Community teaching work plan proposal Assignment

Community teaching work plan proposal - Assignment Example The theory is very significant because it incorporates both cognitive and behavior learning theories. The theory shall be utilized during teaching to change the behavior and attitude of the audience through giving them real examples on the advantages of healthy eating habits. Video shall be shown to the audience on how to plan their daily diet, and the audience shall be expected to practice that daily. NWS-10 Reduce the proportion of children and adolescents who are considered obese. There is increased number of children and adolescents who are obese in the countr, and the number is escalating at alarming rate. Poor eating habits have been associated as the major cause of this escalation. Obesity is one of the leading lifestyle diseases that cause morbidity and mortality in US. According to Alma ata health for all global initiative, one of the pillars is to increase healthy life expectancy to all. Therefore, this objective is anchored on this pillar since it aims at enhancing health. I shall evaluate the effectiveness of my teaching plan after teaching the audience; this shall be done immediately after the lesson. I shall achieve this through self-videotape during my teaching as well asking a colleague to observe me while I am teaching and offer me a genuine feedback on the overall teaching. The process of evaluation shall encompass: I identifying the program and setting objective, designing lesson to meet the objectives, carry out the learning activities, assess the audience learning, and finally use the assessment results to improve the program and objectives Some of the potential barriers shall be like: coping with grammar and jargons by the audience. I shall overcome this by the use of simple terms and avoid medical jargons. Another barrier can be of technological breakdown for example computer crash or problem with the overhead projector. This shall be overcome through the use of other backup system like having the teaching information printed on

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

Reflection paper - Essay Example The politics in California have been and is strongly influenced by finances. Inadequacy of provisions that govern campaign, and election finance is a threat to democracy. It exposes the government and political parties to scandals and blackmails by private corporations that may be willing to finance campaigns so they may earn some favors from resulting government. This paper explores shortcomings of election finance provisions and the impending threat to democracy. Money has done much for California politics by making fundraising an acceptable evil. The political class may be the beneficiaries of such insufficiency of the law in the sense that, as it is now, campaign funding and fundraising provisions do not favor persons without connections and money to spend. This discourages participation. This paper will also explore the political class unwillingness to enact serious laws to reduce the influence justice in politics. According to federalism Fundraising (lobbying for the financial donation) remain the primary source of campaign money in California. The Political Action Committee collects funds from donors and spends them on behalf of the candidate. Since American politics is closely related to finance and no campaign, money means no vote, individuals, and political parties are advancing in method of appealing for funding by wealthy individuals and organization. In 2004, Howard Dean used the Internet to mobilize civilians for funding. This might have changed fundraising approach in America for good -which is much important than manifestos. Candidates have started using the latest technology called the Microtargeting- that has the capability to target only potential donors. (Washington Post) This show how important money is treated in politics. Raising more money increases the chances of obtaining votes as observed in 2012 presidential and Senate

Drug Use And Social Control Criminology Essay

Drug Use And Social Control Criminology Essay Drug use and addiction have been a long time burden for society. Over the years many programs have been developed to help curb illegal activity, however it still continues. While appropriate attempts to control drug abuse have surfaced, there have also been many that have proven counterproductive. There are a number of theories as to why these theories have developed, but one might speculate that it is because drug abuse has such a wide and varied effect on families, society as well as the criminal justice system. This creates many attempts at control and is possibly the biggest reason for the numerous factors that involve drug abuse and society. This paper will examine the reaction of society to drug abuse and the attempts that have been made to control such behavior. The Stigma Of Abuse There are many stigmas that surface in society, each ranging in severity and consequence. Society, as a whole is quick to judge others and make rash assumptions about the person, based on their actions or other limited information. Those that abuse illicit drugs are one of the most stigmatized groups in society today. There is a negative connotation at the mere speaking of drug abuse. Children are taught from an early age that drugs are bad and will lead them to a life full of crime and potentially even death. While these speculations are not inaccurate, it does send a message to youth that relays that people, who suffer from addiction, are bad and/or criminals (Ball, 2007). While these assumptions may be correct in some respects, it is inappropriate to generalize groups of people as a whole. There are a number of situations and circumstances that can cause addiction, not only poor personal choices. A stigma is defined as, an attribute that is deeply discrediting, occurs when an individual experiences social disqualification due to a specific attribute or flaw (Palamar, Kiang Halkitis, 2012). In lay terms, a stigma is a preconceived notion about an individual based on their actions or perceived actions. While most consider stigmas a negative concept, it appears to be engrained in human nature to engage in this type of behavior. According to Palamar, Kiang and Halkitis, stigmas are also based on the type of drug and method of use as well (2012 ). For example, some consider the harder drugs, such as heroin or amphetamines, to be the worst and those that use them as the worst addicts. The reason for the more negative assumptions may be based on the level of harm that the drug causes. Heroin and methamphetamine are known to cause severe health concerns and commonly lead to illegal behavior that has a negative effect on society. As harm comes to society, individuals quickly associat e the drug and caused actions, thereby creating animosity and fueling the stigma. In many cases, the stigma might be used as a form of punishment to the user that is hoped to curtail or prevent drug abuse. The theory being that if enough pressure is placed on the individual than they will stop using drugs however is rarely successful. Addiction is a disease and the mere words or negative attitudes of others are not sufficient in stopping the cycle of abuse (Tiger, 2011). Families, commonly put pressure on their loved ones, who are using drugs, possibly even not speaking to them, in hopes that they will wake up and cease their drug use. Even though stigmas are sometimes used to curb the problem, it oftentimes leads to additional problems. As these individuals attempt to mesh in society, by getting a job or attempting sobriety they are often frowned upon, which creates more distance. Many employers will not hire them, which facilitates unemployment, and continued drug abuse. Certainly, it is not the fault of the employer, but if the addict is not able to work and sustain a life by paycheck, they may return to stealing to support himself or family. The Criminal Justice System Legislation and laws are not new to the criminal justice system. There have been laws regarding illicit drug use for many years. What has changed in recent decades is the way that drug offenses are charged, handled and processed. There are approximately 2.3 billion offenders in jail or prison for drug offenses in the United States (Tiger, 2011). That is a significant increase over the past years and one might speculate that it is because of tougher laws, more enforcement and awareness about drug abuse than in past years. One of the most notable policy changes has come with the establishment of what is known as Drug Court. Originally introduced by the criminal court system, Drug Courts have been put in action to address drug offenses in a more efficient manner (Tiger, 2011). Before these specialty courts were established, an individual convicted of drug offenses, may be punished, fined or incarcerated and then returned to society. In addition to prison and jail overcrowding, society a lso noted that the system was not efficient and had poor results. Typically these individuals would be back in the court system very soon after their charge, for another drug offense. Not only does this place the individual at harm, it also creates a danger to society. An example of this harm is an individual convicted of driving while intoxicated and then has another accident that takes someones life. They were not helped by going to jail or having a court date, their alcoholism was never addressed, which meant that the legal system failed in many respects. In order to address these issues, the 1966 Narcotic Rehabilitation Act was established, which gave each state the right or ability to force an offender into treatment or rehabilitation (Tiger, 2011). This then gave way to court ordered treatment and thereby the drug court system. Drug court is meant to oversee the offender in many different aspects of their life. In addition to addressing their criminal behavior, they also oversee their addiction treatment while they are on probation per say. The individuals assigned to drug court are generally drug tested every month, required to pay a fine and also report for monthly appointments. By requiring drug treatment the individual is addressing their legal concerns, but also getting help for the root of the problem, which is addiction. Commonly, counseling and other therapeutic services are required of offenders to assist them in changing their life. Coerced Treatment As A Form Of Control Understandably, one of the first lines of defenses for families is coerced treatment. In most states there are laws and protections that allow a person, who is in danger of harm to be committed. In many cases, families are frustrated with their loved ones and fearful for their safety so they attempt to convince or force the person into treatment. Unfortunately, when an individual is an adult it is rather difficult to force them into treatment without legal action. This is generally only relevant to a person that is exhibiting suicidal or homicidal ideas and not a person using illicit drugs. Forcing treatment is mistakenly thought to be a line of defense, however rarely works because of the users rights and freedoms (Ball, 2007). While families or other loved ones cannot force their family member into treatment the court system does have the ability to require treatment. Most offenders take the offered help, however there are those that refuse treatment or counseling. Each individual is given the choice, granted it is either treatment or jail time, but they still have the choice. There are those that are in and out of the prison system, who never engage in treatment or accept help, thereby perpetuating the cycle of abuse. Prevention The War Against Drugs With the increase in the criminalization of drugs in the past 30 years there have also been numerous changes to prevention attempts (Ball, 2007). Almost every school and community proudly boosts the fact that they offer drug prevention and awareness education. There have been a number of programs that have been created based on educating the community about drugs, harms and fads that are present. The increased amount of drugs and detriment has caused an increase in media coverage and allowed people to become more aware of the prevalence of drug use. With that also came a demand for an increase in Federal funding for prevention measures, treatment and assistance for those of lower socio-economic status. One of the major themes of prevention is an attempt to learn more about the causes and risk factors of addiction. There has been a great deal of controversy over the years regarding the causes of addiction. The nature versus nurture argument suggests that individuals become who they are or engage in particular behavior based on either their genetics or influence of environment (Zimic Jukic, 2012). Some argue that individuals are born with the propensity to use drugs based on hereditary and genetic factors. This would mean that regardless of the type of parents or environment that a child grew up with that they would be genetically predisposed to use drugs. On the flip side of the argument, individuals are said to be shaped by their experiences throughout their lives. These experiences shape who they are and what types of behavior that they engage in. For example, a child that grows up in a home where drug abuse is prevalent would be more likely to follow in the same footsteps as their parents. Both theories make excellent points, and many choose to believe that individuals are influence by both genetics and their environment. Other factors that place individuals at a higher risk of drug abuse is lower socio-economic status, family problems, academic trouble, mental illness as well as a host of other factors (Zimic Jukic, 2012). In light of these factors being noted, programs have been established to combat the negative effects. Programs such as the girls and boys clubs and mentor groups are put into place to assist children that might be from broken homes, have poor parental support or be associating with the wrong crowd. These programs are aimed at prevention and cessation as a measure to reduce the amount of drug use as well as criminal behavior. These intervention programs are meant to assist parents in a better understanding of the needs of their children, the warning signs of drug abuse as well as the importance of the family role. For the child, the programs are meant for education, but also guidance and to learn improved coping skills or manners by which to deal with the stress or problems that ar e placing them at the greatest risk of abuse. Harm Reduction Theory The harm reduction theory is considered a method of control for both drug addicts and society in general. This thought process is based on the belief that certain types of treatment or prevention are less harmful than drug use or risky behavior (Ball, 2007). One of the best examples of this belief system is Methadone Maintenance Treatment. Methadone is a synthetic opiate that is used to keep heroin addicts from using illicit drugs (Zimic Jukic, 2012). Methadone blocks the opioid receptors in the brain, thereby preventing the addicts ability to get high from continued heroin abuse. Some suggest that the introduction of methadone is simply another drug, because it is addictive and the individual becomes physically dependent. Those that promote methadone treatment suggest that these individuals, even though they are addicted to methadone, can functionally normally within society. Rather than engaging in criminal activities for drug money, the individuals can work, engage in family activities and receive psychological counseling. Other forms of harm reduction programs and theories are centered on providing condoms or even clean needles for IV drug users. The theory behind this controversial practice is the hopes that there will be a decrease or reduction in the amount of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and tuberculosis (Ball, 2007). Society and families have long stood against illegal drug use. There are a number of programs and prevention attempts that are currently used. While this assistance is used as a manner of control the negative stigma about drug users is still very prevalent in todays society. Drug users are frowned upon and typically have a difficult time in society because of their choices and actions. It is important that society continue educating about drugs, harms and how perceived attitudes can further the problems. Education and continued address are the best lines of defense for prevention. Additional research into addiction and better therapy or treatment could also assist society in gaining better control of the problems at hand.

The Irony Of Lord Jim :: Essays Papers

The Irony Of Lord Jim Lord Jim was written by Joseph Conrad in 1900. Lord Jim’s tale is a lesson in life. It includes many key literary aspects; the main one, nevertheless, would be irony. With parts of the story exhibiting heroic redemption and others cowardice and shortcomings, it shows the vast conflicts that take place in the story. Lord Jim shows the many hardships the main character,Tuan Jim or Lord Jim, had to go through with great detail. Lord Jim tests the basic worth of a man and the truth that lies within one’s soul. The central irony in this book balances itself upon morality and guilt with a tragic result. Jim’s soul continued to torture itself for the betrayal he performed when he left the Patna to sink. Jim’s soul would forever punish him for the unspeakable act he committed when he left the Patna to sink. As so, Jim was destined to live the rest of his life in misery when he left the eight hundred passengers to die. The Patna incident caused a chain of self hatred and self loathing that would go on until Jim’s death. Jim’s ever churning soul made him very unhappy. Fighting constantly within himself made Jim experience extreme guilt and anguish. The way Jim struggled on the inside caused Jim to seem lack luster and lazy on the outside. If Jim would have been more at peace with his soul he would not have been in such pain. Being that Jim was somewhat innocent when he first became a water clerk aboard the Patna; he lacked the mental toughness that would be crucial in key situations. With virtue and perseverance Jim struggled on. Trying to find his inner self and to become a good sailor was important to Jim. Forced into maturing because of the importance of his job; Jim often felt isolated and alone. But his love for the sea kept him going even in tough times; ironically it would be the same love that would lead to his destruction. Indeed, Jim had a great love for the sea. He respected it and its powers. Although it took a tragic event to learn the seas authoritative powers , Jim still admired it. The sea was Jim’s motivation and his passion.

Internal Migration in India and Citizenship implications

An essay on eye-scanning, Indian's floating population and inclusive governance. â€Å"That will give me an identity,† he said, gesturing at the computer station where he had Just completed his enrolment. â€Å"It will show that I am a human being, that I am alive, that I live on this planet. It will prove I am an Indian. † – Mohammed Jail, (New York Times 2011 Introduction The 2011 report of the MIAMI on internal migration and human development in India estimated the number of internal migrants to be around 400 million people, at that time roughly a third of the total population.The MIMI was launched by EUNICE and UNESCO to respond to the many problems existing around this population, also referred to as the ‘floating population'. These migrants, often never really settled, face great difficulties in accessing social security as this is often linked to residence. This is but one of the many ways in which these people are treated as ‘second-class citi zens', discrimination, a lack of political representation and low wage work being other examples. The aim of the MIMI to ensure: â€Å"†¦ Hat processes of urban development are socially equitable† 2 crystallized In the launching of an â€Å"informal outwork of 200 researchers, NAGS, policy makers. I-JNI agencies and key partners† focused on raising attention given to internal migrants in policy and practices (UNESCO, 2011). The Indian government project called ‘Dharma' might be an interesting development to these problems. It is a hugely scoped project aimed at providing all Indian residents with an identity by scanning their eyes and entrusting them with a number, enabling them to claim for example social benefits and a bank account .In this paper I seek to answer the question whether this project might actually benefit this floating population, and how this can be embedded In a broader discussion on citizenship and legibility. Indian's floating population' As the MIMI report stressed to be the basis for its creation, the internal migrant population of India has up till now received very little attention from either research or polices, partly because of the difficulties In gathering data. Most attention got diverted to international migrants, as their positive potential to contribute to development was well researched and backed by political and economic interest.First of all, speaking of the floating population does ignore the diverse backgrounds, practices and reasons to migrate of the people concerned. Goodling and West (2002) stress in their paper on the floating population in China that there is no set definition for this concept. It Is mostly used to denote the part of a population someplace else than where they are registered (Ibid. , 2002). Definitions and ambiguities put aside, this category does provide us with new and potentially better tailored ways of looking at urban development issues.A quick glance at Indian swapper a rticles concerning internal migrants helps gain some insight in the myriad of problems surrounding this issue. A 2012 article in the Times of India reports how the floating population (in Locknut, India), mostly not accounted for in enumerations, appear to be the cause of major water shortages, as the water supply is based on the number of permanently settled. Other articles report discrimination migrants face. An article from 2008 (CNN- BIN)4 for instance shows how migrants become the subject of political discrimination and commotion in Iambi.Political leaders articulate and incite an anger against the migrants, aerating an ‘other' which is blamed to be an economic burden, obstructing the freedom of ‘normal' citizens and â€Å"milking Mamba's resources† (Ibid. 2008). Whereas some government policies seek to tackle the problems surrounding this population through settlement relocation and infrastructural improvements (Times of India 2013)5, initiatives such as the aforementioned MIMI pursue making them visible and included in society.As was shortly noted in the introduction, the MIMI recognizes a trend of expanded use of rights based approaches in Indian law and policy. This generally means a ore equal citizenship and ways of governing, as government institutions are built more around the focus of ensuring and fulfilling human rights of all. The Indian Supreme Court has been a fundamental actor in demanding this change in government approach, and has for instance ordered the government in 2001 to provide a daily warm meal to every Indian schoolchild as part of the right to food.But how to ensure and fulfill the rights of those who can't be seen? In the particular case of the MIMI it means: â€Å"focus development of policy frameworks and practical strategies awards ensuring that all migrants have access to services and entitlements as enshrined in policies and law; and that urban settlements become inclusive spaces as they expand in size an d diversity'. In practice it means slow and arduous changes and redefinitions of social and economic rights.As the migrants are politically underrepresented, lobbying on their behalf is done largely by bodies such as the IM†. One particular government project might provide the nation's poor, as well as the floating ones, a shortcut to claiming some of the rights hitherto denied to them. Scanning eyes and citizenship As of 2009 the Indian government has initiated a project aimed at identifying and registering all 1. 2 billion Indian residents and giving them an identification number: Dharma. It is done combined with a retina-scan to ensure the uniqueness of the identity.As Sabine Demented, working for one of the companies hired to carry out the identification, puts it: â€Å"It will enable people to open checking accounts, apply for loans, insurance, pensions, property deeds, etc. What's more, the government wants to make sure that welfare benefits go directly to the right per son† (Saffron Magazine, 010). The only demands made of people in order to register are a retina-scan and fingerprint, name, gender (even transgender is possible), address and date of birth. Million people as of March 20146.For one, it circumvents the widely used village- based identity system, making it hard or impossible for migrants to claim rights in a place where they are not registered. Some of the other assumed potentials, as framed in an article by the New York Times (2011)7, are ways in which citizenship will be less mediated through caste- , religious- or kin groups, but rather through an individual national identity. For the floating population, who often experience discrimination based on their respective group-identity, or exclusion because a lack thereof, this might prove to be a real structural change to their good.It is also argued that this form of e-governance bypasses corruption, which is often linked to the inability of the poor to assert their rights throug h official bodies. Interaction with the state is hence deadline from local gatekeepers, which is important as, according to the Dharma director Ram Seven Sahara: â€Å"One cannot improve human beings†¦ But nee can certainly improve systems†. This, of course, is questionable in its own right.Reanimating (2012) sees this kind of service-consumer relationship, as is excreted through such systems, as a hindrance to political citizenship and a representative democracy (p. 129). Accessibility might be improved, but the means to criticize remain weak. As the project is still being implemented it is not easy nor feasible to entirely predict its potentials or flaws. In theory, though, one could wonder to what extension this project really brings about a first-class citizenship for all. The simplicity of the Dharma identification number gives it great inclusive strength.Whereas before traditional group- or village based identification made it hard for internal migrants to claim ce rtain rights, as the negotiation is often done through the same channels, a more direct way of interacting with government services has been made possible. The simplicity also lays bare the eventual narrow implications to the poor. As Harvey stresses in ‘The Right to the City (2003): â€Å"The freedom to make and remake ourselves and our cities is, I want to argue, one of the most precious yet most neglected of our human rights† (p. 2).If citizenship means recognition by state and law and henceforth attaining the human rights bestowed upon citizens in a democracy, Dharma falls short in scope. It does not enable people to vote, nor does it empower them in gaining settlement rights. Furthermore, although it is not something to blame the project itself for, other structural as well as social and economic constraints keeping the floating population away from full citizenship still remain firmly rooted. Still too little attention is directed towards tackling real societal pr oblems, such as discriminatory practices and uncontrolled arbitration.To conclude, I do believe the first steps toward including this huge neglected part of the Indian population are being taken, and that in itself can be seen as a very good development indeed. Improving legibility, which this project in essence is to the government ( and which James Scott might condemn in other conditions), can in such abominable conditions of inequality truly contribute to strengthening the position of the weakest, albeit in really small steps.

Marketing Plan Essay

Introduction Marketing plan plays a key role in business management. The essay would explain and cover what is a marketing plan, its role and nature, structure of marketing plan, the relationship between a marketing plan and a business plan, the uses of marketing plan, elements of marketing plan, the purpose of each element, the links between marketing plan elements and their independence, the misconception between marketing plans and the conclusion. The role and Nature of Marketing Plan The role of marketing plan is to clarify the key marketing element in a business and it plans the objectives, directions and activities of the business and employees. Marketing plan broadens the perspective which is outlined in a business plan. The role of marketing plan is to focus on four issues, i.e. promotion, price, product and the place. A marketing plan has its nature. It is a written document that states the key actions to achieve the marketing objectives. The marketing plan covers a period of one to five years. It can be part of the entire business plan. A Marketing plan which has no strategic foundation is not that effective. The importance of this is to specify the plan from the general objectives to single action plan of one marketing program (Fifield, 2007). The formal marketing plan is very critical as it provides an unambiguous reference point for the activities to be performed in the planning period. The benefit of these plans is in the planning activity itself. This process gives a unique opportunity and focused discussions between the persons involved. The marketing plan and the associated discussions then provides an agreed plan for the subsequent management activities including those not described in the plan itself. A classic marketing plan appears in the form of budgets. Since they are quantified, they are very essential (Ferrell, 2008). Therefore, they  represent the projection of actions and the expected results. The main role of marketing budgets is to put together all costs and revenues which were involved in marketing into a single comprehensive document. Marketing plan is used to monitor the performance in practice. A marketing plan should start with a brief summary of the recommendations and the main goals. This summary helps the senior management to get the major thrust. The table of contents then follows and it outlines the plan and the supporting rationale and operational detail follows the executive summary (Luther, 2011). Discussion of what is a marketing plan? What is the relationship between a marketing plan and a business plan? What are marketing plans used for? A marketing plan can be defined as a business document which is written with the aim of describing the market position of the business and its marketing strategy for a given time in the marketing plan. The marketing plan describes the advertising efforts for the coming years, and it includes a statement of the situation of marketing, the discussions of markets targeted, the position of the company and the description of plans which intend to be used to reach marketing goals (McDonald, 2007). The relationship between marketing plan and business plans Business plan are written so as to prove the value and feasibility of new ideas of the business. A business plan is drafted when opening a new business and the plan should be reviewed and adjusted especially when the operations have expanded or diversified. The business objectives and the strategy of value creation are included in the business plan (Jain, 2009). The business plan also provides a wide overview of the business like, operations, information of staff, marketing, location and financial aspects. Sometimes, business plan is used as a financial tool where it provides the lenders with the necessary information if the business is viable, financially stable and able to repay. Business plan does not only help in developing competitive strategies, but also it determines if the business activity matches the forecasted plans (Burrow, 2012). In marketing plans, it analyzes the potential customers of the products and explains what motivates them to buying. This enables the organization to fine tune their products or services to attract and keep customers. Then marketing plan also includes the nature of the competition, market size, potential price and the  potential strategies for reaching the customers. Market plan identifies price points, competition and target markets. It tries to explain how the organization attracts customers through trade show participation, advertisements and new referrals. It also explains how the business will overcome the competitive problems from other businesses (Pride, 2012). Uses of marketing plans The market plan can be very important when introducing a new product or service or even a line of new products. These plans should have details that will ensure the product would be successful in the market and to the intended customers. The company should write a market plan for each new services or products since each product needs a different approach to sell it (Jain, 2009). The market plans can also be drafted when a certain company has a plan to seek gestures from new market. For instance, a company in a particular state and planning to move into another state and compete with another market may need ways on how to market their services and products in the new location. Therefore, the market plan is written before the company is migrated (McDonald, 2007). Market plan is set to help the business set and achieve their goals. This plan includes information of the products offered in the company and how they will help the company achieve its goals. A market plan is also set to direct, establish, and coordinate a company’s sales. First the market plan defines the purpose of the specific plan, which is then followed by specific and clear directions of putting the plans in place (Ferrell, 2008). The other plan tries to explain and coordinate the methods for marketing task. Structure of Marketing Plan The structure of business plan can be designed in different ways. The plan can be a few thought scrawled on a bar napkin or it can be a high PowerPoint show. The most commonly used structure is the AOSTC format. This format stands for analysis, objective, tactics, and control. All these sections act differently in an organization (Fifield, 2007). Analysis- this section deals with the situation of the company at the time the plan is drafted. It is made of two subsections which are external audit and internal audit. The internal audit handles and talks more about the situation and what goes on in the company that affects marketing, like sales history, budgets and  structure. On the other hand, external audit focuses on the outside environment in response to its effect on the plan. The outside considerations include competition, opportunities industry news and events (Luther, 2001). The other is the strategies and Tactics- it is used to outline the ways of achieving the objectives one by one. The strategies deal with the big picture and tactics handles the details. For instance, increase internet presence is usually a strategy. Establishing a face book page or a web page presence would be tactics in that strategy (McDonald, 2007). For good strategies and tactic, they take in account both analysis and objectives sections of the plan. Control- this is how you measure progress in the achievement of the objective. This section is controlled by the timed and measurable nature of the set objectives. The control process is made up of key benchmarks, which set sub goals to rate the progress towards the objective. For instance, 12 percent sale increase in six months objective should be analyzed on monthly bases. If the progress states that the sales have increased by 2 percent in a month, which means the company is on the right track for goals accomplishment. Fall in sales means that the strategies and tactics should be reviewed (Ferrell, 2008). Elements of Marketing Plan The elements of a marketing plan are a rough guide of documents of plans to be done and why it should be done. For a market plan to be good it should contain the following: Defining what to achieve- goals should be set to provide an overarching statement on what to achieve. Some of the goals are: raising awareness of the school, increasing the products in the business and introducing new products or services in the business. One should also know there objectives. The objectives should be SMART i.e. specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timed (Luther, 2011). Situation analysis- this is a very good idea to analyze the current situation and the outlook in terms ways which will influence the strategies and plan. Then one should know the strategies to use. The strategies usually describe how the objectives are achieved. This plan should contain ways which tries to address elements addressed by the SWOT analysis (McDonald, 2007). Segmentation- at this section, one should underst and the segments and love what is been offered and why. If one doesn’t love it, then they are not ready to build and manage  a marketing plan and they should go back and find what to offer and a set of markets. In this section, one documents with much details from segments one is targeting. Who are the groups, their characteristics and on how to identify them (Luther, 2011). Competitive Alternatives- this is a drafted list of the alternative of the products the customers would consider from the ones been offered. This section helps one to articulate what differentiates the products one is offering from the others in the same field. They are usually micro and not detailed features (Jain, 2009). Differentiated points of value- for this section, you should ask yourself the top 3 or 4 differentiators which you are offering and it differs from the other. This should not be about the features or technology. It includes services like delivery options, pricing, ease of use, and time to value among others. Messaging and positioning is another which involves working on the previous segments. It creates a lot of messages for the sections. In this segment, you should create not more than 3 or 4 messages that cross your main points (Pride, 2012). Marketing goals and measures- this is about the goals one has for the marketing plan. This section is set for marketing goals in a period covered in the marketing plan. The objectives states were one need to be. For an objective to be effective, it must be specific and detailed. Many of the companies use the term SMART to define a well defined objective. This term in objectivity means smart, measurable, achievable, realistic and timed. One should also ask about the metrics they would use which are related with the drafted goals. For, instance one can decide that the increase of the customer by a certain percentage is the main goal. This acquisition can be tied by visiting product signups, blog signups emails, abandon rates and many others (Fifield , 2007). Tactical plan, owners, budget- this are the plans which are used to implement the strategies. The plans should be detailed sufficiently to allocate, budget, resource, and to monitor progress. They should have timeframes and also allocate responsibilities. In regard to the above goals and measures, this is where you set the marketing plans so that they can drive those results and the cost which are related to those tactics. This tactics are divided into discreet items of work and assigned to an owner. And lastly is the timeline which needs to be broken down into plotted on timeline and work items hence they can be tracked on a regular basis (McDonald, 2007). Links between  Marketing Plan Elements Clearly discussion of links and/or independence between marketing plan elements The marketing plans elements can be linked through its objectives and goals. The objective and goals of the marketing plan should be SWOT (Strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats). Strengths- when listing the marketing plan, you should list the main strengths of that company and products/services. This section should not only include the strong holds of your business or products but also its profit margins, similar strengths and the successful current marketing campaign. These strengths are only related to your business only because they are internal factors (Jain, 2009). Weaknesses- for this section, the weakness of the business and products/services should be listed. The plan includes the areas that you feel need improvement in the business or the challenges which are limiting the expansions of the business. Weakness is also internal factors and addresses your business only (Burrow, 2012). Opportunities- when drafting the business plan, you should list the best opportunities which you believe would change your business or a new business which you believe your business can succeed. One should always know that a weakness can be an opportunity. If the weakness in a business is fixed, quality is maintained and faster delivery to customers is achieved. The section of opportunities is always external but they rely on the internal strengths (Burrow, 2012). Threats- what is believed to be the threat to business should be listed. Some of them include the government regulations, competitors, and changes in customer attitude towards the products or services and others. Threats are from external but also they rely on internal weakness or external factors which limit your resource or strengths (Luther, 2011). Assumptions Discussion of common misconceptions relating to a marketing plan Most of the companies have misconceptions about marketing which hinder them from promoting their products and services incase of competitive market. Some of the misconceptions are as follows. â€Å"The company is too small and does not need a marking plan†- marketing plan is always the blueprint on how to market your business. Its main purpose is to outline your messages, target audience, tactics, channels, budgets and offers. Without this plan, one can confuse prospects with wasting money. Every business even the small ones need a plan so as to run effectively (Ferrell, 2008). â€Å"We know what the customers want†-your currents customers are the  best prospects and it’s very important to understand customers. What they think, why they like buying from you etc. Many marketers usually think that they know what the customer think but they might go wrong (McDonald, 2007). â€Å"We need to market only so that we can prospects, but not the customers†- as a marketer you should not assume a customer. Every customer needs to be reinforced regularly so as to continue buying from you and not the competitor. As you promote to prospects, remember to promote to customers (Pride, 2012). â€Å"Though we can’t afford, we would like to market†- many marketers make wrong assumptions about the cost of marketing especially advertising in the media. One should never rule out a certain channel because they think it’s expensive. You may find that channel you ignored you could have accessed affordably (Burrow, 2012). â€Å"We don’t have to be on the social medial†- whatever you sell, you can attract your customers. If you can’t market your products, your competitors are actively been engaged in the media (Jain, 2009). Conclusion Marketing plan plays a key role in business management. It is the core blueprint which states the company’s overall marketing efforts. Marketing plans usually draw inputs from the functions are team initiated. Marketing planning is usually a continuous process which responds to changing market conditions. Marketing plans analyzes the potential customers and products and explains what motivates them for buying. Then marketing plan also includes the nature of the competition, market size, potential price and the potential strategies for reaching the customers. This enables the organization to fine tune their products or services to attract and keep customers. Market plan identifies price points, competition and target markets. It tries to explain how the organization attracts customers through trade show participation, advertisements and new referrals. It also explains how the business will overcome the competitive problems from other businesses. References Ferrell, O. (2008). Marketing strategy. Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western. Fifield, P. (2007). Marketing strategy the difference between marketing and markets. Amsterdam McDonald, M. (2007). Marketing plans : how to prepare them, how to use them. Amsterdam Boston London: Elsevier/Butterworth-Heinemann. Luther, W. (2011). The marketing plan : how to prepare and implement it. New York: AMACOM. Jain, S. (2009). Marketing planning and strategy. Mason, Ohio: Cengage Learning. Pride, W. (2012). Marketing. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning. Burrow, J. (2012). Marketing. Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Free Essays on Requiem For An Aristocrat

Requiem for an Aristocrat â€Å"It’s lonely at the top,† a cliche that Faulkner reaffirms in his classical short story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† In this southern tale, a social class structure separated the â€Å"high and mighty Griersons† from the rest of the town. After the Civil War, the southern upper class society was dwindling with the northern industrialists rising in national influence. Emily Grierson was the product of an overprotective single father raising a high society child. During this era the southern high society type was considered a dying breed. Emily’s father instilled values and morals that only an arrogant aristocrat could set in a child. Emily’s inability to involve herself in social settings, her blatant disregard of the law, and her radical approach to intimate relationships all stem from her father’s upbringing. The town was filled with people Emily had no desire to interact with. She kept herself locked inside her house and sent Tobe, her servant, to take care of mostly all obligations that required social interactions. She spent the greater part of her life inside this fortress of solitude she considered home. During Emily’s years as a young lady, she was led to believe none of the young men deserved her. The young men did not measure up to her father’s expectations so he dismissed them. Even at thirty years of age, Emily remained single because her father would limit her social interaction. So it was common for the townspeople to refrain from associating with such distinguished people. The entire town attended Emily Grierson’s funeral without knowing her beyond her name. This type o f upbringing left Emily isolated. Emily held an â€Å"above-the-law† attitude that was common amongst aristocrats in the southern states at that time. Once Emily’s father died, the mayor felt obligated to allow Emily to refrain from paying taxes. When Emily visited her druggist for arsenic, he all... Free Essays on Requiem For An Aristocrat Free Essays on Requiem For An Aristocrat Requiem for an Aristocrat â€Å"It’s lonely at the top,† a cliche that Faulkner reaffirms in his classical short story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† In this southern tale, a social class structure separated the â€Å"high and mighty Griersons† from the rest of the town. After the Civil War, the southern upper class society was dwindling with the northern industrialists rising in national influence. Emily Grierson was the product of an overprotective single father raising a high society child. During this era the southern high society type was considered a dying breed. Emily’s father instilled values and morals that only an arrogant aristocrat could set in a child. Emily’s inability to involve herself in social settings, her blatant disregard of the law, and her radical approach to intimate relationships all stem from her father’s upbringing. The town was filled with people Emily had no desire to interact with. She kept herself locked inside her house and sent Tobe, her servant, to take care of mostly all obligations that required social interactions. She spent the greater part of her life inside this fortress of solitude she considered home. During Emily’s years as a young lady, she was led to believe none of the young men deserved her. The young men did not measure up to her father’s expectations so he dismissed them. Even at thirty years of age, Emily remained single because her father would limit her social interaction. So it was common for the townspeople to refrain from associating with such distinguished people. The entire town attended Emily Grierson’s funeral without knowing her beyond her name. This type o f upbringing left Emily isolated. Emily held an â€Å"above-the-law† attitude that was common amongst aristocrats in the southern states at that time. Once Emily’s father died, the mayor felt obligated to allow Emily to refrain from paying taxes. When Emily visited her druggist for arsenic, he all...

Essay on Government Form and Public SpendingEssay Writing Service

Essay on Government Form and Public SpendingEssay Writing Service Essay on Government Form and Public Spending Essay on Government Form and Public SpendingToday, the US has two dominant forms of government, mayor-council and council-manager. Even though there is another form of government, commission, but this form is not popular anymore and survived only in about 1% of the US cities, while the overwhelming majority of the US cities have either council-manager or mayor-council form of government, which are almost equally spread throughout the US (Forms of Municipal Government 2). Therefore, the effectiveness of either form of government can reveal which form of government is more prospective.At first glance, the growing share of council-manager form of government implies that this form of government is more effective. However, in economic terms, the mayor-council form of government is more effective because it is more cost-efficient compared to council-manager (Coate 3).   However, the theoretical justification of the higher efficiency of the mayor-council form of government does not mirror the public attitude to the city government in the US. The share of council-manager city governments has increased from 48% in 1996 to 55% in 2006 (Forms of Municipal Government 2). Therefore, the economic efficiency of the mayor-council form of government is not the determinant factor for the public to define the overall effectiveness of the government. Hence, along with the economic efficiency, there is the public efficiency.   In this regard, the council-manager form of government is more efficient in terms of social and political performance, such as representation of diverse social groups.Thus, the mayor-council and council-manager form of government in the US cities are almost equally popular. In this regard, the mayor-council form of government is more efficient in economic terms, while the council-manager form is more efficient in social and political terms. This is why these are the two most popular forms of government.

Can You Retake AP Exams Expert Guide

Can You Retake AP Exams Expert Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Most AP tests are very challenging, and scores don't always turn out the way you imagined they would. If you're concerned that you've forfeited any chance of getting college credit, can you retake an AP exam?In this article, I'll show you how you can bounce back from a low AP score to end up with college credits and AP Scholar Awards. Can You Retake AP Exams If You Do Poorly? First off, can you retake an AP exam? The answer is yes! If you don’t do well on an AP exam, you can retake it the next time it’s offered the following May. However, you should consider this decision carefully before committing.If you score a 3 or above on an AP test, I wouldn’t recommend going for a retake unless you’re absolutely set on earning college credit for your work. Ultimately, your AP score will have minimal impact on your admission chances unless you’re applying to the most selective colleges with 1s and 2s. According to theCollege Board FAQ, "When we surveyed admission officers, more than 75 percent indicated that a low score on an AP Exam would NOT harm an applicant’s admission prospects"(emphasis mine).In other words, the grade you earn in the year-long AP class is more important than areyour AP score for admissions purposes. Retaking AP tests is expensive; it will cost you an extra $94!It's also a pretty big time commitment to take on additional studying on top of a full course load. Really think about whether it's worth it before you settle on your decision. If you still feel sure that you want to retake the exam, speak to your school’s AP Coordinator about registering.You cansign up through your school, just like you did the first time you took the test, except now your teacher won't be helping you through the process. It’s completely up to you to track down the coordinator and make arrangements to take the test. If you want to retake an AP test, you gotta shed the training wheels and ride your big-girl bike over to the guidance office. If you really want to impress them, ride a unicycle. Do Both AP Scores Show Up? Which One Counts for AP Scholar Awards? Your score report will include all your AP scores (including repeats of the same test) unless you choose to withhold or cancel scores.The difference between withholding and canceling scores is that when you cancel your score, it is permanently deleted, as if you never even took the test.There is no fee for canceling a score. Here's theScore Cancellation Formyou would need to send to the College Board. On the other hand, if you choose to withhold your AP score, it won’t be seen by colleges, but it will stay on record in case you want to send it later.It costs $10 per score to withhold scores from colleges that you originally indicated on your answer sheet.Here’s theScore Withholding Formyou’d need to send to the College Board. The deadline for both withholding and canceling AP scores for tests you took is June 15.If you miss the deadline, all your scores will be sent to the colleges you indicated on your answer sheet. If you choose to retake an AP test, only your highest score will count toward AP Scholar Awards, even if you don’t cancel or withhold your lower score.That means you don’t have to worry about your initial score ruining your chances at becoming an AP scholar if you show improvement on your second try. Never fear, you can still become a scholar with a sweet beard even if you get a low AP score the first time around. Study Tips for Retaking AP Exams Here are a few important tips to keep in mind as you prepare to retake an AP test. To be successful in improving your score, you'll need to assess your weaknesses critically and study strategically. #1: Understand Where You Went Wrong Last Time Your primary goal is to avoid repeating the mistakes you made on your first AP test.Think about why you did poorly and what you can do to prevent those pitfalls this time.Did you wait too long to start studying? Did you take unofficial practice tests that gave you an unrealistic idea of the test’s content or difficulty level? Did you rely completely on your class to carry you through the test and find your knowledge lacking?Whatever the case may be, do some reflection to figure out how you can fix these problems and redeem your score a second time around. You might consider tutoring if you think you did poorly because the subject as a whole was not your strong point or your teacher didn't do a good job of explaining the material.You could even ask one of your peers who did well on the test to give you some studying advice or tutor you on concepts you’re having trouble mastering on your own. #2: Get a High-Quality Review Book If you’re going to retake an AP test, you won’t be just finishing up a year of studying the subject in class. As a result, notes and study materials might not be as readily available to you, and it will be harder to structure your time without a teacher and class schedule to guide you. You should get a review book that covers all the concepts in the course thoroughly so that you have an easy way to study content, plan out your time, and do practice questions.Think of it as a lighter version of self-studying.Usually, Barron’s books are a good option for more in-depth surveys of AP courses. #3: Start Studying Early One of your problems the first time around might have been that you ended up waiting until the last minute to study.Cramming is a bad idea for AP testssince they cover so much information and expect you to answer questions that require high-level critical thinking. You won't do yourself any favors by skimming the surface. Start studying at least a couple of months before you take the test.Ideally, you should review concepts throughout the year so that your memory stays fresh and you have time to correct whatever issues you had with the material originally. You should also take plenty of practice tests so you can keep tabs on your performance and make sure you're improving. Be the early bird. Get out there and catch your AP worm. Summary: Can You Retake AP Exams? You can choose to retake an AP test when it’s offered again the following year.If you really need college credit or are concerned about how a low score will look on your application, you might consider this option. Assuming you retake an AP test and get a better score, that score will be the one that counts toward AP Scholar awards.You can even choose to withhold or cancel your lower score if you don’t want it to show up on your record. Taking an AP test a second time is an expensive commitment, so you should make sure you put some serious effort into studying for it.Try to learn from whatever problems you had the first time around, and avoid cramming or glossing over content areas you don’t quite understand. What's Next? Ideally, you'll get a high score on your test the first time around. To make sure that happens, read our five-step plan detailing the best way to study for AP exams. Practice tests are super important when preparing for AP exams. Learn more about where to find the best AP practice tests to use in your studying. It might be tough to take new AP classes on top of preparing for a retake. Find out how many AP classes you should take in high school and whether it's worth it to load up your schedule. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Loyalty(Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet) Essay

Loyalty(Hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet) - Essay Example Although both of them are victims of racial discrimination, they become very close and loyal to each other. In order to understand the role of loyalty in families and relationships, we will focus our attention on the different relationships between Keiko and Henry. First, loyalty as a base of confidence between or among members of a family. Being loyal refers to keeping confidence without fail. Amidst the commotion caused by blackouts, curfews, and raids by the FBI, Henry and Keiko were loyal to each other thereby creating a strong and confident bond of friendship. This resulted into a treasurable love which surpassed the partialities of their ancestors. The high level of loyalty between each other enabled them to create a strong bond of association which was unimaginable to their ancestors. Loyalty is also seen at the instance after Henry and her family were forcefully evacuated from the camps. Keiko and Henry clung on to the hope that they were going to see each other in future again. In that sense, loyalty was used to instill courage and confidence that even though the two were parting, they would definitely see each other in future. Similarly, Loyalty can also be used to shows obedience, honor and love that exist not only in families and relationships but between individuals and nations as well. For instance, When Kieko asked Henry whether he was Chinese, Henry nodded not knowing what she was exactly supposed to say. This is because although he was Chinese, he had stayed for long in America and therefore, he saw himself being a noble and loyal American citizen. They insisted that they were still â€Å"loyal to the United States of America† since they too were Americans by right (Ford 184). This act brings out loyalty as a sign of obedience an expression of honor for the country and an ideal act of pure love. This therefore implies that loyalty can be used to show obedience, honor and love not

CITIZENSHIP ANALYSIS OF UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS IN UK, EUROPE, AND THE Essay

CITIZENSHIP ANALYSIS OF UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS IN UK, EUROPE, AND THE WORLD - Essay Example e first time (4.1 per cent in Wales, 4.7 per cent in the U.K).4 Manufacturing plays a more prominent role in the Welsh economy than it does in the U.K economy as a whole; it accounts for 27.8 per cent of Welsh GDP compared to 20.8 per cent of U.K GDP.5 Secretary of State for Wales, Peter Hain said on 22nd March 2006: â€Å"There are 118,000 more people in jobs in Wales since 1997; the unemployment level is almost 40 per cent lower than in 1997; and the 34 per cent growth in exports between 1999 and 2005 has outperformed the U.K average of 25.6 per cent.†6 Comparative unemployment levels in Europe and the World Western Europe: The Welsh unemployment rate of 4.1 was lower only to Switzerland’s 3.8. Next came Norway and Ireland, both 4.2, followed by U.K 4.7, Luxembourg 4.9, Denmark 5.5, Sweden 6, the Netherlands 6.5, and Portugal 7.3. Italy and Finland both 7.9, Belgium 8.4, France 10, Spain 10.1, Greece 10.8 and Germany 11.6. Real Wage Unemployment (labour market fails to respond to demand): Governments combat it by reducing trade union powers, increasing companies’ abilities to change wages, and encouraging short- term contracts. Frictional Unemployment (ncomplete information in the labour market): Governments increasing knowledge of vacancies through ‘job centres’, and increasing the incentive to search for jobs (e.g. by reducing unemployment benefits; lowering taxes on wages). Geographical unemployment (inability of people to relocate from areas of low demand for labour to areas of high demand): Governments provide regional incentives for new businesses to locate in high unemployment areas, and reduce barriers to free movement of workers. Structural unemployment (inability of workers to change the kind of job they do {e.g. from IT to engineering}): Governments by provide incentives to retrain, and reduce geographical immobility (facilitating workers movement to areas where their skills are in high demand).9 In the United Kingdom during the

Managerial Accounting Final Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managerial Accounting Final Report - Essay Example This paper offers managerial accounting report based on an entity’s costing accounting data and recommends improvements to the firm. The scope of management accounting incorporates financial accounting concepts, cost accounting concepts, and statistical concepts to develop an understanding of a business environment towards informed managerial decisions. Cost accounting offers data on costs and facilitates analysis for cost control or cost based decisions (Bhattacharyya 2). The management approach’s ability to use existing data for forecasting and planning identifies its significance to management because it aids strategy developments for market dynamism (Mitra 1-27). Incorporation of statistical tools in the management approach also empowers it to determine informed choices for efficient operations because the techniques allows managements to compare environmental factors in a market and to identify the most suitable applications that can guarantee market control and ef ficient and effective operational processes. The report relies on these aspects to review the firm’s cost and processes (Thukaram 5). ... This paper applies a case study to demonstrate application of managerial accounting concepts in resolving problems. The report is based on SSI case study. The firm is a meat, burger, and chicken processing plant in Idaho, United States. Its executive group has learnt that their leading clients are not satisfied with the firm’s pricing and they are considering contacts with SSI’s competitors, arguing that the firm’s prices are too high. Other clients are however happy with the organization because it offers the cheapest prices in the locality. This controversy in opinion among clients identifies pricing as a problem that should be explored for possible reconciliation with the discontent clients. The problem identifies the need to explore following research questions. What are the recommended cost savings that will help SSI increase its profits? Is the organization pricing its products efficiently? Method The report is based on a case study on SSI firm that offers six distinct products to six different clients. Data was collected from published information on the organization’s accounting and managerial records regarding involved production activities and their costs. The data was then analyzed, objectively, to understand the firms costing and pricing. Results The organization produces six types of meats for retail sales. It operates two sessions per day with each session lasting for eight hours and pays direct labor costs per hour. The operations involve six different set ups per day. Each set up produces each product and clean up and adjustments for each product specification precede each set up. The following table summarizes SSI’s daily schedule for the production and set up processes in their order of production. Table 1: Daily

Sustainbility and Renewable Technologies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sustainbility and Renewable Technologies - Essay Example Discussion The Benefits of Sustainable Construction According to the UK’s Strategy on Sustainable Construction published in June, 2008, sustainable development can only be achieved if the construction industry also engages in sustainable construction practices. The strategy laid down several initiatives aimed at achieving sustainable construction. It focused mainly on effort that would ensure the United Kingdom construction sector engages in long-term sustainability efforts that would ensure the UK meets its sustainability targets. It emphasizes on the need to build new homes that are free from carbon and new commercial buildings that are rated, zero carbon. It proposes amendments to the regulations that govern building and construction which will see CO2 emissions from new homes reduced significantly. The policy requires those new houses are constructed in such a way that they are water efficient and have standards for minimum efficiency. It also emphasizes on the use of rene wable energy and effective management of wastes by encouraging reuse and recycling. Being a joint government and industry policy to ensure sustainability in construction, it is imperative that the company considers sustainable construction. This will be within the regulations of the country and local authority. The benefits of sustainable construction to an ISO 14001 certified insurance company that is committed to meeting high environmental standard are many. This discussion aims at explaining these benefits and their implications to the business at large. As opposed to standard building approaches, sustainable construction employs practices that give emphasis to efficiency, quality and long-term affordability. The quality of life and comfort increases as a building is developed using sustainable construction best practices. This leads to a decrease in the negative effects on the environment and a substantial increase in the projects ability to sustain itself. Less raw materials, w ater, land and energy are consumed if a building is sustainably constructed. The negative impacts on the environment by the building and construction sector are far reaching. This severely damages the earth’s ecosystem that is currently at a critical stage. The damages are irreversible and rob the ecosystem of its critical life supporting function. It is a known fact that more than more than 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions globally, 40% of energy used, 40% of generated solid waste and 30% of used raw material are due to building and construction in OECD countries. Sustainable construction reduces these adverse effects on the environment by a much greater percentage. It helps minimize pollution, waste and energy use. Re-cycling and reuse is also maximized thus reducing costs. This helps preserve the earth’s ecosystem that is currently threaten. Most people spent about 90% of their time in buildings. This has seen the rise in sickness related to buildings thereby inc reasing the cost related to treating such sicknesses. Sustainable construction practices emphasizes use of less toxic paints for indoor paintings and construction of big, wide windows that allow natural light and fresh air into buildings. This ensures confortable and healthy indoor environments. Such environments significantly contribute to human well-being and health. Diseases and sicknesses caused by poor and unhealthy indoor env

Philosophy of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy of Education - Essay Example Quality in education matters because without accomplishing some goal, there is no end purpose of that education and each party is wasting time on a meaningless relationship (Brennen). The process of instructing a child must give some meaning. In addition, using some set, objective standard of quality for instructors, one can provide the basis for improvements and advances made in favor the education system. When such a standard exists, educators have an idea of what they should aim for, and they can create plans and objectives to achieve those goals. Goals for children depend upon their age level and individual potential for improvement. For this reason, a teacher must work collaborative to set goals. Not only is it useful to get feedback from children on how much they want to accomplish, it is important to introduce the skill of goal setting early in life. This kind of teaching that encourages an active system of feedback serves to empower children, which will prove useful as they g row older and into adults (Aschermann). In this relationship, children put forward an idea of what they are capable of doing and accomplishing, and the teacher interprets and formalizes those observations.

Comparison-Contrast essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparison-Contrast - Essay Example For instance, she says that success is not the only way to make one happy saying that it is better for her children to be moderately successful, but very happy, rather than be high achievers haunted by the misery of being overly controlled. Amy Chua is a Chinese author, but working at the Yale school of law. Her works have served to highlight several aspects that define the Chinese parenting model. From her opinion, Chinese children are more likely to register success in their endeavors compared to the western children. This is because of the different models adopted during parenting. Chua highlights her experience of motherhood and parenting an effort to depict a typical Chinese mother. It emerges that Chinese mothers are very strict and employ different strategies that can propel the children to success. The convictions of these mothers are based on the fact that young children do not have an interest in working hard. The notion of working hard must be inculcated in them as they grow older. This is the reason why Chua highlights that Chinese mothers are more likely to override the passions and preferences of their children. Notably, Chua reveals that Chinese children do not have an opportunity to decide what is best for them, but rather parents make all the critical decisions surrounding the lives of their children. In one of Chua’s article that has caused a controversy about parenting between the western models and the Chinese model, Chua describes the parenting model adopted by the Chinese mothers. The article is titled, ‘Why Chinese Mothers are Superior’. This article highlights that parents have the responsibility of imparting their children with the required skills and competences. Chinese mothers demand that their children should be above average students. Therefore, they spend time and effort molding their children to become remarkable individuals in the society. However, the strategies for achieving this differ from

Philosophy of Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Philosophy of Education - Essay Example Quality in education matters because without accomplishing some goal, there is no end purpose of that education and each party is wasting time on a meaningless relationship (Brennen). The process of instructing a child must give some meaning. In addition, using some set, objective standard of quality for instructors, one can provide the basis for improvements and advances made in favor the education system. When such a standard exists, educators have an idea of what they should aim for, and they can create plans and objectives to achieve those goals. Goals for children depend upon their age level and individual potential for improvement. For this reason, a teacher must work collaborative to set goals. Not only is it useful to get feedback from children on how much they want to accomplish, it is important to introduce the skill of goal setting early in life. This kind of teaching that encourages an active system of feedback serves to empower children, which will prove useful as they g row older and into adults (Aschermann). In this relationship, children put forward an idea of what they are capable of doing and accomplishing, and the teacher interprets and formalizes those observations.

Cohabitation Before Marriage Essay Example for Free

Cohabitation Before Marriage Essay Does living together before marriage help or hurt relationships? This question has plagued couples for the last few decades, as both the numbers of those living together without being married and the rate of divorce has grown. I think living together before marriage can only help people avoid divorce, as they are given the chance to see what it is like to live with either the specific person, or a person for the first time. This also brings up the questions of why divorce rates are up and whether it has anything to do with living together before marriage. I bring certain prejudices about it, believing that living together before marriage does not negatively impact couples’ ability to stay together after marriage, as I have seen it work many times. In the end, I will attempt to make the connection between the two, if there is one, or explain why people think there may be. SOURCES: Hurley, D. (2005, April 19). Divorce Rate: Its Not as High as You Think. The New York Times. Divorce Statistics Collection. Retrieved August 9, 2008, from http://www. divorcereform. org/nyt05. html Knadler, J. (2005, December). Is Five Years the New Forever? Cosmopolitan. Vol. 239, Iss. 6; pg. 149-152. Kramer, E. (2004, October). COHABITATION: JUST A PHASE? Psychology Today. Vol. 37, Iss. 5; pg. 28-29. Whether because of the instinct to procreate, emotional desire, or compulsion to follow social norms, human pair-bonding leads often to marriage. Defined as a social institution, religious sacrament, and personal commitment, marriage continues to evolve, growing to include a more relaxed attitude to divorce and the practice of cohabitation before marriage. Both of these subjects have sparked heated debates, with the issue of cohabitation before marriage being the latest movement in the realm of matrimony. While many opponents of cohabitation before marriage cite a lack of core family and moral values that have sanctified union through marriage for millennia, recent studies have shown that cohabitation before marriage is not only increasing in popularity, but may be beneficial compared to marriage first, as evidenced by the increasing divorce rate among married couples, the decrease of overall marriages, and the ever-changing landscape of marriage throughout history. Marriage between a man and a woman has long been the backbone of social cooperation and society itself. Marriage offered greater economic stability, the opportunity to produce heirs, and was often utilized as a tool to strengthen alliances between groups. Marriage echoed the foundational desire for societal regulations and norms, and like society, marriage continuously evolved, redefining itself and its purpose. From the days ancient Mesopotamia to Greece and Rome, marriage was largely a civic obligation. However, the proliferation of polytheistic religions as ultimate moral authorities transformed marriage into an expression of faith. Until the emergence of modern nation-states, most marriages were conducted under one or another religious regime. Starting with the Protestant Reformation, â€Å"most states took over their dominant religion’s marriage laws; debate has ensued ever since whenever a nation deviates from the still powerful religious rules that sanctify marriage† (Miller, 1999). Despite these dogmatic rules, outlawed actions such as unmarried cohabitation and divorce have become commonplace among couples, and the cause and effects are mixed. According to an analysis of new census figures by The New York Times, married couples, whose numbers have been declining for decades as a proportion of American households, have slipped into a minority in the United States. The American Community Survey, released in October by the Census Bureau, found that â€Å"49. 7 percent, or 55. 2 million, of the nation’s 111. 1 million households in 2005 were made up of married couples — with and without children — just shy of a majority and down from more than 52 percent five years earlier† (Hurley, 2005). This trend shows that less and less heterosexual couples are choosing to get married, instead preferring to cohabitate and have children without marriage. Cohabitation can have many important benefits that marriage cannot, even if it comes with no religious sanctification or government protection. Cohabitation before marriage can be for a variety of reasons. Some couples may use it to see if they can live with the person, while others may do it simply out of convenience, and still others may do it for more practical reasons such as to save money. Susan Sassler, a sociology professor at Ohio State University, interviewed undergraduate and graduate students who had been living with a romantic partner for at least three months and asked them why they decided to move in with their partners. Fewer than a third of interviewees reported discussing their ideas for the future before making the move, and even fewer had mentioned marriage in their discussions with their partners; nearly a fifth specifically stated that they weren’t using cohabitation as a trial for marriage, and the most commonly cited reasons for moving in together were â€Å"saving money, convenience and the need for housing† (Kramer, 2004). This study helps show that cohabitation before marriage is not necessarily anything more than a practical move on the part of the couple. Whether or not the couple gets married seems to be secondary to the mutually beneficial arrangement that can allow many young couples to pursue personal and professional goals more easily with the support system offered by such a thing as marriage, with the freedom offered by being single. In the United States, it is widely believed that one in two marriages will end in divorce, so while many couples live together out of sheer practicality, cohabitation may be a good way to avoid the increasing divorce rate. The rate of divorce today is considered to be roughly 43% by the National Center for Health Statistics but was moved back up to around 50% by the Census Bureau in 2002. Most recently, according to the New York Times, it has been revised downward to just over 40%. (Crouch, 2005) This lower figure could be due to the fact that less people are getting married and choosing instead to cohabitate, but it cannot be denied that less people are getting and staying married than ever before. The proliferation of cohabitation before marriage could be for a great number of reasons, including the increasingly fast pace of society, a more cynical view of traditional morality, or even the more evolved view that couples do not have to sanctify their union through religion or law. Studies on successful cohabitation are difficult to perform, and no concrete statistics such as divorce rates offer clear-cut answers to its ultimate success or failure. However, moving past religious and social dogma that often frowns upon cohabitation before marriage, it would seem to be preferential for young couples to do before getting married, and many have. According to Jessie Knadler of Cosmopolitan Magazine, â€Å"many couples today live together before they marry, roughly 70 percent versus less than 5 percent 40 years ago† (Knadler, 2005). While this number suggests that virtually all couples that marry live together first, it also leads to a pitfall that cohabitating couples must avoid, namely seeing marriage as the next logical step in the relationship. As evidenced in the Sassler study, many of these cohabitating couples are doing it out of practical reasons, sharing money, bank accounts, bills, and such; to move this arrangement into marriage without a strong foundation is a risky mistake that ends in divorce nearly half of the time. The casual acceptance of divorce in today’s society seems to offer couples an easy way out whenever they so choose, unlike a few short decades ago when divorce was considered taboo. Divorce ultimately costs not only the couple, but also society as a whole, in legal fees and wasted court time. While breakups are rarely pleasant, they can prevent many of these personal fights from entering the public arena. The success of any marriage, relationship, or partnership depends on the trust and commitment of those who enter into it. Cohabitation can be a good way to lead to marriage, but it takes work and honesty between both partners. If the partners see a future with each other, marriage is the next logical step. However, if they are living together out of convenience, perhaps marriage is a bad idea. And, while marriage continues to evolve and to some degree evaporate, human relationships will always be too complex and diverse to generalize. REFERENCES Crouch, J. (2005). Divorce Rates. Divorce Reform Page. Americans for Divorce. Retrieved August 9, 2008, from http://www. divorcereform. org/rates. html Hurley, D. (2005, April 19). Divorce Rate: Its Not as High as You Think. The New York Times. Divorce Statistics Collection. Retrieved August 9, 2008, from http://www. divorcereform. org/nyt05. html Knadler, J. (2005, December). Is Five Years the New Forever? Cosmopolitan. Vol. 239, Iss. 6; pg. 149-152. Kramer, E. (2004, October). COHABITATION: JUST A PHASE? Psychology Today. Vol. 37, Iss. 5; pg. 28-29. Miller, M. (1999, March/April). What is Marriage For? : A Conversation with E. J. Graff. UU World Magazine. 37 pars. Retrieved August 9, 2008, from http://www. uua. org/world/0399feat3. html

Patient Outcomes for Fibromyalgia Treatments

Patient Outcomes for Fibromyalgia Treatments Busch et al. (2011) describes fibromyalgia as chronic condition that exhibits symptoms that include widespread pain, non-recuperative sleep and fatigue. Fibromyalgia can affect anyone of any age but is most prevalent in women aged 50 or older (Traska, Rutledge, Mouttapa, Weiss, Aquino, 2010). Currently, the etiology of fibromyalgia is not understood. Fibromyalgia also has no specific diagnostic tests or cures (Becker, Stuifbergen, Taxis, Beal, Pierini, 2009). Diagnosis is established with guidelines set by the American College of Rheumatology (Gore, Sadosky, Zlateva, Clauw, 2009). Gore, et al. (2009) states that the guidelines stress the incidence of pain and tenderness at least 11 of the 18 defined tender points. Treatment for fibromyalgia, according to Zhao, Sun, Watson, Mitchell, and Swindle (2011), is palliative measures that include pharmacological treatment, behavioral modifications, physical and exercise therapy, and alternative medicines. This literature review is an examination of both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments for fibromyalgia and the effectiveness of the treatments. The following text will review and analyze several pieces of literature that provide information and statistics regarding the different methods of controlling the symptoms of fibromyalgia. The conclusion of this review will present suggestions and recommendations for enhancing and expanding the current body of research. Literature Review Pharmacologic Treatment Pharmacologic treatment for fibromyalgia includes many classes of medications. Medications include analgesics, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, opioids, and dopamine agonists (Zhao, Sun, Watson, Mitchell, Swindle, 2011). The pathophysiology of fibromyalgia is not well understood, but is believed to be the result of an increase in pain signal transmission of the central nervous system (Gore, et al. 2009). Gore, et al. (2009) focused attention on the medications gabapentin and pregabalin. A commercial database was used to study identifying traits among patients newly prescribed gabapentin and pregabalin that included clinical characteristics, healthcare resource use, and pharmacologic therapy (Gore, et al. 2009). Statistics were limited to those with at least one healthcare encounter during 2006 and 2007 with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and naive to both gabapentin and pregabalin. The sample was majority female (85%) and greater than 70% over the age of 45 (Gore, et al. 2009). Results indicated that pregabalin users in the cohort study saw statistically significant reduction (p values A systematic literature review of 14 studies revealed a decrease in healthcare access among Latinos in the US as compared to Caucasian Americans (Timmins, 2002). Fifty-five percent of these studies indicated significant negative effects to healthcare access for Latino individuals with LEP (Timmins, 2002). Cancer screenings, mental health evaluations, and reproductive care among Latino populations were substantially lower (Timmins, 2002). The reason for this decline was primarily linked to poor health education and promotion as a result of linguistic barriers (Timmins, 2002). Communication barriers also hindered therapeutic rapport that potentially contributed to decreased access to care (Timmins, 2002). Shi, Lebrun, and Tsai (2009) conducted descriptive and comparative research on a national health survey that involved 29,868 participants. The purpose of this research was to determine the influence of LEP on healthcare access (Shi et al., 2009). Analysis showed that respondents with LEP were more inclined to waive needed medical care and less inclined to have healthcare visits (Shi et al., 2009). In particular, unadjusted analysis showed 58% of respondents with LEP and adjusted analysis revealed 34% of those respondents were more likely to have reduced healthcare visits (Shi et al., 2009). This study revealed multivariable impacts upon healthcare access; however, strategic analysis allowed for variable isolation in order to fully assess the effect of language barriers alone upon healthcare access. In a descriptive study, DuBard and Gizlice (2008) examined responses from 45,076 Hispanics in a randomized national health survey. The study indicated that healthcare access was substantially limited for Hispanics with LEP than Hispanics with English proficiency. The results showed 55% of Hispanics with LEP had no health insurance; whereas, 23% of Hispanics who spoke English were uninsured (DuBard Gizlice, 2008). An additional comparison revealed that 58% of Hispanics with LEP had not obtained a primary doctor, while 29% of English-speaking Hispanics were under primary physician care (DuBard Gizlice, 2008). Hispanics with LEP were also less likely to have annual health visits and preventative services, such as immunization, dental, and screening care (DuBard Gizlice, 2008). These results have implied a prominent influence of language barriers upon access to healthcare. Multivariate analysis disclosed limitations to healthcare access for all Hispanics, but a substantial decrease in access to health services was observed for Hispanics with LEP (DuBard Gizlice, 2008). Safety and Quality of Care In his systematic review, Timmins (2002) reported that 86% of studies indicated a definite negative effect of linguistic barriers upon the quality of care for Hispanics with LEP. In comparison to Hispanics that were proficient in English, one study revealed Hispanics with LEP were significantly (P Masland, Kang, and Ma (2011) conducted a study that assessed medication prescription comprehension in the following five ethnic minority groups: (a) Mexican, (b) Central American, (c) Chinese, (d) Korean, and (e) Vietnamese. Limited English proficiency inhibited communication and understanding of prescriptions in all ethnicities except Vietnamese (Masland et al., 2011). In particular, limited English proficiency in the Mexican, Central American, and Korean groups tripled the chance of misinterpretation and quadrupled the chance for the Chinese group (Masland et al., 2011). Poor communication and unavailability of prescription labels in native languages were associative reasons that inhibited prescription understanding and ultimately compromised client safety (Masland et al., 2011). However, most all ethnicities greatly benefitted from having language concordant physicians (Masland et al., 2011). As a result of physician/patient communication barriers, patients with LEP had an increased probability of undergoing more diagnostic testing (Pares-Avila et al., 2011). Studies reported physicians unnecessarily ordering an array of tests to determine or rule out health problems (Pares-Avila et al., 2011). This action not only potentially contributed to poor patient satisfaction but also promoted delays in care services (Pares-Avila et al., 2011). Health Status and Management According to DuBard and Gizlice (2008), 39% of Hispanics with LEP reported fair or poor health status; whereas, 17% of Hispanics who were English proficient conveyed fair or poor health condition. Timmins (2002) added that negative health status and outcomes could be attributed to language barriers. Misdiagnosing and prescription errors were found in one study to have contributed to negative health outcomes, yet limited English proficiency was not clearly isolated as a specific cause (Timmins 2002). Another study alluded to a casual association between language barriers and negative health outcomes, which potentially promoted declines in health status (Timmins, 2002). Wisnivesky et al. (2009) conducted a cohort study to analyze asthma control and quality of life. Upon comparing English proficiency levels, Wisnivesky et al. (2009) discovered major language barrier impacts. Latinos with LEP had statistically significant (P Fernandez et al. (2010) examined data from the 2005-2006 Diabetes Study of Northern California, a well-designed cohort of insured clients, to determine diabetes management of Hispanic individuals with LEP. Although this study’s multivariate analysis examined other variables that could have contributed to ineffective glycemic control, limited English proficiency was identified as the primary â€Å"independent predictor† (Fernandez et al., 2010, p. 170) of poor glycemic management among US Hispanics. Analysis further revealed statistically significant improvement (P Future Research and Practice Recommendations Literature has confirmed the existence of multivariable elements that compound, exacerbate, and/or lead to healthcare disparities among minority populations. Ongoing research is needed to explore all potential variables, to analyze the impact each variable has upon healthcare, and to discover best methods to improve healthcare for minority groups. A substantial amount of literature has corroborated language barriers as a major source contributing to negative healthcare management; therefore, this appraiser has considered this evidence indicative of poor professional practice that insufficiently bridges language barrier divisions and compromises patient healthcare. Nurses should be proactive in employing interpreter services and finding best practice measures to effectively communicate with patients. Pares-Avila et al. (2011) reported that patients with LEP are often not informed of their legal rights to have interpreters; hence, nurses must be client advocates and inform patients of this entitlement. Furthermore, quality improvement measures and future research should be implemented to continually evaluate interpreter service use and effectiveness. In the US, rapid expansion in language diversity has not mirrored the available diversity among healthcare workers (Pares-Avila et al., 2011). Literature has reflected improvements in healthcare directly related to having language concordant physicians, yet accessibility of language concordant providers has not adequately complemented the increasing number of patients with linguistic diversities. This literature review lacked studies that addressed or assessed the impact of nurse language concordance. However, this appraiser values language agreement between nurse and patient, perceiving it a powerful measure to ensure affective communication and promote health. More research is needed to analyze the effect of language unity between nurses and clients. With a growing diverse nation and competitive work arena, nurses should envision secondary language acquisition as the â€Å"edge† toward professional success and patient satisfaction. References Becker, H., Stuifbergen, A., Taxis, C., Beal, C. C., Pierini, D. M. (2009). The use of goal attainment scaling to facilitate and assess individualized change in a wellness intervention for women with fibromyalgia syndrome.Journal of Holistic Nursing,27, 232-240. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2010.03501 Busch, A. J., Webber, S. C., Brachaniec, M., Bidonde, J., Bello-Haas, V. D., Danyliw, A. D., . . . Schacter, C.L. (2011).Exercise therapy for fibromyalgia.Current Pain Headache Reports, 15, 358-367. Gore, M., Sadosky, A. B., Zlateva, G., Clauw, D. J. (2009).Clinical Characteristics, Pharmacotherapy and Healthcare Resource Use among Patients with Fibromyalgia Newly Prescribed Gabapentin or Pregabalin.Pain Practice,9, 363-374. doi: 10.1111/j.1533-2500.2009.00292 Traska, T. K., Rutledge, D. N., Mouttapa, M., Weiss, J., Aquino, J. (2010). Strategies used for managing symptoms by women with fibromyalgia.Journal of Clinical Nursing,21, 626-635. doi: 10.1177/0898010109339525 Zhao, Y., Sun, P., Watson, P., Mitchell, B., Swindle, R.(2010). Comparison of medication adherence and healthcare costs between duloxetine and pregabalin initiators among patients with fibromyalgia.Pain Practice,11, 204-216.

Appalachia Culture Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many people have different views on what Appalachia is, I grew up thinking that Appalachia meant people were dirty, poor, illiterate, inbreed and we also called them mountain people. As I grew up I realized that most of the things they went through and had a hard time with, I was dealing with the same problems. So what exactly is Appalachia? Well you will find out as you read on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Appalachia is no longer the land of severe poverty that it was three decades ago, now the poverty rate of one in 15 is close to the national average. The number of adults who have received a high school diploma has also jumped from one out of three to two out of three; and the infant death rate has been cut in half. Comparing the 391 counties in the Appalachian Regional Commission with counties outside the region that were similar to Appalachian counties in the 1960s, researchers found that Appalachian counties grew significantly faster than their counterparts. Specifically, overall income in Appalachia grew 48 percent faster; per capita income grew 17 percent faster; and population grew five percent faster.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Appalachian mountaineers have been discovered and forgotten many times. Their primitive agriculture disrupted by foragers and incessant guerrilla warfare, thousands of them straggled out of the mountains in search of food and shelter. Their plight was brought to the attention of President Lincoln, who promised that after the war a way would be found to aid the poor mountain people whom the world had bypassed and forgotten for so long. The war ended, President Lincoln was assassinated, and so therefore Appalachia was forgotten. Appalachian people are considered a separate culture, made up of many unique backgrounds - Native Americans, Irish, English and Scotch, and then a third immigration of Germans and Poles - all blended together across the region. The mountains also figure into the uniqueness of Appalachia. The mountains kept Appalachia isolated from the rest of the country and from other people's involvement in their lives that they developed a distinctive culture. (arministry.org) The life in the wilderness and the continuing isolation of Appalachian people has made us different from most other Americans. The Appalachian value system that influences attitudes and behavior is diff... ...the only major geologic event in the history of the Appalachians. Several glaciers have covered parts of the Northern Appalachians over the last three million years. (Appalachian tales) The mountains have been there ever since and that is how they were formed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  So what is Appalachia? Appalachia is no different from any other person in this world. The people had to struggle just as bad as some of us did, but were criticized because they lived in the mountains or away from other people. They didn’t know that once they sold their land for the oil miners that they would loose everything and eventually be run out from their own homes. They couldn’t help being poor or not being able to go to school and get the proper education like most of us got. So why do we still have these same stereotypes now as they had before? One description was that they walked barefoot and I guess I’m part of the Appalachian region because I walk outside almost everyday barefoot even though I had my thoughts about which Appalachian people were. Appalachia is part of our history that people don’t know much about or they wouldn’t have these stereotypes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚