Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Physiological vs. Technological birth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Physiological vs. Technological birth - Essay Example Before a choice is made, one however has to analyze the pros and cons associated with both the normal physiological route of delivery and technology assisted cesarean section (Lowden, 2002; Cohen, 2003). In an age where time is considered equivalent to money it is not surprising when people opt for quicker and also pain-free delivery procedures rather than time-consuming vaginal ones. Many mothers also have a constant fear about the passage of a baby through the birth canal and a c-section prevents all these anxieties. Additionally the oozing of the amniotic fluid, excretion of human wastes in some cases, sweat and tears which are normally associated with normal vaginal birth is also avoided. In other words, a c-section ensures a more clean and hygienic delivery in keeping up with the modern trend. While these are the pros associated with a c-section, one should also consider the after-effects of such a procedure. The procedure does ensure a pain-free delivery, however, post-op there are several problems which have to be overcome by the mother. The pain after a c-section persists for a while and the mother would have to take pain killers and in case they have an infection they will have to take more drugs to control them. There is also the burden of the scar left from the surgery which would present for quite a long time. The time taken to recover is more compared to that of normal pregnancies and hence such mothers cannot get into their routine for quite some time. Thus if the mother has other small children it would be quite a task to manage them. Above all, the risk of maternal death is high in cesarean sections as compared to vaginal deliveries. The presence of a scar or any other tissues after delivery can also lead to other problems such as bowel obstructions or infertility and might affect subsequent pregnancies. Moreover research also states that cesarean mothers are

Sunday, October 27, 2019

An overview of project management

An overview of project management Project management is an essential component of the organizational structure and its use is built into the organization’s work flow process. An effective project management will influence the organizational outcomes. The project means a temporary effort undertaken to produce a unique product (PMI, 2004). On the project, it can be divided into several phases which include project conception and initiation, project definition and planning, project execution, project performance and control, and project close. The project usually has an objective to meet specific requirements of the organization and has a specific time to accomplish it either long time or a short time. A project is temporary which has a beginning and has the end in a specific time, and therefore defined scope and resources. According to Gaddis (1959), a project is an organization unit dedicated to the attainment of a goal. It is generally the successful completion of a developmental product at point in time, with in the cost estimate, and in conformance with prearranged performance specifications. A project is fundamentally an approach of working, an approach of organizing people, and an approach to manage tasks. A project starts at a defined point of time, ends at specific in time and, is complete when the outcome is completed (Newton, 2005). Hurricanes (2002) stated that a project is an impermanent in nature that has specific start and finish. Other than that, project is a unique, one time undertaking. It can be said like that because the project cannot be done exactly in the same approach by the same project manager and within the same environment The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques are important to project management, which enables project activities meet the project requirements. Its a strategic competency for organizations, which enable to organize to get project results which to fulfill the business goals. The project management involves the process of directing and controlling a project from start to finish. The purpose of project management is to predict as many risks and problems as possible besides planning, organizing and controlling the activities. So, the project is completed as successfully as possible in spite of all the risks. Project Management is formal discipline that has been developed to manage projects (Newton, 2005). There are many activities that can benefit from project management like building a ship, construct a house, launching new products, information technology systems project and many more. Project Management is the process of guiding a project from its beginning through its performance to its end (Portny, 2006). There are includes three basic operations in project management, which are planning, organizing and controlling the project. Project management knowledge draws on nine areas. Figure 1 below illustrates the project management knowledge area: In project management, there is a key element that is included in a project management framework like project stakeholder. The stakeholders are the people who involved in the project activities. The stakeholder in project management can include the project manager, project sponsor, the project team, support staff, suppliers, opponents, client, users and many more. In this paper, the project manager roles and skills will be discussed in depth. The project manager cooperates closely with the other stakeholders. So this paper will discuss in depth the project manager roles and skills in the project management process. Project manager (PM) is generally taken to be the person accountable for delivering a project which runs smoothly on the designated period, within the cost plan and to the preferred performance or quality standards determined by the client (Sommerville, Craig Hendry, 2010). Project Manager is one of the stakeholders in any project management in the organization. Project Manager is responsible for delivering all the components of the project. Project Manager can be full time or the role of project manager given by the condition. Steyn (2008) stated that the project manager is the bonding medium holding the project together. The project manager’s influence the achievement the project, either success or fail. Project Manager should cooperate closely with the stakeholders, especially the sponsor and project team to meet the expectation of the project. The Project manager is the person ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the project (Heerkens, 2002). The project m anager can be called as team leader in a group. Project managers often are considered the direct leadership component essential to project success. The project manager is the element of project success in the company or organization. The project manager is responsible for managing the project’s scope, project schedule, and project cost to support the client or customer expectations for the successful completion of the project. The success or failure of a project is influenced by the project manager’s appointment. Petty (2009) indicates the project’s managers has the capability to connect between the organization which able to perform and serve the project. It is a critical factor of project success in the organization. The work of project manager does vary from project to project. The Project manager is responsible for scoping out the work, planning it and determining what resources are required, getting the resources allocated, and then managing the completion of the task required and ensuring any problems that may cause the completion of the tasks to be delayed. A project manager works according to project management approach. A project manager is the person responsible for leading a project from its initiation to complete. This includes planning, execution and managing the people, resources and goals of the project. Project Management, it is important to have project manager which is acting as manager. 97% of successful projects was led by qualified project managers which is who can often help to affect success factors (Schwalbe, 2006). As project manager, they can have many job description based on the organization and also based on the project. Although it is based on the organization and the project, there are similar tasks that project manager perform. There are several job categories for project manager which includes: Project Manager for a Consulting firm Project Manager should plans, schedule, and controls activities to fulfill the objectives of the project by applying technical, theoretical and managerial skills. Those skills are to meet the project requirements. Apart from that, the project manager should coordinate and integrates team and build a good relationship with the clients and associates to make sure the project is successful. Information Technology Project Manager for a financial services firm Project Manager should manage, prioritizes, develops, and implement information technology solutions to meet business needs. For example, project manager prepares and executes project plans using project management software in accordance with the standards. It is vital to have plans which are built a Gantt chart in order to make sure the project could finish at the specific time. Information technology project Manager for a nonprofit consulting firm. The project manager responsibilities include business analysis, project requirement gathering and project planning, budget estimating, project development, project testing, project implementation, and many more. For nonprofit consulting firm, project manager should work with various resource providers to ensure the development or project completed on specific times, high quality and cost effective for the project. Project Manager Roles are very important and more challenging other than the typical functional manager. Project Manager. The project manager roles are a success factor for project management in organizing. Project Manager is an individual that in charge of developing, in conjunction with the Project Sponsor. The Project Manager then makes sure that the project is delivered on time, within the budget and to the specific quality standard. Project Manager also ensures that the project is effectively resourced and manages relationships with a wide range of groups including all the project stakeholders. The Project Manager is also responsible for managing the work of consultants, allocate and utilize all the project resources in a professional manner and maintaining a cooperative, motivated and successful team. Project managers are professed to be leading a various set of people with direct control over the team members (Baker, Murphy Fisher, 2008). A number of roles are identified for the project manager such as planned all the activities, tasks, schedules and budgets. Other than that, he or she is organizing, selecting and placing the project team. The project manager is leading the project team and control all the activities and schedules. Besides that, the project manager also is able to select and develop a project team and give a motivation to the team members. Apart from that, the project manager also should always communicate with the project team and all stakeholders. The project manager also is the person who able to solve the problem, make a decision. A project managers responsibilities include overall management The project manager plays their role from the beginning of the project until the end of the project. Below is the roles should be required of a project manager. Manager Project Manager must oversee and manages the work and the employees Facilitator Project Manager must ensure that all resources are available when it’s needed as well can solve any problems. Communicator Project Manager must effectively communicate with top management, customer, project team, and the other stakeholders. The project manager must frequently communicate with the stakeholders in order to manage the works and all the work can be done by all the participants in the project. Politician Project Manager must act as a politician, which is able to influence the people and able to make a decision. Project Manager should know how to get things done, how to operate with the system, how to get people to collaborate and how to influence the people Negotiator Project Manager must act as negotiator which able negotiates with the stakeholders. The Negotiator is the skilled at getting what is needed for the project to be successful. For example, a Project Manager negotiates with senior management for more resources, negotiate with functional managers to get a particular project team member or to use a functional resource, negotiate with vendors for shorter lead time, negotiate with clients about project goal changes and others. Project Manager also has responsibility in project management as follows: Defining the scope Planning the scope Activity and resource planning Developing schedules and timescales Cost estimating Budgeting Completing documentation Risk analysis Risk management Progress monitoring Team Management Business Partnering Scalability and portability analysis Quality control To be a good project manager, it is important to possess several skills in order to manage the project in the organization. Project managers need to have a wide variety of skills which can help them to do the best in project management. All the skills that possess by the project manager is determinant of the success of the project in project management. It is to fulfill the responsibilities as the project manager. There are several major knowledge and skill categories for project manager. Skills requirement of the project manager divided into four categories (Heerkens, 2002). Below are the four major knowledge and skills categories of the project manager. Project management process skills Project Management process skills are the knowledge and skills related to the mechanism of project management. The project manager should be knowledgeable about tools, techniques and process technology in project management as well able to apply them in real situations. For instance, the project manager should know how to develop a complete customer document, build a network diagram, and build a work breakdown structure. With all these skills, the project manager will able to facilitate and organize the project plan. Project Manager also can encounter all the problems during the project management activities and will get respect from all the team members and other stakeholder. Interpersonal and behavioral skills Interpersonal skills are the tools of people used to interact and communicate with other people in the organization. Interpersonal communication skills has seven main areas that required by the project manager, including verbal communication skills, nonverbal communication skills, listening skills, negotiation skills, problem solving skills, decision making skills and assertiveness. Project Manger skills in dealing with the people are immeasurable valued. Besides the interpersonal skills, project manager also needs to have behavioral skills like personal conduct, style and approach. Technology management skills As we know, most of the project is surrounded with the technology. It is referring to the process areas at the core of the project that used information technology infrastructure. The technology skills required might include software and hardware in order to do the task. The ability of the project manager to coordinate the application of technology is the key success as project manager. It is important to project manager to have adequate knowledge and skills that embedded with the technology. There are several technology management required by project manager such as proficiency in project core technology, proficiency in the supporting technology area, industry knowledge, patent knowledge, design skills, and many more. The project manager should familiar with the technology applied in the project. The project manager must able effective in the use of technology. Desired personal traits To be a successful project manager, a personal trait is most important. Personal traits means is the action, attitudes and behavior should project manager have. Possessing personal traits will become a good project manager and be able to performing the duties as a project manager. The desirable traits should possess by project manager such as honesty and has integrity. Other than that, project manager should thinks like a generalist, has high tolerance with other people, and process-oriented, self-aware, open and accessible, politically, and decisive. The manager’s leadership role is of great importance in motivating people and creating an effective working environment in order for the project team to encounter greater challenges in today’s environment. The characteristics of a project manager to indicate the type of leader and leadership style that the project manager applies during the management of projects. All project managers need to demonstrate leadership skills and managerial skills. Leadership and management are terms often used in managing the organization or company. The project manager must be a leader and manager. A leader focuses on long term objectives and give inspiration to people to achieve the project management the goals in the organization (Schwalbe, 2011). Meanwhile, a manager deals with day-to-day project activities in order to achieve the goals. The leadership skills of project manager are very important to lead the project to success. Leadership can be defined as a style of behavior designed to integrate both the organizational requirements and personal interests in the pursuit of some objectives. Managers hold a leadership responsibility. Project managers are often selected or not selected because of their leadership styles (Kerzner, 2001). The leadership role is crucial to facilitating various project success factors that contribute to project execution. According to Anantatmula (2010), the project manager’s leadership roles and responsibilities influence the project deliverables and the project performance. Besides that People skills are essential when a project manager become. People skills are leadership circles of leaders that are encouraged to share the vision and team members are encouraged to be service oriented. The leader also has good relationships with customers or vendors. Barnard (1938) suggested the functions of a leader are needed to have both managerial and emotional functions. Managerial and emotional functions are called as cognitive and cathe ctic. Cognitive functions are managerial functions which involve directing, guiding the people, and constraining choices and actions, meanwhile cathectic functions are emotional functions which include motivational as well emotional aspects towards the objectives of the project and increasing trust and commitment to a larger moral purpose. Leadership and People skills are very important for a project manager to manage the project in the organization from the beginning until the end. All the skills are crucial in order to facilitate the project and make sure the project run smoothly within the time, scope and the cost. The project manager that is trusted by the team and gets the team to work together will communicate successfully. Project team members need to collaborate, share, collaborate and integrate information and knowledge to meet project objectives. A project manager does not communicate with language only, but also with character, which includes attitude, behavior and personality. Project manager with characteristics will allow team members to take responsibility for their work, developing trust, collaboration and teamwork; and sharing the vision will apply during the execution of a project. Besides acting as manager, project manager also act as a facilitator and also as a communicator. He or she must ensure that all resources and work are available when needed and that any problems are resolved. The project manager also must effectively communicate with top management, customer, project team, and other participants in project management. Other than that, the project manager should act as a politician and also negotiator. When they act as a politician, the project manager able to influence the others and have a great influence in decision making. It is important for a project manager to be a negotiator because they need to negotiate with all the stakeholders in managing all the process in the project management activities. The factor which may cause the project management to fail is by assigning the wrong person as project manager. Responsibilities of a Project Manager are to ensure successful completion of a project within a specific time and within the budget allocation. However, it involves many other stages in project management. Project manager plays a key role in helping projects and organization success. The project manager must perform a variety of job duties and have many skills. It is to develop skills in project management, general management, and also their application area such as in the information technology area. To be a successful project manager, they must care about everything and responsible in broad areas including for a project, company, project team members and also the project manager itself. To be a successful project manager, it should be somebody who consistently completes the project and meet the organization goals and also project management goals. The project must getting deliverables completed and handed over. When the project is completed, it can see the business profit increasing and leaves the customer with smiles on their faces. In the nutshell, it can be said that project manager gives big influence to the project management which involve in all the activities of the project management. 1

Friday, October 25, 2019

Desert Winds And Electrical Energy Essay -- essays research papers

Desert Winds and Electrical Energy   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The energy of the wind can be channeled into other forms of energy besides the energy used as an erosional agent. This is especially true of desert winds. Today, some desert wind is used to make electricity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wind velocity is affected by air temperature. When air warms and cools, it changes density, which creates air pressure differences that cause wind. In the desert, temperatures may range from 40 º F at night to more than 120 º F in the daytime. Because of this temperature fluctuation, wind is generally stronger in desert areas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many windy areas in California. It is usually windier during the summer months when wind rushes in from cooler areas, like the ocean to replace hot rising air in California’s deserts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Southern California, the hot air from the desert goes up and out over the Coast Range, reaching seaward. When it cools off it descends and flows back toward the land and re-enters the desert through such loop holes in the Coast Range as the San Gorgonio Pass – the old Puerta de San Carlos – above Indio. The rush of wind through this particular pass is quite violent at times. For wind is very much like water and seeks the least obstructed path. Throughout the San Gorgonio Pass there are wind-eroded ledges attesting to the violent winds that pass through it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The San Go...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Importance of Accountability Essay

â€Å"Accountability encompasses the procedures and processes by which one party justifies and takes responsibility for its activities such as for achieving various organizational goals† (Lippincott Nursing Center, 2009). When a patient goes enters an office, they have already set their standards and expectations to the highest standards. From the first hello to the introduction to their provider, every action is being measured. The employees will be held accountable if the patient isn’t checked in a timely manner; their insurance information is not entered quickly or accurately. The medical assistant has to have their patients roomed in a timely manner, check vitals and enter vitals and record medications correctly. If any of these steps are not completed appropriately, that individual will be held accountable. Accountability is an anchor in any business, but it is crucial to the healthcare industry. In this paper I will identify what it means to be held accountable an d tools to measure accountability. Why is accountability important in the health care industry. Patients rely on the accountability and knowledge of their providers. This attribute is important because their health is in the hands of these individuals. This responsibility does not stop with the providers, but it is also relevant for other staff members involved in the care of the patients. Patients expect their care to be handled appropriately and efficiently. In order for the system to work accordingly, employees need to be held accountable for their actions. If employees are not consistently doing what it takes to provide excellent customer service, accountability is not being enforced, and employees create risk for the company. By not following through on task or responsibilities patients begin to question the credibility of the company, and they begin to want someone to be held accountable for the deficiencies  that have occurred. How is an employee’s accountability measured in the health care industry. As a leader, my accountability is measured by the outcome of my staff and the productivity of my staff. Standards that are measured may be, are my patients being roomed in a timely manner, are there mistakes being made by my front office when entering information. Are my providers up to date on their requirements such as CMEs (continued medical education)? Are my OSHA and HIPAA manuals current? Do I have a fire escape plan posted and did we practice drills? Are charges being entered in a timely manner? These are certain aspects of my job that are tangible and some that are intangible that assessed and that I will be held accountable for if they do not meet the set standard. Staff accountability is measured through observation and yearly reviews, unless action is required sooner such corrective action measures. Patients also have the opportunity to send feedback through patient surveys and direct contact the leadership team. Applying ethical considerations in leadership and management. Ethics plays a large role in the different facets of healthcare. By not practicing ethical behavior, this creates room for error in the workplace. By teaching ethical behavior and exemplifying it as a leader you’re giving your employees the necessary tools to practice accountability and reliability. By incorporating this practice into the culture of your office, this leads to productivity and equips your staff to stand by behind their actions because they believe in them. By establishing this culture, it paves the path for accountable behavior. â€Å"Culture change requires committed leadership. Inadequate or inappropriate leadership has been identified as a key factor when attempts to change culture fail† (Lippincott Nursing Center, 2009). Checks and Balances in a successful organization. In a successful organization, checks and balances are created and implemented to ensure that the company’s success continues. Without checks and balances, the company is unable to quantify or identify the origin of its problems or how to go about correcting the situation. Without checks and balances, this leaves room for errors, which may lead to lawsuits or sick patients. For example by not providing your staff with mandated cleaning schedules, you are susceptible to infections among your patients. By requiring logs and assignments, you can then hold someone accountable if such tasks have not  been completed. By identifying what process is needed and the specific outcome, employees tend to be compliant and complete their expected work. By knowing the consequences of not completing their work, they are made aware that they will be held accountable and in what way. How does accountability affect an organization’s working culture? â€Å"Health care providers are constantly striving to improve quality and efficiency by using performance management systems and quality improvement initiatives. Creating and maintaining a culture of accountability are essential for achieving this end because accountability is the reason for measuring and improving performance† (Lippincott Nursing Center, 2009). How can you maintain a positive working culture and avoid a working culture of blame. In a leadership role, it is important to be the example of what you want within your organization. By doing so, you are developing a culture of respect without direct blame. Teach your staff how to identify the problem, how to avoid it and more importantly not to place blame. A responsible staff member will acknowledge their mistakes and make the effort to correct them. This attitude decreases the culture of blame. For example, my staff member made a mistake, and instead of pulling her into my office and placing all the blame on her my first question is â€Å"Why are you in here?† By approaching mistakes this way, you are putting the control back into the hands of the employee/staff member. This provides the opportunity to dissect their behavior and tell me why it occurred. In the end, there is no blame, but questions, which lead to answers, that result in the process of avoiding the same mistake. This approach negates cultural blame. In conclusion, accountability is a very productive tool in healthcare. By providing expectations for your employees they understand why and what it means to be accountable. In leadership exemplify what it means to hold yourself accountable and mirror that image for your employees. Patients depend on a culture that practices accountability and also believes in it. Commit to a set of standards, believe in them and practice those beliefs. References: Lippincott Nursing Center. (2009, April). Creating a Culture of Accountability in Health Care. Retrieved from http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/static?pageid=935642 NY Times – Freudenheim. (1991, February 19). Business and Health – Accountability In Health Care – NYTimes.com. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/19/business/business-and-health-accountability-in-health-care.html

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Color dichotomy vs. the ethnoracial pentagon Essay

Throughout American politics, two particularly well known categorizations of race and ethnicity have arisen: â€Å"Color Dichotomy† and the later â€Å"Ethno-racial Pentagon.† Each seeks to define and categorize the vast racial diversity America prides itself on. While intending to create clear and fair ethno-racial constructions, there are obvious advantages and weak spots to each for the purposes of analyzing American politics. An â€Å"old-fashioned† and less popular method of categorization is the â€Å"Color Dichotomy.† This concept distinguishes two complementing counterparts to every situation; in terms of race and ethnicity: white and nonwhite (people of color). In the US, about 75% of Americans identify as white, while about 25% of Americans identify themselves as â€Å"nonwhite.† Applying this construct to other dividing barriers among people, other categories appear such as: oppressor vs oppressed, Hegemon vs. other, and dominant vs. minority. The main advantage of this concept is in its simplicity. By having only two dividing categories, everyone could conceivably fit neatly into one of these two categories. Collapsing an incredible amount of diversity of culture into one all encompassing â€Å"colored† category, however; this framework obviously contains numerous problems. Thousands of differences between many races and culture are consequently ignored. â€Å"[†¦] all distinctions between various ‘colored’ peoples are less significant than the fact that they are nonwhite† (Hollinger 25). It could also be argued that even the â€Å"white† category collapses many different origins into a bland and stereotypical title. The outright ignorance present within this model leads to its unpopularity within American politics especially. The ethno-racial pentagon challenges this model by supplying strong cultural content. In contrast to the two divisions within the color dichotomy, the ethno-racial pentagon provides five more specific categorizations of race/ethnicity: Euro-American, Asian American, African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Indigenous Peoples/Native American. â€Å"To be sure, a value of the pentagon is its capacity to call attention to a certain range of social and cultural diversity† (Hollinger 25). The pentagon also keeps some simplicity, however, so that people are easily categorized for the purposes of affirmative action†¦etc. Although this framework is more  attentive to the differences in the â€Å"nonwhite† group of the Color Dichotomy, it also still retains similar problems of ignoring certain races or collapsing many together into one. All of these ethno-racial blocs have distinguishable diversities which are ignored in order to be jammed into one category or another. Leas t apparent is the diversity within the Euro-American bloc, or whites. Indeed, Jews, who are now considered Euro-American/white, used to be considered a different race altogether. The Irish and the English, between which existed the vehement tension of conflict and oppression, are now thrust together under the same category with the ethno-racial pentagon. The internal diversity within the Asian American group (Koreans, Cambodians, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Japanese†¦and all of the consequent subgroups) must be quietly faded in order to make the category a unit; ignoring such tension between Koreans and Japanese for example. Another bloc in which the condensation of ethnic diversity is also less obvious is that African American bloc. The specific country of origin and culture within the African American bloc is forgotten or ignored as inconsequential. Key to this objection is the â€Å"one-drop rule.† This rule maintains that â€Å"one drop† of African American blood in a person designates that person African American regardless of their other ethnicity(ies). This rule obviously exists to maintain the existence of the African American category without the complications of recognizing white mixing (or other races). This gives the gross impression that African American blood is â€Å"tainted,† â€Å"infectious,† and â€Å"overpowering.† Besides ignoring differences within blocs, another major problem with the ethno-racial pentagon is the exclusion of Arab Americans and multiracial people. According the pentagon, Arabs do not even exist in the US. Multiracial people must either choose only one of their heritages and ignore the other, or choose not to be included under the pentagon. Both of these groups threaten to turn the pentagon into a hexagon. However, even this conformation would be unsuccessful as multiracial people are not necessarily part of their own racial group, but two or more. Ignoring their legitimate ethnicities to create a new bloc which only recognizes the fact that they are multiracial, and not their individual races, would create further problems. These visibly unfair factors continue to weaken the foundation  supporting the ethno-racial pentagon. The ethno-racial pentagon furthermore places a strong and unnecessary emphasis on race as a dividing factor. Identifying an individual as one race or another brings excessive attention on the differences that could potentially separate Americans if these barriers are continually exaggerated and stressed. Interracial relationships are ignored with both systems. However, from a biological perspective, race can almost be ruled out as inconsequential. â€Å"[†¦] The genetic variation from one race to another is scarcely greater than the genetic variation between races† (Hollinger 34). Morever, Hollinger claims â€Å"If the classical race theory of the nineteenth century is not directly behind the pentagon, this structure’s architecture has its unmistakable origins in the most gross and invidious of popular images of what makes human beings different from one another† (32). Overall, the two frameworks for categorization of ethnicity and race contain too many inte rnal weaknesses to be used effectively and fairly in American politics.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Registered Nurse essays

Registered Nurse essays The light shined on the patient. She had beads of sweat on her forehead and her cheeks were as red as apples. I looked across the bed and saw her husband holding her hand as tightly as possible while he held her knee up with the other. His face was full with excitement as his baby was to be born right before his eyes. I look to my right and see the doctor concentrating intensely on the delivery. I see the head, keep pushing, keep pushing! The doctor said as his voice grew louder. I count loud enough so that the patient can hear my instructions clearly. As I counted to seven, everybody in the room heard a loud cry. Like music to my ears. Its a boy! Said the doctor as he held the baby up so that the father could cut the umbilical cord. Then I looked down, and was in shock to see myself lying down on the hospital bed instead of the patient before. It was me; I was the one having the baby. I look across the bed and I see my mom squeezing my hand very tightly. Then all of a sudden I hear a baby cry as well as a buzzer. The buzzer kept getting louder and louder. I wake up. I then realize that I was having a dream about work the day before and then of when I had my child back in 2004, sixteen years ago. I turn off the alarm and lie back down to reminisce about all the obstacles that I had encountered throughout my life already. The biggest obstacle came to me at the very young age of seventeen years old. I became a single teen mother during my senior year of high school. But that did not stop me from achieving anything. Although fulfilling the task of being a working mother while finishing high school was slightly difficult, the hardest part started when I began college. My schedule was completely was absol utely full, but my plan was to take one tast at a time. My schedule was consisted of but not limited to the following; taking care of my son, turning in completed assignments on time ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

John Maxwell Essay Example

John Maxwell Essay Example John Maxwell Paper John Maxwell Paper Lexus Toombs Academy of Leadership and Excellence Book report The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership John C Maxwell 11/22/2011 John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, coach, and author who has sold over 19 million books. Dr. Maxwell is the founder of EQUIP and The John Maxwell Company, organizations that have trained more than 5 million leaders worldwide. Every year he speaks to Fortune 500 companies, international government leaders, and organizations as diverse as the United States Military Academy at West Point, the National Football League, and the United Nations. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is one of many excellent leadership books by Maxwell. This book distills the art of leadership into 21 practical laws. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership is easy to follow, very clear, and presents strong examples of the leadership principles explained. There are 21 laws described in this book. The following are a few that stood out to me. The Law of the Lid – Leadership Ability Determines a Person’s Level of Effectiveness ? Leadership ability is the lid that determines a person’s level of effectiveness. Your leadership ability always determines your effectiveness and the potential impact of your organization. Law of Influence– The true measure of leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. True leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned. Finally, The Law of Empowerment – Only Secure Leaders Give Power to Others. If you want to be successful, you have to be willing to empower others. Maxwell explains that the book is not meant to be read in one sitting, but over time. For example, John would like readers to read one law and practice it for a month and then come back to the book re-read and evaluate ones progress. Maxwell has done a masterful job with this book and has achieved its goal to teach leadership in a practical way. The book is laden with illustrations and stories. Usually these stories and illustrations are from well-known leaders or well-known companies. In some cases the stories were personal accounts, and these were expressed in a humble manner which is rare in books written by the experts. These real life examples illuminate the various concepts that Maxwell communicates. One will become very familiar with the term fleshing it out. In reading The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership two laws stood out to me The Law of Empowerment and The Law of Priorities. Maxwell stated, â€Å"Strange as it sounds, great leaders gain authority by giving it away. † I have experienced this in my work career and in a previous ministry I was a member of. â€Å"Weak leaders worry that if they help subordinates, they themselves will become dispensable. Rather they should realize that if the teams they lead always seem to succeed, people will figure out that they are leading them well. † It’s very important to allow those you hire or volunteers to become leaders themselves. There are many that leave jobs and ministry because they are not allowed to advance. It is most important to empower your subordinates if you are a leader. Finally, â€Å"Busyness does not equal productivity. Activity is not necessarily accomplishment. Prioritizing requires leaders to continually think ahead, to know what’s important, to see how everything relates to the overall vision. This is a great statement regarding the law of priorities. One can be busy looking at Facebook or playing video games. These things are defiantly not productive yet we do these things on the job daily. I am also guilty of â€Å"busyness†, but if I prioritized I can better myself by studying my job or building relationships instead of surfing the interne t. Not to say I always do those things but it’s very important to stay on task with your vision for your life. I honestly never looked at it this way and I am currently applying this to every area in my life especially in the vision for my family. I would recommend The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership to leader and subordinates. It’s a very easy read. The short chapters make for easy, interesting reading and do not suffer from long chapters that tend to make one constantly lose concentration. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership- the short chapters sped along the reading of the book, and easily keeps the attention of the reader (especially for those with short attention spans like myself). Lastly, the content seems to be excellent. I am no authority on leadership or leadership principles, but it was clear that these `irrefutable laws are excellent guidelines for leadership. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from the pages of this book. Many of them are common sense, yet are principles that leaders need to know and may possibly be overlooked because of their simplicity. Personally, I learned a great deal about leadership from the content of this book. The stories and examples alone provide enough conviction and clear teaching about the principles that Maxwell writes about. I honestly believe that anyone, regardless of position in their employment, can learn and make themselves better people from applying the values and philosophies of this book. Dont expect a spiritual book, however. While the laws are solidly founded on Scriptural principles, they are expressed in a non-religious manner. Finally, some of the â€Å"Laws† discussed are ideas that I have already come across at one time or another. The power this book has for me is that it will serve as a handy reference going forward. At one time or another you will need help with one or more of the â€Å"Laws†, be it Influence, Connection, Respect, or Solid Ground. Maxwell suggests that all of the Irrefutable Laws are important for a leader, but admits that it is rare for everyone to do each perfectly. This is where the Law of Inner Circle comes in. The author opines that a leaders potential is determined by those closest to him/her. Thus, if you are weak in certain areas, you can strive to get better. But if you know that you have a weakness in a specific area, you should ensure that your inner circle comprises leaders that have the skills you lack. A real life example that Maxwell gives is Lance Armstrong. Although Armstrong was a wonderful bike rider, he always credited his team for helping him reach the great achievements he enjoyed in the Tour de France. The author quotes another great leader in Mother Teresa whose life embodied many of the Laws; especially Sacrifice and Legacy who stated, You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do great things. This is one of the examples that Maxwell uses to drive points home. Above all I will apply the Law of The Inner Circle. I will constantly remind myself to surround myself with a strong inner circle. I have experience working in the prison system and all of the prisoners did not have a strong inner circle to help them make the correct decisions to help them become productive citizens instead of criminals. I will also make sure to instill this law in my children as they will soon have to deal with peer pressure. It’s important that when the time comes for them to make a life changing choice that they have an inner circle to go to or bring to remembrance clear direction from that circle.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

She Unnames Them by Ursula Le Guin, an Analysis

'She Unnames Them' by Ursula Le Guin, an Analysis Ursula K. Le Guin, a writer predominantly of science fiction and fantasy, was awarded the 2014 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. She Unnames Them, a work of flash fiction, takes its premise from the Biblical book of Genesis, in which Adam names the animals. The story originally appeared in The New Yorker in 1985, where it is available to subscribers.  A free audio version of the author reading her story is also available. Genesis If youre familiar with the Bible, youll know that in Genesis 2:19-20, God creates the animals, and Adam chooses their names: And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam would call every living creature, that was the name thereof. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. As Adam sleeps, God takes one of his ribs and forms a companion for Adam, who chooses her name (woman) just as he has chosen names for the animals. Le Guins story reverses the events described here, as Eve unnames the animals one by one. Who Tells the Story? Even though the story is very short, its divided into two separate sections. The first section is a third-person account explaining how the animals react to their unnaming. The second section switches to the first person, and we realize that the story all along has been told by Eve (though the name Eve is never used). In this section, Eve describes the effect of unnaming the animals and narrates her own unnaming.   Whats in a Name? Eve clearly views names as a way to control and categorize others. In returning the names, she rejects the uneven power relations of having Adam in charge of everything and everybody. So, She Unnames Them is a defense of the right to self-determination. As Eve explains to the cats, the issue was precisely one of individual choice. It is also a story about tearing down barriers. Names serve to emphasize the differences between the animals, but without names, their similarities become more evident. Eve explains: They seemed far closer than when their names had stood between myself and them like a clear barrier. Though the story focuses on the animals, Eves own unnaming is ultimately more important. The story is about power relations between men and women. The story rejects not just the names, but also the subservient relationship indicated in Genesis, which portrays women like a smaller part of men, given that they were formed from Adams rib. Consider that Adam declares, She shall be called Woman,/Because she was taken out of Man in Genesis. She Unnames Them Analysis Much of Le Guins language in this story is beautiful and evocative, often evoking the characteristics of the animals as an antidote to simply using their names. For example, she writes: The insects parted with their names in vast clouds and swarms of ephemeral syllables buzzing and stinging and humming and flitting and crawling and tunneling away. In this section, her language almost paints an image of the insects, forcing readers to look closely and think about the insects, how they move, and how they sound. And this is the point where the story ends. The final message is if we choose our words carefully, well have to stop taking it all for granted and really consider the world - and the beings - around us. Once Eve herself considers the world, she must necessarily leave Adam. Self-determination, for her, is more than just choosing her name; its choosing her life.  Ã‚   The fact that Adam doesnt listen to Eve and instead asks her when dinner will be served might seem a little clichà ©d to 21st-century readers. But it still serves to represent the casual thoughtlessness of taking it all for granted that the story, at every level, asks readers to work against. After all, unname isnt even a word, so right from the beginning, Eve has been imagining a world that is unlike the one we know. Sources Genesis 2:19. The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible, Bible Hub, 2018. Genesis 2:23. The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible, Bible Hub, 2018. Le Guin, Ursula K. She Unnames Them. The New Yorker, January 21, 1985.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Examining Culture as a Process Using Three Texts Essay

Examining Culture as a Process Using Three Texts - Essay Example Examining Culture as a Process Using Three Texts The interesting contrast of Marjane Satrapi‘s struggle, depicted in Persepolis 2, is one of an Islamic woman wearing a veil who listens to forbidden music and smokes marijuana. The struggle which exists within Marjane is truly that of so many women in bondage to patriarchal religions and societies who experience some of what modern women may experience. The voice inside of Marjane that reminds her to wear her veil or to be secretive about her activities, is the deeply imbedded voice of her roots and cultural upbringing. Marjane however, is simply trying to discover who she is, independent from the role that her society has placed on her. Marjane’s eventful process of going from veiled Muslim woman with many restrictions in life, to educated, self actualized woman, is both long and painful, â€Å"To educate myself, I had to understand everything, starting with myself, me, Marji, the woman. So, I threw myself into reading my mother‘s favorite bookâ€Å" (Satrapi, p 21). This type of struggle is similarly portrayed within the lives of the Ganguli family in The Namesake. Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli are both submerged into American culture, having both been raised in India. This takes place once they are married and move to America to pursuit Ashoke’s Engineering degree at MIT. The process of adaptation is seemingly much less difficult for Ashoke than for his wife by arranged marriage Ashima. The life of a woman and a woman’s struggles in particular are present in both of these texts.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Death penalty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Death penalty - Research Paper Example The criminal justice system is implemented under imperfect conditions. Risks of convicting innocent individuals within the system have been seen all too often. These risks are some of the primary considerations in the opposition of the death penalty – that innocent individuals may be put to death because of this imperfect system. For which reason, this paper now seeks to discuss the abolition of the death penalty. It presents arguments and supporting theories and discussions on the abolition of the death penalty within the criminal justice system. Discussion I believe that death penalty should be abolished because it is an inhumane punishment. â€Å"Death destroys an individual’s status and his or her very existence in organized society† (Chenwi, p. 97). In effect, the death penalty is a form of punishment which practically strips a person of his rights and his rightful place in an orderly and peaceful society. The severity of the death penalty as a punishment de grades human beings and strips them of honor. It summarizes and defines their life into one act of violence and deems such life to be unworthy of continuance. And such summary judgment is something which should not be supported The imposition of the death penalty must be prevented because of the criminal justice system is basically imperfect. No matter what evidence is often unearthed from any criminal investigation, to some degree, such evidence cannot often completely prove a person’s commission of a crime. The possibility of convicting a person of a crime he did not commit has been proven true time and again (Cole and Smith, p. 405). The possibility therefore of sending someone to his death for a crime he did not commit is also a strong likelihood. This is a risk we cannot prevent and manage with the death penalty because, unlike imprisonment sentence which can be carried out in jail, carrying out the death sentence is irreversible. On the off chance that a person is indee d later proven innocent, imprisonment affords a person freedom. But death? Death is a one-way ticket. Lang also set forth these same arguments. He argues that there is a distinct possibility that a person who is wrongly convicted of a crime would be sentenced to death. This is a strong possibility which is too grim for me to consider. It would be wrong for us to close our eyes to this grim possibility. Lang discusses the injustices suffered by Michael Blair as a basis for his opposition to the death penalty. He discusses how evidence eventually presented in court successfully proved that Blair was innocent of the crime being charged against him. However, this was after fourteen years spent in death row. This was after fourteen years of emotional trauma – waiting for the possibility of having his head next to the proverbial chopping block. Blair also lost fourteen years of his life – a life which could have been productive in terms of career, family, and social life. Un til and unless we can absolutely avoid more ‘Michael Blair’ incidents can we safely consider the possibility of imposing the death penalty as a means of deterring crime and rendering punishment to criminals. It would be difficult to gauge and decide that things would have been better off for people like Michael Blair, but in considering the cases on mentally retarded individuals, being

Writer's choice Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Writer's choice - Coursework Example ons, she also advocates for teamwork that is the reason she makes sure that I go with her to the meeting and more so she acts to the interest of the company. In our meeting, Curt becomes too rigid to listen to our suggestions, he only want us to consider his suggestions. Such rigidity makes the two come into a clear misunderstanding and makes them seem like they do not like each other. Therefore, the meeting later turns to be very competitive as Felicia also on the other side stops to listen to Curt and instead tries to have the last word on every topic. Such an incidence makes me worry losing the best and very important client of our company. Therefore, I recommend that in the near future during such meetings with Midcontinent Midstream, the company should appoint another person to represent us in place of Felicia since she does not come to a common understanding with Curt. Curt also should be more considerate of

No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 40

No topic - Essay Example The expertise of the knowledge is usually associated with the spokesperson’s being preferred to the product being advertised. In most cases, the products that need expertise are usually complicated and sometimes are associated with high financial risk. For instance, the product Dior is complicated; thus, it needs expert spokesperson that is also trustworthy (Sources and spokespersons 01). For instance, the Dior has used CÃ ©line Dion as the spokesperson. This celebrity is an expert with extensive public reputable image; thus, making her an expert for the advert. Additionally, she has been in many other ventures of the same type. Trustworthy persons behind ads usually influence the reception of the ads. In other words, ads with trustworthy celebrities as the spokespersons usually make consumers believe in such products unlike products or ads associated with untrustworthy celebrities as their spokespersons. It is notably, that the same spokesperson in Dior has never had any serious public scandals; thus, she remains trustworthy in her public life making her fit for the product regardless of the products complication (Sources and spokespersons 01). This characteristic is usually pegged on the attractiveness of the spokesperson on the ad. In the case of Dior ad, the image is quite attractive and it is bound to attract many since many consumers and none consumers will like the image thereby influencing their consumption decisions on the product (Sources and spokespersons

Thursday, October 17, 2019

CASE MGT - 491 STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Essay

CASE MGT - 491 STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example This paper will discuss a new strategic human resource management plan for a middle size firm. The paper will discuss the new HR plan from the point of view of a Chief executive officer. The new plan will be aimed at ensuring the HRM department meets its strategic goals. The HRM will be expected to come up with minimum requirements for every position in the organization. The minimum requirements will be dictated by the roles and responsibilities for each role. This information will enable the HRM decide if the person in charge of a post is worth it. It will also be important during the hiring process since it will guide the hiring team on which candidate to choose. After coming up with the minimum requirements for each post, the HRM will develop a skills inventory which will gauge the worthiness of the current employees. The HRM department in close cooperation with the overall management will discuss the number of employees that the organization requires in each department. This will be guided by the trends in demand and supply as well as the current and future objectives of the organization. Once the number is determined, a hiring or firing plan will be established. Firing /retrenchment and hiring exercises will be based on department requirements and the qualifications of each employee/interviewee. Employee job satisfaction is important since it increases employee retention (Lawler & Boudreau, 2009). Factors such as technologies and organization cultures contribute in determining the level of employee job satisfaction. The company will invest in technologies proposed by the HRM. Moreover, the company will focus on creating a culture that values the employees. A culture of valuing employees increases productivity, invention and employee retention. All employees will be treated equally regardless of their diversities (Abang & Abang , 2009. The long-term goals of the organization will be used to determine the labor demands

My Personal Principle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

My Personal Principle - Essay Example The third principle is being dressed appropriately for the occasion. Being on Time is Important. Showing respect for other persons includes being on time (Neave 169). It would be disrespectful to keep the other person waiting for some who is late for an appointment. Arriving late shows rudeness. However, there are valid reasons for arriving late. An unusual traffic jam is a good reason for arriving late. Arriving late for an appointment gives that impression that the waiting person is not important. Being late shows the late person has more important or interesting priorities in life. Being late is synonymous with not caring enough to exert the required effort to avoid sending the message â€Å"you are not important to me†. Tardiness indicates a person is deficiently organized. Consequently, lateness precipitates another disadvantageous reason. When scheduled for a job interview, the late applicant gives an impression of unprofessionalism. In this situation, the interviewer th inks that the applicant did not focus on researching the best way to arrive for the interview on or before the scheduled time. Consequently, the interviewer thinks the job applicant is not seriously interested in the job. The interviewer will get the impression that the applicant is sloppy about details, has faulty planning strategies, and irresponsible. In case of reasonable lateness, the late person should phone the waiting person to wait or reset the schedule to a more appropriate time. In ordinary daily itineraries timeliness is important. The trains and airplanes will not wait for one passenger to ride the plane. The bus will not wait for the late passenger to arrive. In addition, the child-care centers will close their doors to parents who arrive late. The grocery stores will close its doors on time, even if a late customer pleads the guards to open the store’s premises. Some shows, concerts, and stage shows will close their entrances to customers who arrive late. Funda mentally, not being punctuality gives an unfavorable impression. The impression is synonymous with self-centeredness. The late person offers a selfish statement â€Å"everyone will wait for me, an important person. Sad to say, the world will not wait for the late person. The world has more important priorities compared to waiting for the irresponsibly tardy person. The world must not waste its time waiting for the selfish person. Effective communication. Effective communication makes the world go round (Fielding 9). The development and implementation of an effective communication system is important. Effective communication increases the successful receipt and interpretation of the message sender’s message. Effective communication contributes to the incorporation of the message sender’s ideas on environmental change and other matters. Effective communication eliminates the message receivers’ guessing the message senders’ inputs. Such communication will e liminate the intended message receivers’ threshing out the message senders’ instructions. Without effective communication, the message senders’ changes will not be received by the message receiver in crystal-clear manner. The essay places importance on communication skills’ increasing the effectiveness of communication. The skills include eliminating the fear of communication. Each person should convince the message receiver to accept and implement the message’s instructions. Another important skill is expressing what one wants to say so the message

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

CASE MGT - 491 STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Essay

CASE MGT - 491 STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT - Essay Example This paper will discuss a new strategic human resource management plan for a middle size firm. The paper will discuss the new HR plan from the point of view of a Chief executive officer. The new plan will be aimed at ensuring the HRM department meets its strategic goals. The HRM will be expected to come up with minimum requirements for every position in the organization. The minimum requirements will be dictated by the roles and responsibilities for each role. This information will enable the HRM decide if the person in charge of a post is worth it. It will also be important during the hiring process since it will guide the hiring team on which candidate to choose. After coming up with the minimum requirements for each post, the HRM will develop a skills inventory which will gauge the worthiness of the current employees. The HRM department in close cooperation with the overall management will discuss the number of employees that the organization requires in each department. This will be guided by the trends in demand and supply as well as the current and future objectives of the organization. Once the number is determined, a hiring or firing plan will be established. Firing /retrenchment and hiring exercises will be based on department requirements and the qualifications of each employee/interviewee. Employee job satisfaction is important since it increases employee retention (Lawler & Boudreau, 2009). Factors such as technologies and organization cultures contribute in determining the level of employee job satisfaction. The company will invest in technologies proposed by the HRM. Moreover, the company will focus on creating a culture that values the employees. A culture of valuing employees increases productivity, invention and employee retention. All employees will be treated equally regardless of their diversities (Abang & Abang , 2009. The long-term goals of the organization will be used to determine the labor demands

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Case Study Analysis Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Analysis Paper - Case Study Example The fact is that the summer is approaching and Arthur does not have a reliable pool of workers (replacement or otherwise) to run his business during this period. He is likely to face a high turnover and incur heavy losses because of a lack of workers to keep his business operational. His losses are likely to stem from spending more than he is earning – the replacement workers are actually more expensive than his normal permanent employees. Arthur’s turnover is too high to keep his business running during the summer. Since summer vacations are quite long, the losses incurred must be incredibly high during this period. An interesting fact is that turnover is higher in replacement employees than permanent workers who normally work for the company. Since his fulltime workers always return at the end of the summer or when they recover from their various illnesses, Arthur cannot afford spending a lot of money on temporary workers who are not always available and are too expensive to keep on the payroll. The solution to this problem is to do away with temporary workers permanently (Uhl, 2013). The solution is to develop a schedule whereby there are two pools of workers: permanent and fulltime. However, the replacement workers are only hired during the summer and paid decent wages to keep them on the job. Arthur’s method of looking for new workers every summer is flawed and will only lead to losses in productivi ty and revenue. He should always have replacement workers on standby. Ideally, they should be working in all the other seasons except summer, when they replace all the permanent workers. So, regardless of whether a permanent worker is sick or on vacation, there is a steady pool of replacement employees ready to take their place (Bridger, 2014). Arthur should change the summer vacation to a permanent off season for permanent workers. As soon as summer reaches all the permanent workers are given leaves and they only return

Monday, October 14, 2019

Marketing Plan for Tylenol

Marketing Plan for Tylenol Tylenol is a North American subsidiary brand of drugs under the parent company Johnson Johnson. Tylenol is advertised to help relieve pain, reduce fever, and relieve symptoms of cold, flu, sinus, arthritis, and allergies. It has become a trusted brand that parents turn to, to help relieve common ailments their children may suffer from. As a result, Johnson Johnson has gained immense respect from consumers everywhere due to the reliability and safety of their products. However, due to a series of ongoing recalls in the past couple of years, Tylenol has been suffering tremendously. Within the past year over five Tylenol product lines have been recalled: the cold liquid products, 8-hour caplets, extra strength Tylenol, Tylenol PM products, Childrens Tylenol, Childrens Meltaway Tylenol, and Infants Tylenol. There have been many more recalls by Johnson Johnson for their other brands-such as Benadryl and Mylanta-but so far, Tylenol has had to recall these aforementioned products, and they have stated there are more recalls yet to come. The loss of sales and more importantly, the loss of customer confidence in Tylenol is a serious cause of concern. Due to the enormity of the recalls, regaining goodwill seems difficult without creative marketing. Also, this is not like the 1982 recalls, where numerous deaths were caused by an unknown assailant who injected cyanide in the Tylenol bottles. Johnson Johnson was fortunately able to recover 92% of lost sales through the revolutionary creation of tamper proof bottles. And this helped them expand with 250 operating companies in 60 countries with annual revenues near $62.5 billion. By May 2010, however, Tylenol was forced to issue numerous recalls for their Arthritis Relief caplets and Childrens Tylenol products. The FDA confirmed the moldy odor coming from the bottles was due to a bacteria that was known to be resistant to common antibiotics. The high-quality, reliable family product has now been tainted due to a lack of quality control in various manufacturing plants. And the FDA investigations have only brought more attention to the internal quality errors. Since Johnson Johnson is losing millions of dollars each month due to lost sales and factory updates, it is imperative for Johnson Johnson to improve its brand image and regain consumer confidence. Through intense ad campaigning Tylenol can educate consumers about the quality improvements and portray Tylenols actions as highly responsible. Also, all internal quality control measures can be indicated on the bottles of all Tylenol products. Consumers have an increasing need to know where their medicines come from and Tylenol can provide that information and sense of security to their consumers. By providing a serial number on all products, Tylenol can allow consumers to go online and see where their products are made. Consumers can take part in the quality control aspect by providing pivotal information regarding the performance in each of their factories. This system will allow Tylenol to understand how well each factory performs and what, if any, changes need to be made. Although internal quality control changes need to be made within the company, Tylenol must simultaneously work on improving its brand image among consumers. By building strong consumer confidence, Tylenol can recover the sales it lost as a result of these recalls. 2.0 Situation Analysis McNeil Consumer Healthcare-the consumer drug division of Johnson Johnson and makers of Tylenol-has been caught up in a series of product recalls since late 2009. For a company that has been known for above average quality, this is a major setback to the companys image as their quality control and internal practices have been called into question by federal regulators as well as consumers and industry analysts. In an effort to counteract this issue, William C. Weldon, CEO, has made several public statements and appearances to quell consumers fears and describe the steps being taken to correct this issue. 2.1 Market Summary The McNeil line of consumer healthcare products are utilized by people of all ages from infants to senior citizens and includes various well known, over the counter names including Tylenol, Rolaids, Benadryl, and Motrin. Each is a top brand in its field and has had a nearly flawless quality record. The company allows its divisions a large degree of autonomy, which protects the others from being affected by any adverse situations within their sister companies. The current issue of quality concerns and recalls started with a 2009 incident concerning Motrin ibuprofen. McNeil held a phantom recall when they noticed the product had slightly defective dissolving properties and was bought back from stores by hired private companies. In this situation, no formal recall notice was distributed and the buy backs were handled quietly without bringing attention to the issue. It was stated by Johnson Johnson that there was no safety risk, which is why they handled the situation in this matter. In 2010 however, Johnson Johnson began to receive complaints that a musty, moldy smell was emanating from bottles of its over the counter medications which was making consumers sick with symptoms that included nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Furthermore, the company found that several of their pediatric medicines contained too much of an active ingredient or foreign material. This led to a voluntary recall of 136 million bottles. Due to this decrease in product quality, Colleen Goggins, the senior executive in charge of the McNeil line, tendered her resignation from Johnson Johnson in an effort to provide consumers with a visible solution to their woes about Johnson Johnsons quality control. In addition, a production facility in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania and another in Puerto Rico have been closed down due to poor quality standards and are currently being updated to meet FDA standards. 2.2 SWOT Analysis Strengths For decades, Johnson Johnson was the leader in quality control. Their products and customer service had always been top notch and consumers have always trusted them. In light of the McNeil recalls, Johnson Johnson can recognize the following as positives in their business: Customer Service To handle the influx of customer questions and concerns regarding recent recalls, Johnson Johnson has set up a comprehensive section on their website dedicated to explaining the details behind each recall as well providing a FAQ list, dedicated phone lines, and email addresses. Review of Manufacturing Operations Johnson Johnson is publicly admitting to performing an internal shake-up of their manufacturing operations to ensure that all production facilities maintain the quality standards they have been known for in years past. In addition, quality control has been moved from individual centers to a centralized office. This will help build conformity among all of their products by upholding a specific product standard. CEO William C. Weldon His public admission of internal error and promise to restructure the company to fix their quality issues indicates that he understands the public concern and loss of good will that will result from this. He admitted to letting his customers down and resolved to make sure Johnson Johnson does not face poor quality issues again in the future. Company History  ­Ã‚ ­- Johnson Johnsons handling of the 1982 cyanide crisis is still considered the ideal way to deal with a disaster. The media, industry analysts and consumers alike all lauded the company for its speed, efficiency and honesty for the recall and their high involvement in the criminal investigation. Johnson Johnsons comeback was made possible due to regaining consumer trust during the crisis. This history can serve as a support for Tylenols current crises and provide a platform for them to make another comeback. Weaknesses Several actions as well as the sudden decline in quality are a huge blow to the image of Johnson Johnson. These areas include: Slow Reaction time to Consumer Complaints FDA documents have shown that when the initial reports of moldy odors came to Johnson Johnson, no action was taken to rectify the problem. This indicates a lack of acknowledgement of a potentially serious issue and not grasping the gravity of the situation. Violation of Manufacturing Standards FDA inspectors have found that since 2001, several manufacturing issues have come into play including drug mix-ups, lack of training, incomplete investigations of complaints, and failure to determine the cause and solution to problems. Unsavory Recall Practices In their attempt to confront the quality issue with Motrin in 2009, Johnson Johnson simply sent a hired group to buy back available products in all retail establishments rather than conduct a formal recall. This has come under contention from the FDA as an unsound practice since it did not properly notify individuals of a potential issue. This completely counteracts Johnson Johnsons highly responsible and reliable brand image and makes consumers feel they will continue to hide important information from its consumers. Johnson Johnson has since admitted to making a poor decision in this situation. Resignation of Colleen Goggins With the tendering of Goggins resignation from the company, Johnson Johnson will be losing the long term institutional knowledge she possesses. Having been with the company since the 1980s, Goggins has overseen and controlled several strong product groups that will now be subject to new leadership and potentially a new method of management. This can cause problems down the road if the new division head isnt as strong as Goggins and could lead to excessive turnover in that position if they cannot do the job as well as Goggins had to this point. Opportunities Although currently under fire from the FDA, business analysts and consumers, Johnson Johnson can identify several areas in which they can regain their image of quality: Analysis of Facilities and Stability Testing As Johnson Johnson overhauls its quality process and revamps its manufacturing practices, they can once again position themselves as an industry leader in quality who cares for consumer well-being. If they publicize their actions to right these wrongs, their consumer base will see that their dedication to quality remains resolute. Customer Service Portals By creating a comprehensive website dedicated to recall information and quality concerns, Johnson Johnson shows that even after a misstep, they still recognize the importance of customer needs. By quickly reestablishing their presence on retail shelves with new batches of recalled medicines, Johnson Johnson shows their dedication to providing customers with the medicine they need to maintain their health. Creation of New Bottles Johnson Johnsons creation of the tamper- resistant bottles became an industry standard after the 1982 crisis. Sales were able to bounce back as more consumers started to trust Tylenol again, and Tylenol gained a competitive advantage through this innovation. By creating new bottles with the Q.C. Passed label and the plant serial number on them, Tylenol can do gain that product differentiation it needs from its competitors and generic brands alike. Threats Recalls and FDA investigation will seriously impact Johnson Johnsons image. In addition, their structure and quality control have become an area that has suddenly turned sour. Loss of Goodwill ­ Since Johnson Johnson had been a quality leader for so long; recalls of their medication will lead to a loss of consumer trust in their products. As a result, they will lose profits on these products as customers may turn to generic brands, which cost less and provide the same benefits as the name brand. Also, customers will be hesitant to go back to a product that they feel they can no longer trust. Representative Darrell Issa As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, he is an outspoken critic of the FDA and Johnson Johnsons recent actions and promises to watch this issue closely to ensure both groups correct and maintain higher standards in their practices. This can result in harsher terms against Johnson Johnson if their quality does not improve as Issa may push for the FDA to enforce stricter penalties. Competitors and Bad Publicity Competitor brands such as Advil are now exploiting Tylenols current quality issues through their ad campaigns and many loyal Tylenol users are turning to other brands. Advils recent ad campaigns urge customers to trash the recalled products and try Advil free of charge. The ads are directly aimed at converting Tylenol users to Advil. Triaminic-which competes with Childrens Tylenol-is also offering their Fever Reducer Pain Relief medicine for free as part of its launch of their new line extension. This negative campaigning will surely deter Tylenols ability to maintain consumer loyalty, and will hinder further progress if consumers start preferring competitor brands over Tylenol. 2.3 Competition With many of their products no longer being protected by government patents, Johnson Johnson faces increased competition from generic producers. Charging lower prices and providing the same benefits as name brand medicines, if customers of Johnson Johnson brands no longer trust them, theyre likely to go to an option that they can trust. In addition, other established brands like Pfizer or Bayer could take this as an opportunity to create, release, or push their competitive products which would be seen in a more favorable light if their quality is regarded to be higher than Johnson Johnsons current standards. 2.4 Product Offering Distribution As mentioned in the Market Summary, Johnson Johnsons over the counter medicines include Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl, and Rolaids. Their other branches include consumer products in the Baby Care, Skin and Hair Care, Wound Care, Oral Health, Womens Health, Nutritionals and Vision Care. Since they own nearly 250 companies with so many other various products including medical devices, and prescription products, any impact from the McNeil group of products will have a small impact on their overall revenue. Due to this, Johnson Johnson as a whole enjoys wide spread distribution across the United States and the world. However, since the recalls affect so many of their products, Tylenol needs to introduce a new innovation that can help with their product differentiation. Since the current problems lie in the quality control of their products, Tylenol can offer bottles with the Q.C. Passed stamp on it with a serial number indicating which manufacturing plant the bottle came from. This will provide consumers with the information they desire and it will separate Tylenol from all other brands, because they will do something highly innovative. This will also help Tylenols brand image as a responsible and honest company, and can potentially win back lost sales and consumer loyalty. 3.0 Marketing Strategy 3.1 Objectives The first and most crucial step needs to be a complete overhaul of the quality control process within the entire company. Fortunately, Johnson Johnson is already working on updating each of its factories and these internal changes will continue until every factory meets FDA standards. However, as that continues Johnson Johnson needs to take this opportunity to build confidence in the market. By creating a new system that will help consumers track their medicines, Johnson Johnson can aim to recover 70% of lost sales within the next fiscal year. And in order for Johnson Johnson to stimulate these sales, they need to do an intense ad campaign showing that they are taking full responsibility for their actions. By targeting these ads to mothers and reconnecting to their family-oriented consumers, Tylenol can see an upswing in sales. However, it is imperative that the changes in the packaging be done in conjunction with the marketing campaign to ensure a quick recovery. 3.2 Target Market Tylenol is a product that is used by everyone and is available everywhere, so its marketing campaign has to address each of these market segments. This marketing plan focuses on three segments that were affected the most by the recalls: Families with Children: Tylenol has an entire line of products geared towards treating colds and flu symptoms specifically for children. Even though the children are the users of this product, the consumer purchasing decision lies solely in the hands of the parents or guardians in that household. Parents are generally willing to spend extra for their childs well-being, so they are not swayed by small increases in price if they find the brand reliable. However, parents will also stop purchasing a product immediately if they see it as being unreliable, unsafe or in any way hazardous to their child. Working Class: The working class is the biggest consumer of Tylenols Rapid Release pills because these consumers need fast pain relief caused by daily stresses at their jobs. Since this market segment consists of hard working, middle-class members, their purchase decisions are based more on pricing. The Elderly: Tylenols arthritis medicines are aimed to help relieve pain symptoms felt by the elderly. They are generally late adopters and once they find a dependable product are highly likely to stay loyal to it. Although these recalls may not affect sales for the arthritis medications too much, it is important to portray Johnson Johnsons sense of responsibility so any new products can be easily adopted by them. 3.3 Positioning Tylenol can position itself as a responsible company that has to perform these recalls in order to protect its consumers. This positioning can be achieved by enforcing its history as a reliable company and its constant passion to help its customers. Tylenol can use its past experience with the 1982 cyanide case to remind consumers that they replied effectively to the disaster then, and are simply doing the same thing now. Even though Tylenols quality control issues are in question, it can still position itself as a company that is honest and willing to take the actions necessary to fix any internal issues it may face. 3.4 Marketing Strategies The main marketing objective is to remind consumers of Tylenols responsibility and honesty. So, the marketing strategy will focus on raising consumer awareness of the recalls and use it as an opportunity to re-penetrate the shrinking consumer market. The message Tylenol will convey is that its recalls were necessary to protect and safeguard the public from any potential hazards. By stressing the fact that the recalls are just a precaution-and no deaths or illnesses were linked to the use of these products-Tylenol can garner more consumer support. Primarily this message will be conveyed through intense ad campaigns, in magazines, newspapers, billboards, and on the Internet. It will also be the means through which the public will be alerted of when the recalled products will be back on the shelves, and it will also provide Tylenol with a way to inform the public about the new Q.C. Passed stamp on it. However, Tylenol needs to first stabilize the recall issues so they can regain consumer confidence. Once there is more stability within the company, Tylenol can start telling the public about the new bottles in order to recover lost sales. Since the Tylenol brand is ubiquitous, it is important for the ad campaigns to be seen by consumers everywhere. The use of the Internet will be especially helpful because the costs associated with it will be relatively cheap. Print media, although costly, will allow the advertisements to be read everywhere, from homes to doctor offices to grocery stores. Along with these ads, Tylenol will employ its website to inform the public of its recalls-which it already does-and it will also create a forum for customer feedback. This is another cost-effective method for Tylenol to talk honestly about the recalls and prove their responsibility. Plus, this can generate future ideas the company can use to satisfy its loyal customers. 3.5 Marketing Mix The marketing mix for Johnson Johnson will mainly consist of the relaunch of recalled products, pricing and intense advertising. The distribution portion of the marketing mix will remain the same because Johnson Johnson has a strong network of distributors and stores to reach the target markets. Products: The main change that needs to be made for the Tylenol products is the quality of them. Johnson Johnson is focusing on the quality control systems at each of its plants already, and as the products are reintroduced to the public, their quality needs to be tested thoroughly to confirm there will not be any issues again. The Q.C. Passed stamps also need to be added to the new bottles to show the public that each bottle stands up to the high quality standards set by Johnson Johnson. Pricing: The prices of each product will remain the same but as Johnson Johnson is doing already, it has to continue providing coupons for its customers. However, the main issue with these coupons is that they are available online, which is not the most practical way to distribute coupons because most people do not remember to print these coupons when they are using the Internet. Also, this is extremely problematic for the older consumers who use Tylenol Arthritis Pain Relief because they are not active Internet users. So, it is important to provide coupons in stores so consumers can use them right away. Advertising: The advertising campaigns will focus on the target markets and will remind the consumers of Johnson Johnsons responsibility. They will work to provide consumers with the peace of mind that Johnson Johnson is doing everything in its power to fix these problems. The ads are directed towards, mothers, the elderly and the working class. It is imperative to advertise anywhere and everywhere possible so Tylenol can have more control over how the recalls are portrayed in the eyes of the consumer. 3.6 Marketing Research The website will provide a way for Tylenol to have a dialogue with its consumers, so new ideas can be suggested by the users of the products. This will also provide a way for Tylenol to better communicate with its consumers and alert them of any changes in their products. Also, by providing the serial number on the bottles, Tylenol will be better able to track any issues in the quality processes based on which plant any complaints are linked to. This will shorten the time it takes Tylenol to make changes because they will be able to pinpoint issues much sooner. Lastly, it is very important to understand the full effect of these recalls in the minds of the consumers. With each of the bottles of medicine Tylenol sells, it can provide a questionnaire for the customer to fill out and send back to Johnson Johnson for a 50% coupon. Even though the coupon provides a huge discount, the information the questionnaires will provide, will estimate how much damage control Tylenol really needs to do for its brand equity. 4.0 Financials Johnson Johnsons recall of several McNeil Healthcare products will have several negative financial impacts on the companys bottom line. The most direct impact is loss of income from lost sales of recalled products. With these products being off store shelves for various periods of time, consumers will not be able to buy these products and the company will lose money. Furthermore, future sales will be lost when customers turn to competitor products and decide not to go back to Johnson Johnson products because of loss of goodwill resulting from the recalls. The estimated loss is expected to be close to $200 million. Additionally, the company will lose sales from decreased production as a result of plant closings to reevaluate quality controls in an effort to deter this situation from happening again in the future. This loss is expected to amount to almost $600 million over the course of a year. Other yet unrealized losses will come from the reconfiguring and reconstruction of the plants, retraining employees to new systems and controls, and advertising dollars that will be needed to assure the public that Johnson Johnson products are safe again and still maintain quality standard they have. 5.0 Controls In order for Johnson Johnson to regain their status in the market, they will need to ensure that they do not have a quality mishap like this again. Several steps have already been taken to rectify the situation including closing two plants found to have severe issues, creating a dedicated website to inform customers of their rights and to provide general information under the recall, and exiting Collen Goggins from her position of overseeing McNeil health products. These actions show customers and the general public that Johnson Johnson is taking responsibility for their actions and doing what they can in the short run to make an immediate fix. CEO William Weldons numerous public statements about the companys dedication to quality and admission of making a mistake, should assist with gaining back some customer good will. 5.1 Implementation With all that is being done, Johnson Johnson needs to put other controls in place to guarantee increased quality among their line of products. First of all they need to innovate a new method for quality control. This can be something like indicating which plant products are produced to clarify where mistakes are being made if something were to go wrong again. This would also show customers that Johnson Johnson has a company-wide quality standard that each plant must follow. This will also make each plant function better because the tracking system will hold specific plants solely responsible for any problems in the future. Another factor in retaining or winning back customers will be strong marketing. The company needs to push their new quality regiment with a full press marketing plan. This should include print, TV, radio, internet, and billboard advertising. This campaign should show how Johnson Johnson values the health and well being of their customers and should also include an apology letting the public know how sorry they are for the inconvenience caused by not maintaining the quality they have been known for. By implementing these controls, Johnson Johnson should be able to regain potential lost customers and perhaps some new ones by showing their recommitment to quality after this mishap. After being a quality leader for years, the company needs to do whatever it takes to repeat history and make yet another comeback, or risk being defeated by its own negligence.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Internet Censorship Essay -- Short Stories Technology Papers

Internet Censorship Max walks into the classroom five minutes late, his shirt untucked and hardly buttoned. He sits down a few desks away from Ben who had arrived five minutes early and was waiting patiently for class to start. Although the boys seemed completely opposite, Ben the more conservative and shy one, while Max, a little more rebellious and mischievous, they were best friends and did most everything together. A few weeks into their fifth grade year, the teacher announced that they would begin doing reports on their favorite animal. They knew that this was the first year they were able to use the computer lab in the library and the idea of being able to use the internet excited them. Mrs. Howard sent the class to the library for the next period so they could start researching information about their animals. Some of the kids wandered around the second floor looking for books pertaining to their projects and some chose to start their search on the internet. Max and Ben went to the computer lab, found an open computer and began to browse different search engines looking for information about their animals. Max became bored with this idea and began searching sites of his own interest. Finally he found one that appealed most to him. â€Å"Hey Ben come look at this!† Max said. â€Å"What is it?† Ben rolled his chair over to Max’s computer screen and looked at what Max had pulled up. â€Å"Max, you’re going to get in trouble, you better get that off there.† â€Å"No way man, this is awesome†¦let’s look at some more.† The site that Max had clicked on was a pornographic web page containing many obscene pictures Aof naked women and other adult content. Although Ben felt unco... ...e room they see their 7 year old daughter Katie playing around on the computer. They noticed that the screen had a big caption in the middle stating that the site wasn’t able to be accessed. Curious to know what the blocked site was, Mr. Miller clicked the â€Å"Back† button and saw â€Å"Take a Wild Ride in Barbie Land† in big purple letters. Right away he knew that Barbie wasn’t referring to the actual doll and was relieved to know his daughter would never get to see the contents of that site. He looked at his wife and sighed, â€Å"Thank God we decided to install NetNanny onto our computer. You never know what these kids could have gotten into if we weren’t around.† â€Å"I agree honey. Now all we have to do is convince all those other parents and teachers to feel the same way about installing them at school. Hopefully we can get our plan to work.†

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Analysis of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis

Analysis of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson In an attempt to consider the duality tale, one narrative inevitably finds its way to the top of the heap as the supreme archetype: Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Immense disagreement permeates the pages of literary criticism relevant to the meaning of the story. Yet, for all of the wrangling focused on the psychology, morality, spirituality, and sociality of the story, it has remained, since 1886, a novella that according to the Reverend W. J. Dawson, gives Stevenson â€Å"a place apart, and high above all contemporaries, as an interpreter of the deepest things of the soul† (qtd. in Abbey 318). Not content to merely comment on the age of Victoria—i.e., the world about him—Stevenson has used the vehicle of Jekyll and Hyde to comment on the world within him, and within each of us, depicting the efforts of a scientist who separates the natures of good and evil, seen as â€Å"polar twins †¦ continuously struggling† (Jekyll and Hyde 78) within the psyche of each of us for supremacy. The author did so, perhaps, as a response to the physical conditions that had plagued him for the majority of his life, and with the concept of the world’s view of his state in mind. Stevenson lived his life contending with the limitations of his physical frame, living his adolescent days as a â€Å"rather sickly child† (Edens121) and in his adult years persistently confronted by the symptoms of tuberculosis, including â€Å"hemorrhages from the lungs† (Nabakov 179). Stevenson’s birthplace is Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the child of Margaret Balfour and Thomas Stevenson. Born on November 13, 1850, this product of a minister’s daughter and a c... ...r this submission to the Times of London to actually be the work of Robert Louis Stevenson. This would be along the lines of the intellectual dishonesty perpetrated by the senator from Delaware, Joseph Biden, who, about a decade ago, was found out to be a plagiarist. Evidence pointing to a deception on the part of Stevenson is not known, but the thought of such a thing occurring is intriguing, because, were this to be the case, the author would be shown to have behaved in a Hydian manner, disguising his identity for the sake of profit. [3] The popular notion of linking schizophrenia and a split personality is in error. The schizophrenic is an agoraphobic who takes his/her neurosis to an extreme and develops modes of behavior that serve as coping mechanisms. These behaviors are often erroneously grouped, by those observing them, to form separate personalities.