debt depending on the number of persons who live in the house, as it largest households generally carry a debt amount that lies on the higher end of the spectrum. For example, the average debt for the three seven-person households lies at $4,911, which is only about seven hundred dollars below the highest debt amount of $5,678. The data also shows that the average debt for the five one-person households is approximately $2,781. However, what the data also shows is that even though debt rises as the household size rises, it does so at a decreasing rate. The fact that the average debt for one-person households is significantly higher than the lower end of the range demonstrates that the low end might represent an extraneous amount, and indeed it does. This is the debt carried by a two-person household. A better comparison of the one-person household average debt could be made with the calculated debt per head for the entire data set. The total number of persons in all households is 171, and the total debt for all households is $198,203. The average debt per capita for this group of persons is about $1,159. This, compared with the average debt for the one-person households, shows that the debt for the one-person households does represent a disproportionately high size of twice as much as the overall per capita debt. This might be explained by the fact that the fixed costs for households generally remain relatively the same regardless of how many persons may live in the house. Other factors that bear on this are extraneous, such as the spending patterns and financial awareness of the persons in each household. However, another major factor to consider in predicting household debt is the annual income of the persons within each house. Which is a Better Predictor: household size or income? However, further analysis shows that even household, by itself, does not predict the amount of debt very well. In fact, the data points toward the fact that household size predicts the annual credit card charges better than household income. Looking back at the previous example, one sees a household that earns $26,000 producing debt comparable to most of the higher-end earners. Part of this debt size has to be attributed to the fact that the household earning such a small income in comparison to other household is faced with the challenge of supporting seven persons. Another household earning $23,000 supports six persons and shows credit card charges of $4,127 per year. Other households of comparable earnings ($21,000 and $27,000) show smaller credit card charges of $2,448 and $2,477 respectively, and this can be attributed to their smaller household sizes. Combination of Household Size and Earnings The income range for the data set has already been stated as $21,000 to $67,000. The total income for this group is $2,174,000 and the average income is $43,480. The average debt for each household is $3,964 which falls approximately in the middle of the $1,864 to $5,678 range. However, what one notices is that though the average debt for the three 7-person households is shown to be $4,911, the highest debt in that segment goes to the household with the highest income. Therefore, the $5,301 debt goes to the household that earns $55,000 per year, while the lowest debt of $4,603 goes to the household that earns only $26,000 per year. This demonstrates that the combination of household size and household income is an overall better predictor of credit card charges that any of those variables alone. According to this, a household made up of three persons and earning $40,000 should show a credit card charge within the median range of about $3,800 – $4,100. This would be expected to be comparable to any other household of three persons, yet slightly below those households of three that have higher earnings. Other Data Necessary to Make Accurate Predictions Other information concerning these households’ loans, mortgages, and neighbourhood locations would also be requested of the client. According to the discussion above, though, it would appear that despite the fact that household size predicts the annual credit card charges better than household income, other factors also affect the size of credit card debt. What one notes is that most of the low-earning households do still show a disproportionately higher amount of debt than their counterparts of high-earning households with similar household sizes. Households that, for example earn twice as much as another do not generally show twice as much debt in this data set. Neither is this so for households that have twice as many persons. One contributor to this is the existence of fixed costs, as mentioned above. However, this does not account for all the discrepancies. Therefore, other factors that might contribute to credit card charges include the amount of previous debt (such as university tuition loans, mortgages, etc) that each household has incurred. They may also include the household’s attitude toward its finances and toward debt in general. Other factors involve the cost of living within the geographical area of the particular household and the general lifestyle to which the household is accustomed. Work Cited Professor’s Name. â€Å"Data Sheet.† Name of Class. City: University, 2007.

Project Management and Internal Function Essay

The HRIS project is necessitated by two factors which support our business needs. One of these factors is the need to keep up with the demand for our product within the marketplace. The second factor is actualizing a business that works as hard for its employees as hard as the employees have worked for the business. Our business has increased by two fold in the last 18 months, which means that we must create a new way of doing business. As a result of this growth, we had to revamp the financial system, which has actualized its contribution through showing up as time savings achieved through automation. As a result of implementing the financial system, we received our return on investment six months earlier than anticipated. How does it get any better than that? It is with the same dedication that the HRIS project is being given life and endorsed by the stakeholders, which support this project. Description As a result of this growth, we have just completed the transition of incorporating the financial system and it has been a smashing success. This new growth demands of us that we do business a little differently now. It is our intent through this project to improve the employees’ workplace and space in addition to addressing the changes that come about from expansion. There has been a marked and appreciable demand for our products over the last two years. As a result of this growth, we now require a better way of doing business. The HRIS project will take an outside and inside approach in order to create the space for transition and a better way of doing business. The approximate savings through this project would be actualized within the two quarters alone. Objective The objective for this project supports our goal of achieving a more robust production environment for our customers in addition to providing a better environment for future growth for our employees. It is our intent to support this project in the following ways: 1. Payroll will be automated and this will produce a faster and easier way for the employees to be reimbursed or to make changes to the auto pay options. 2. Our employees will be in a better position to pursue and create a career track for them that aligns with their own goals. 3. The HRIS process will allow for more transparency in hiring for those on the outside. 4. Potential employees will be able to see and apply for open positions. 5. Management will be in a better position to ensure that the potential applicants are well-qualified. 6. Additional funding now available from the implementation of the financial system can fund more research and projects to improve the workplace. Success Criteria or Expected Benefits The success criteria came from the various stakeholders and sponsors. The CEO of the company, Rory Genhardt, commissioned a project manager to spearhead the HRIS project. The project manager conducted several interviews of various stakeholders and sponsors in order to obtain measurable project objectives. The reports disseminated will include information gathered from the individual SMEs. It is this information that was used to present information to the stakeholders, sponsors and participants through reports, presentations, written, verbal and oral communications. The expert judgment provided by these various individuals was invaluable. They are outlined for the HRIS project as targets. Specifically identified from the various stakeholders of the expected benefits of the implementation of this project are the â€Å"recruiting capabilities† and â€Å"succession planning† for the CEO. Per the HR Director, â€Å"vacation and sick time and sick leave linked to attendance instead of years of services†, in addition to â€Å"tracking of certification and education requirements† would be a benefit from the implementation. The VP of Marketing would receive benefit from the â€Å"employee database and the e-forms†. The VP of Finance would be appreciative of the â€Å"payroll capabilities†. The most beneficial aspects for the VP of Manufacturing would be the â€Å"performance review management and compensation capabilities†. â€Å"Position control† and the â€Å"recruiting capabilities† would be beneficial to the Plant Managers. Funding Some of the funding available for this project was generated per the information contained in the GenScoop newsletter. The CEO of GenRays states, â€Å"extra savings will fuel additional growth and expansion to the company, as we are able to fund more research and projects to improve our workplace.† In addition to the growth experienced from the total sales in the last quarter, GenRay is in a solid position to support funding for this project as stated by the VP of Finance with a contribution of $103,000. Should additional funding be required for this project, the Information Technology Director will be sought out as they have approximately $360,000 available for hardware and software upgrades in addition to technical staff being available for assistance. Major Deliverables The following deliverables contained in this project charter were derived from interviews with the stakeholders who said: âÅ"â€" The CEO requires that commencement of the project is to begin after the W2s are issued per a request from the CEO as time is critical for the introduction of this project. The actualization of this project will create more â€Å"research and projects to improve our workplace.† âÅ"â€" Per the executive sponsors and the CEO, there is a request to complete the project with all the system elements being functional before the year-end closing as the anticipated savings will provide company additional funding for R&D projects on the horizon. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. âÅ"â€" In order to keep the project on schedule, incorporating compatible team members during the performing stage will help to keep the project running smoothly and decrease down time. This is an internal function of the project outcome. This deliverable creates a stable foundation for the commencement of the project. âÅ"â€" The VP of Manufacturing requires integration of the searchable performance feature so that managers can review potential candidates who can be selected for the management program. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for the HR, Plant Manager, VP of Finance and Marketing to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires an awareness of which team members require additional time to move through the forming, storming and norming stages. This is an internal function of the project outcome. âÅ"â€" The CEO requires that the software has recruiting capabilities. The information derived will screen qualified candidates who are applying for positions. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The CEO also requires an integrated computerized system, which tracks the performance review information, to include certifications, experience and educational requirements which can be used for succession planning. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for the HR, Plant Manager, VP of Finance and Marketing to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Plant Manager from Manufacturing Site 1 requires a self-serve employee database which will track and update the information on each employee. This is an internal function of the project outcome. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The VP of Marketing requires the implementation of business forms which populate E-forms for the ease of inter-commerce for more standardized processes among the organization. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. âÅ"â€" The VP of Finance requires an automated self-service payroll in order to save time and money. This is an internal function of the project outcome. âÅ"â€" The Plant Manager from Manufacturing Site 1 requires analyzation of the position control of the data entered by salary, grade and job title so as to provide equitable compensation to the employees throughout the site. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires a capability which mines the data contained within performance review data and training records in order to ensure that the proper candidate is matched with most compatible candidate. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires the capability of self-service of employee’s information, which is then used and approved by their management in order to streamline the hiring process. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires migration of the older databases in addition to streamlining the information received into a consolidated database to include financial, employee, vacation, benefits, training, education and certification. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. Acceptance Criteria Per the CEO of GenRays, the major acceptance criteria is, â€Å"The project must be complete with all system elements functional before year-end closing.† In addition to that the following criteria are: âÅ"â€" The CEO’s acceptance is that the actualization of this project will create more â€Å"research and projects to improve our workplace.† âÅ"â€" Per the executive sponsors and the CEO, the acceptance criteria for them is having all the system elements be functional so that the company will have additional funding for R&D projects on the horizon. âÅ"â€" The CEO requires that the software have recruiting capabilities, the phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use of this information. âÅ"â€" The CEO also requires an integrated computerized system, which tracks the performance review information. This phase in the project allows for the HR, Plant Manager, VP of Finance and Marketing to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" HR requires incorporating compatible team members. This criteria creates a stable foundation for the commencement of the project. âÅ"â€" The Director of HR’s acceptance requires an awareness of which team members require additional time to move through the forming, storming and norming stages. This is an internal function of the project outcome. This phase ensures completion of the project without personnel complications. âÅ"â€" The VP of Manufacturing’s acceptance requires a searchable performance feature which allows for the HR, Plant Manager, VP of Finance and Marketing to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The VP of Marketing’s acceptance requires the implementation of business forms. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. âÅ"â€" The VP of Finance requires an automated self-service payroll in order to save time and money. This is an internal function of the project outcome. âÅ"â€" The Plant Manager from Manufacturing Site 1 requires a self-serve employee database. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Plant Manager from Manufacturing Site 1 requires analyzation of the position control of the data entered by salary, grade and job title. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires a capability which mines the data. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires the capability of self-service of employee’s information. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires migration of the older databases. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user.

Recommendation letter Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Recommendation letter - Coursework Example On completion of her second degree, she was promoted to the role of a pharmaceutical educator. Since then, she has proven us right through her excellent skills in training facilitations and her competence in academic skills. Currently, as a pharmaceutical educator, she educates cardiac patients on the antiplatelet therapy. She is also a good team player and was able to effectively communicate with patients, their families and her colleagues leading to great success in the cardiac patients’ therapy and treatment outcomes during the period. Apart from educating patients and families on antiplatelet therapy, she has also been facilitating the acquisition of the drugs needed for treatment. From my observation, she truly has an interest in the field of medicine and has a heart for the patients. Her previous competency indicates that she can achieve tremendous success for the institution once she is offered the new position. I therefore recommend her for the position of without any reservation. With much enthusiasm; I positively look forward to your favorable consideration of her

International Accounting Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Accounting Standards - Essay Example (Salter et al, 1996). The main goal of the International set of Accounting Standards is to standardise the financial and accounting method disclosures of firms in different nations. That is, if firms follow the same set of accounting standards, their external financial reports will provide more uniform disclosures and thus investors would make more use of the variables inherent in the financial statements. (Asbaugh, 2001). Also, firms and investors would benefit from financial statements prepared following an international set of accounting standards. (Asbaugh, 2001). In meeting with the afore-mentioned objectives, the European Union issued regulation 1606/2002 of July 19, 2002 requiring that all companies listed in the European Union and European listed companies in other countries to adopt international accounting standards in their Financial statements from 1st January 2005 onwards the regulation also gave member states the option to or permit the use of IAS and IFRS in the corporate annual accounts. A single set of standards including IAS 2 inventories had to be adopted by firms in the region and firms in other regions that are listed in the E.U. Non-E.U listed firms in other areas that permit or require the adoption of IAS/IFRS also adopted International accounting standards. The International Accounting Standards Board recently revised IAS 2. In accordance to this revision, the LIFO method of valuing inventories was completely faced out and only the First in First out (FIFO) and weighted average methods of inventories are to be used as from now henceforth. Following this revision, I predict significant effects on costs, profitability, taxes and firm value for firms adopting international accounting standards who previously applied the LIFO method of accounting considering that they are now required to use only the FIFO or weighted average methods of inventory valuation. I also predict significant difficulties in convergence with the U.S GAAP considering the fact that the LIFO method remains the method applied in the United States. Thus the International Accounting Standards Board will hardly achieve its goals of converging International Accounting Standards with U.S GAAP. One would expect a series of effects from changing from the old standards to the new standards either positive or negative. Most research on this topic has centred on different aspects of international accounting standards. For example Taylor and Jones (1999) studied how firms that claim to be using accounting standards refer to international accounting standards in their financial statements. This study provides evidence that almost all the firms in the study referred to international accounting standards in the footnotes to the financial statements but referred to international accounting standards in their audit reports only 50% of the time. Ashbaugh (2001) investigated the factors associated with non-US firms that voluntarily disclose their financial statements following either U.S GAAP or IAS. Examining the annual reports of 211 non-US firms listed in the London Stock exchange

Moral Autobiography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Moral Autobiography - Essay Example Genetics made me possess certain innate qualities that I find difficult to erase. However, it seems to me that socialization had a larger role in deciding my outward behavior (Text). For example, my present skills, knowledge, values, emotions and my role are all decided by the society. Admittedly, the very beginning of my socialization was from family followed by peers, school and the wider society. Thus, the beginning of my ethics was from my family, especially my parents. As my father is a Jew and mother has no affiliation with any religion, I grew up with no influence of any religion on me. However, the values of ethics that developed in me were mainly imported from the values I observed in my parents. In the early stages of my life, that is play, I imitated the surroundings I saw. I played doctor, police, father and teacher. At this stage, even without my knowing, the basic values of ethics were getting inculcated. Evidently, in the beginning, my ethics was entirely normative in nature. Admittedly, it was somewhat in the kind of the Golden Rule that one should do to others what one wants others to do to one. I learnt the fact that I should respect my parents, teachers and all elders. In addition, certain fundamentals like killing or harming is bad, it is good to help others were also incorporated into my ethical repertoire. Here, the tenets of Role Theory seem useful. According to the theory, the observable social behavior of people is like carrying out ones role in the society. For example, as a child I was made to obey my parents and all other elders I met. In addition, as the Symbolic Interaction Theory suggests, I started developing the concept of self. As I was defining myself, I found myself taking the role of a son and a student. As a child, I used to observe and play the roles of various people. As I imitated my father, I observed how my father has been with me, and thus I got the ideas of ethics. Admittedly, at this stage, I got no influence of rel igion, and the only ethical aspects of my life came from my parents' advice and observation I made. As a result of the normative nature of my ethics, I can say it was virtue ethics that I upheld in the beginning. It was inculcated not as my duty, but as a virtue I should develop. If I try to mention them, the very first thing is that one is supposed to respect all elders, especially parents and teachers. In addition, I found that unnecessarily harming anyone is morally wrong as Symbolic Interaction Theory claims. As I found that others do not engage in such activities that are harmful to others, I realized that harming others is immoral. However, as I reached adolescence and started mingling with may people, I reached what is called utilitarian concept. I found the fat that if I behave well with others, there is the feeling of wellbeing in the group I live. In addition, there was the development of deontological idea that I can expect in return, the kind of virtue I produce. In addi tion, I rightly followed the principles of virtue ethics by trying to develop a eudaimon life that gives satisfaction. Admittedly, this took place mainly because my parents, especially my mother taught me that if one has virtue in life, or if one always does good things in life, one will have peace and thus will be a good human being. However, reaching adolescence and reaching the Christian school, my concepts of ethics developed and altered a lot. Admittedly, Christian ethics varies from ethics in general. While Christian ethics stress on what

Home Health Nursing Initiative assignment 2 Essay

Home Health Nursing Initiative assignment 2 - Essay Example This paper is also being undertaken in order to assess the appropriateness of the application of this kit using the current literature on this kit. This assessment of literature will hopefully shed light to the evidence-based application of this kit and hopefully make a credible evaluation of the actual application of the Symptom Response Kit. The Symptom Response Kit is described by the South West Community Care Access Centre (CCAC, 2009, p. 1) as â€Å"a kit of medications that can be ordered by a physician, to be available in a client’s home to relieve potential symptoms for clients requiring hospice palliative care services or who are at the end of life stage in their disease management†. In the most basic sense, this kit is a reserve kit which can be used in case unanticipated symptoms of a long-term care patient would surface. The kit contains emergency medical supplies previously approved or prescribed by the patient’s doctor in anticipation of probable symptoms of the patient’s illness. It contains limited amounts of a few medications which have been deemed effective in addressing the usual symptoms of distress in clients who are at the end of their lives (Matzon & Sherman, 2006). The kit is â€Å"solely for the purpose of alleviating unanticipated symptoms, to avoid unnecessary hospit al/ER admission or until a regular prescription can be obtained† (CACC, 2009, p. 1). This kit acts as an interim remedy for the patient in order to prevent further deterioration while a more comprehensive consultation with the doctor is being scheduled. Symptom relief kits or emergency kits are set-up in order to address the â€Å"need to have appropriate medications readily available in the home, extended care facility, or hospital† (Matzon & Sherman, 2006, p. 322). Among palliative health care givers, there is no specific timing where the dying process can be predicted,

The Iconic image of Mao hangs at the Tiananmen Square and Its Futher Essay

The Iconic image of Mao hangs at the Tiananmen Square and Its Futher Implications - Essay Example Further, the face of China today was an entirely different one before. The penetration of the imperialists deteriorated the economic situation of the country. Political disloyalty and fraud emerged as corruption began to have an effect when the British East India Company earned massive revenues by co-operating with China’s corrupt public officers. The Japanese people attempted to take control of the nation by its Twenty-One Demand that gained severe protests. Mao Tse-Tung or most popularly known as Mao Zedong was one of the young intellectuals who set off the pioneering work of establishing the first Marxism study cluster that aimed to integrate the theories and principles of Marx in the political system of China. In 1921, he co-founded the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which, together with the Kuomintang (KMT), battled against the guerrilla leaders and warlords who ruled lots of Northern China. The [Student’s Last Name] 2 Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – under t he leadership of Mao Zedong – eventually took spearhead and control over the entire nation on a completely different path. A Short Biography of Mao Zedong and His Contributions to the Political Scheme of China Mao Zedong was the leading and primary Chinese communist chairman and leader of the 20th century and the chief forefather of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. He was born on December 26, 1893, and was raised in a peasant family in a small village of Shaoshan, Hunan province of China. He was a stubborn rebel of his father's unusually strict disciplinary authority. He was initially introduced to subjects like the Chinese history, literature and philosophy but was also opened up to the thoughts and philosophies of progressive Confucian activists namely K'yang Yu-Wei. Mao moved to Changsa - the capital of the province - where he shortly worked as a combatant of the Republican army that defeated the Qing Dynasty in 1911 revolutionary action. During his stay in Ch angsa, he studied various topics of the Western civilizations including Western Philosophy and was likewise immensely motivated by several liberal newspapers and journalistic printed materials including the New Youth, established by the radical lead Chen Duxiu. In 1918, after completing his studies from the Hunan Teachers College, he voyaged to Peking, now Beijing, and got hold of a job in the Peking University Library under the supervision of Li Dazhao - the chief librarian of the university. Li was highly involved with the study of Marxism and eventually, Mao joined the study group and together they delved into the political and social philosophy of Marxism and in the long run became a keen reader of Marxist writings. Mao printed and circulated articles picking holes with the outdated, old-style standards [Student’s Last Name] 3 of Confucianism. The circulation occurred during the "May Fourth Movement of 1919" where scholars, learners and thinkers were convened for the even tual transformation and innovation of China. Mao emphasized the substantial weight of physical power and mental determination in the fight against custom. In the year 1921, Mao co-founded the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Albeit he was an avid reader of Marxist writings, he geographically tilted a bit from Marxism when he sensed that in an Asian civilization, communists had to give more focus on the rural areas or the countryside instead of giving so much attention to the urban towns. In actual fact,

E-Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

E-Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example   Although e customer relations management is a fairly new area of study for businesses and related stake holders, there has been research taken up to show the possible solutions to the   business problem as presented above. These solutions have been projected to help the organizations increase and maintain their customers through the provision of quality customer relations. The first solution that shall be looked into is developing customer focused business strategies. This involves considering the consumer throughout the process of developing a business strategy (Shanmugasundaram, 2008). This means the organization has to understand the needs of the consumers as well as the demands and through this they can be able to project what demands the consumers might make in the future. The most effective way of getting to the level where an organization can make projections into the future about the demands of their clients, is by providing channels of communications that enable the cl ient to give their views on the products provide4d as well as communication what the consumer would like the organization to improve or include in the line of their production (Romano and Fjermestad, 2006). By so doing the client gets to choose which channel of communication best suits them and thereafter the organization can use that to communicate on a personal level to the consumer telling them of new products and of upcoming sales. This creates a personal feel to the relationship.... Following research undertaken to understand the potential markets and increased profit presented by the Internet, e customer relationship management has come forth as an area that has not yet been fully looked into. Studies continue to show that online based organizations do not offer competitive customer service to counter their offline competition whose customer relations management supersedes that of the online based firms. According to the research report by Lee-Kelley, Gilbert, and Mannincom (2003), many firms in the U.K that went online were blinded by the perception that the Internet provides a near perfect market. This belief led most of the firms to decrease the attention on other strategies of pleasing the client and instead focused on setting the price. This led to aspects such as feature, quality and customer relations being compromised and this meant the organizations did not enjoy the full potential of opportunities created by the Internet. One of the rationales for the concentration of setting the prices is the fact that with online transactions, the consumer is able to compare different firms offering the same item and this creates price wars. This makes firms engage in an act that eventually benefits the consumers more. Although e customer relations management is a fairly new area of study for businesses and related stake holders, there has been research taken up to show the possible solutions to the business problem as presented above. These solutions have been projected to help the organizations increase and maintain their customers through the provision of quality customer relations. The first solution that shall be looked into is developing customer focused business