Praise

Professional practice-rewards and sanctions essay The use of praise within the primary classroom will use this essay to analyses the effective and destructive often harmful use of praise as a reward system within the primary classroom. Firstly it is important to explain what a reward system actually is In terms of a primary classroom, According to the universal Dictionary, (19981†² a reward is â€Å"something given or received in recompense for worthy behavior†.A reward system therefore, is a system adopted by either a class teacher, adult or as a whole school ethos for the delivery of rewards or positive academic or social behavior during the school day. From experience, the reward scheme does not have to finish at the end of the school day and can extend into what children achieve during their own time, whether this is through commendations or simply through public use of praise, perhaps in an assembly, as a form of verbal reward.All reward systems are based around the principal of two forms of praise; these are either extrinsic motivators; these tend to be based around variations of the token economy, or intrinsic motivators. Praise as a system in its own eight falls into the intrinsic motivators category as there is no extrinsic or token reward' physically given to the children. â€Å"Intrinsic motivation occurs when we act without any obvious external rewards. We simply enjoy an activity or see It as an opportunity to explore, learn and actualities our potentials. † Con et al (2010).Praise is a crucial part of all reward systems whether intrinsic or extrinsic, but praise can be a reward system on its own. When praise is used as a reward system within a primary school classroom, according to Sutherland, et al (2002) â€Å"praise is positively related to Intrinsic motivation among students† which Is linked directly to the SHE strands of the National Primary Curriculum and the idea of fostering a culture of intrinsic motivation to ac hieve both academically and within normal social parameters is a cornerstone of primary education.Sutherland argument can be applied to the theory of praise as an Intrinsic reward system, suggesting praise may be a practical method by which to nurture a self-perpetuating cycle of growth, reinforcement and self-worth amongst primary school aged children. Sutherland argument is given rather vigor by Trustees, (2008) who suggested â€Å"a ratio of 4:1 positive to negative feedback has an optimal effect on students learning and behavior†, however according to Episcopate, J, et al (201 1), â€Å"little research has examined the effects of training teachers to provide specific ratio of praise to behavior correction within the classroom setting. Trellis's reasoning does seem to make logical sense and other research does reach similar generic conclusions. Usual (2008) recommended a ratio of six or eight positive to one negative within adult-student interactions, which is an embellis hment of Trellis's theory. Before the government draw up new plans to train all adults within the classroom to work towards these ratios, it should be considered that more research Into the effectiveness and also practicality of these ratios needs to take place.Within the primary classroom setting the practical application of ratios for positive to negative comments is potentially unfeasible and targets which would in effect render the praise worthless as a becomes more of a token gesture rather than an intrinsic reward for a Job well done. Sutherland argument for praise being used to develop intrinsic motivation within children of the remarry age bracket, relies upon positive reinforcement which has to be implemented by the class teacher using a best practice model, with a high ratio of praise-to-behavior correction technique.Clinics-Ross et al, (2008) states that â€Å"classrooms in which teachers use higher rates of reprimand and other reactive strategies tend to have higher rat es of student miss-behavior. † This demonstrates how praise is far more effective a tool that reprimand within behavior management of a primary classroom. Furthermore, as the earlier ratios imply, reprimands can be far more damaging to a child's self-esteem and academic confidence then even over SE of praise.If reprimands are used too often this could possibly lead to children becoming disengaged with learning and also foster lack of self-belief within children. Teachers need to be consistent with their approach to praise. According to Cooley, S (2001) there are basic rules to behavior management which includes consistency as well as others†¦ â€Å"Be definite ‘l know what I want. ‘ Be aware ‘l know what will happen if I don't get what I want. ‘ Be calm and consistent ‘l am always fair and consistent with you. ‘ Give them structure ‘I know where we're going. ‘ Be positive you're doing great!These rules, when applied to the classroom environment along with goal setting to increase the chance for praise and performance, will give teachers the opportunity to use praise effectively to manage behavioral expectations and academic achievement within their classroom. In order to use praise effectively however, there are other considerations that the teacher must apply to each individual class, and undeniably each individual child. Conceivably the most important consideration is that children need to Want' to receive praise. Without this ‘need', praise is an ineffective reward.Potentially there are various reasons why children might not want to receive praise from a class teacher or indeed any other adult in the classroom. According to Docking, J (2002) â€Å"the age of the child, whether the recipient is a boy or a girl, whether the praise is for work or conduct, and with the teacher is in charge of a whole class or Just a small group or an individual† are all variables that could hypothetically lead to praise not working as a reward for an individual child's behavior, or actually being totally or partially ineffective as a behavioral management technique.According to Brakeman, E et al (2013)†¦ Many adults use praise as 'emotional nourishment' for children, in an attempt to help children feel better about themselves. Adults might therefore be especially likely to praise those children who seem to need it the most – children with low self-esteem. † This strategy could have unexpected side-effects for any child with low self-esteem, whether that be directly or indirectly related to his or her academic achievement.Brakeman goes on to discuss in his study how children with low self-esteem are, when exposed to a specific type of praise, potentially predisposed to feeling ashamed following allure. Evidently any child feeling any feelings of inferiority, shame or vulnerability as a direct result of praise being used, would be highly counter-productive within the mind adults need to exercise caution when selecting the correct type of praise for the individual child.A teacher will have the choice to differentiate between two distinct types of praise that could impact each child in very differing ways, both positively and negatively. Of the two types of praise the first is person praise, (praise for personal qualities or directed towards children's abilities) and the second type of praise is recess praise, (praise directed towards a child's effort). Brakeman states that â€Å"person praise contributes to a self-perpetuating downward spiral of self- derogation. This demonstrates that, in children with low self-esteem, the link between praise and conditional regard could be a self-replicating issue in that the more praise the receive the more they will avoid it. This is linked with Gamins & Deck, (1999) â€Å"Person praise may trigger these children's feelings of conditional regard and consequently makes them feel unworthy following failure. à ¢â‚¬  With this in mind, praise when used as a general reward system could potentially lead to a detrimental undermining of some children self-esteem, thus undermining the very nature of a reward system.This point is not to say that teachers should not praise children. In actual fact the research of Hindering & Leper (2002) suggests that process praise is actually beneficial for children's academic motivation. This point is also made by Mueller & Deck (1998) â€Å"praise for effort may help children persist in the face of academic failure. † The general agreement between the different research papers is that any adults issuing praise needs to carefully consider the individual before making any public or indeed private praise.This theory seems to be related directly to the idea of process praise as discussed by Brakeman et al. There is a large proportion of academic research and Journal articles that points towards using process praise in a responsible manner to great effect within the primary classroom. Process praise is described within the literature as to being highly beneficial not only in promoting good academic results, but also in promoting academic resilience amongst children. Academic resilience is of vital importance so that children learn from their mistakes as opposed to being deterred by them.This appears to be in contrast to the general consensus centered around person praise, as it is widely regarded as damaging for children, especially those with low self-esteem to be the recipients of too much person praise, as it can lead to a self-perpetuating downward spiral in both their attitude towards learning and their academic progress. This general statement can only be described as true within children who already are predisposed to low self-esteem. The research of Burlingame implies that children with high self-esteem will benefit from both kinds of praise.From experience forever children with high self-esteem are often praised perhaps too frequently, this can lead to an almost extrinsic motivation effect whereby the children see the praise being given as an extrinsic reward thus fostering a completely unintentional ethos within the classroom or indeed the whole school, whereby children expect to be praised and could potentially end up conditioned to only continue working or behaving to a consistently high standard when praise is being handed out periodically by the class teacher.This adverse effect needs to be avoided; teachers should note â€Å"praise, like penicillin, must not be administered haphazardly. Ignition (1965) Another consideration the teachers when attempting to decide how to give indeed an even more desirable effect could be achieved through non-verbal praise. Non-verbal praise could take on the form of a simple smile, a thumbs-up from across the classroom or even a note quietly written on a student piece of work. Non-verbal forms of praise can be highly useful when dealing with children of low self-e steem countering the issues created from person praise.Non-verbal cues also play a crucial role in communication; according to Spark (2013) furthermore they are especially important when interpreting ambiguous verbal messages. As such non-verbal forms of praise and communication are an important tool when differentiating praise as a reward system for individual members of a whole class. Having reviewed the current academic theories surrounding praise as a reward system, looking at both the positives and negatives associated with praise as a system I can draw several conclusions.The first of which is that praise as an intrinsic reward system is key in fostering a culture of motivation to achieve both academically and socially within primary school children. This is drawn from Sutherland research stating that praise is positively related to intrinsic motivation among students†. The counterarguments raised predominantly by Brakeman are also highly compelling, as they appear to co ndemn the use of some aspects of praise.The issues that can arise when praise is used inappropriately within the primary classroom, as well as the unexpected side-effects for children with low self-esteem mean that praise can sometimes have a seemingly paradoxical effect. This is summarized by Spark, et al (2013) who states†¦ â€Å"Blame after failure sometimes leads to the impression that the recipient has a high ability. In contrast praise after success can lead to an inference of lower ability. † Kappa's research links in with the theories of Brakeman because person praise is the style of praise that would be linked to the inference of lower ability.Process praise however, which can be generically given across the different ability groups, has no such inferences. Pomeranian, M et al (2013) also raise an interesting point that seems to condemn praise when used inappropriately†¦ â€Å"The more personal praise mothers used, the more children subsequently held an en tity theory of intelligence and avoided challenge over and above their earlier functioning n these dimensions† far from praise encouraging children in their attempts to challenge and better themselves, person praise appears to detrimentally affect children's academic drive.If Pomeranian, M is to be believed then all teaching and support staff should adopt a system whereby praise is used sparingly and also in a manner that avoids person praise. Furthermore, process praise should be used throughout the class without highlighting different ability groups. In this manner the paradoxical effect discussed by Spark could be avoided. In practice the literature seems to suggest that simply using praise on its own as a reward system is not efficient to develop children's own intrinsic reward systems and develop and ethos of intrinsic motivation both academically and socially.

Starbuck’s: Delivering Customer Service

Starbucks: Delivering Customer Service Christine Day, Starbuck’s senior vice president of administration in North America, believes recent market research indicates customers are not satisfied with Starbuck’s customer service. To address this concern, she is proposing to invest $40 million to increase store hours in order to reduce customer wait times. Day believes there is a direct correlation between customer wait times and their overall satisfaction with service. Starbucks has implemented a â€Å"secret shopper† program in order to spot check stores on their service, cleanliness, product quality and average wait times.The goal for average customer wait time is 3 minutes. The secret shopper scores for the past 5 quarters have shown a negative correlation between customer service and average wait time (exhibit 1). As average customer wait time decreases, the average secret shopper scores increase. In response, Day feels that adding an additional 20 hours to each of the 4500 North American Stores will reduce the customer’s wait time and in turn, increase their overall customer satisfaction scores. Day’s plan will have the largest impact on the following three major stakeholders: shareholders, employees/partners and customers.Starbuck’s shareholders are primarily interested in the plan’s impact on retained earnings and long term growth. Investing an additional $40 million dollars will reduce the shareholder’s short term earnings. Investors who were looking forward to larger dividend checks would be disappointed, but investors who were interested in the long term growth of their portfolio may support Day’s plan if she could show how this investment would positively impact customer’s loyalty and improve the company’s future profit potential. Assuming the partners were looking for additional hours, this plan would be viewed favorably by store baristas and employees.During peak periods of b usiness, they would have another employee to help share the workload and it could reduce the stress of â€Å"rush hour† on each individual partner. The popularity of this plan would be different depending on each store’s location, layout and manning. Stores with insufficient work flows could create or enlarge bottlenecks and the additional manpower may actually increase wait times. On the other hand, stores who have a hard time recruiting employees may not want to burden their existing overworked employees with an additional increase in hours.In some stores, partners would prefer to reduce the quantity and complexity of available drinks instead of increasing available hours. Starbucks is known for innovative and seasonal drinks and over the years, the knowledge requirement for baristas has dramatically increased. Baristas are constantly challenged to learn more complex drinks and still perform to the 3 minute metric. Reducing the number of drinks offered may be an appr opriate solution if there is evidence to show that there are a number of very unpopular drinks, but we do not have any current sales or market data to support those decisions.Additional research needs to be performed in order to assess this option. Customers visit Starbucks for a variety of reasons and those who value short wait times may approve of the new manning plan if indeed it results in shorter wait times. Customers who visit Starbucks for the quality of their coffee or the inviting environment may not increase the frequency of their visits because of a shorter wait time. Customers who value the intimacy and personal attention their local Starbucks provides may actually disapprove of the plan to increase manning if it interrupts their established relationship with their trusty barista.In 2002, Starbucks surveyed their customers to find out what store qualities they attribute to customer satisfaction. The top 6 of these responses referred to the actual store, relationship with the staff and product quality. Wait time was ranked 7th on the list (exhibit 2). This survey suggests that investing $40 million to decrease the wait time might not have the desired impact on customer satisfaction. There is an inherent issue with self reported customer surveys that may have influenced these findings. Customers may not realize what influences their opinions and what constitutes good customer service.What they think they value and what they actually use to make purchasing decisions may be different. In addition, each customer will have their own bias when rating customer service because they all value different experiences and relationships with their local Starbucks. If you look at the secret shopper findings and the self reported customer service surveys jointly, you could devise that customers may give higher cleanliness, service and product quality scores if their wait time is shorter regardless of the store’s actual level of cleanliness, service and produ ct quality.The shorter wait time may have influenced the customer’s opinion on the other store attributes. Another measure of customer service besides secret shoppers and customer surveys is the number of repeat customers. Customers vote with their feet and if they continue to patron Starbuck’s stores, they are voting that they are satisfied customers. In exhibit 8 of the Starbucks case, it is reported that in 2002, 73% of Starbucks customers have been visiting Starbucks for over a year. Only 23% of customers were new that year. This report suggests Starbucks has done a good job at reducing customer churn and they are already satisfying their customers.A common error when trying to measure and improve customer satisfaction is using quantitative metrics. Customer service is a qualitative experience that is very subjective for each individual. Trying to influence someone’s overall customer satisfaction by improving only one quantitative metric may not give you the intended impact to your overall customer satisfaction scores. Day needs to understand the limitations with her single metric plan and realize that she needs to address all aspects of customer service for an overall improvement.In order to understand the variety and complexity of the issues impacting their 4500 stores, Day needs to engage the store managers to fully understand what each store needs to improve customer service. Increasing available hours may help some stores while others may need new equipment or a re-designed work space. Day’s plan to uniformly increase labor hours over-simplifies the potential needs of the individual stores. Empowering the managers would encourage individual ownership and commitment. The manager’s guidance would ensure Day allocated the $40 million most ffectively to not only reduce customer wait times but to increase overall customer service. During this process, Day may find out managers are frustrated with Starbuck’s aggress ive growth. In metropolitan areas, growth has led to cannibalization of customers which undermines the manager’s efforts to increase customer loyalty. Quality customer service is an individual experience that requires a personal interaction between customers and employees. It is more difficult to create a lasting experience and relationship if customers are constantly changing from store to store.Manager’s will lose their motivation to encourage these relationships if they feel another Starbucks will open nearby and steal away the loyal customer base they have worked to create. Starbuck’s value proposition to their customers concentrate on three goals: quality coffee, excellent service and an inviting atmosphere. These three attributes are focused on building customer loyalty. Starbuck’s loyal customers (8 or more visits a month) account for 62% of their revenue. This group of established customers value high quality coffee and Starbuck’s meets thi s need through mass customization.Starbucks gives customers the ability to specialize their drinks to fit their individual tastes in order to create customer loyalty. This evidence suggests that Starbucks needs to continue to allow for individual drink customization in order to increase customer loyalty even though it may increase their average wait time above their three minute goal. Loyal customers are their largest source of revenue and if their perceived value is centered on quality coffee, they would not want to risk losing this source of steady revenue.Starbucks lacks a strategic marketing group who is responsible for managing their overall marketing plans, promotions and research. Marketing was internally viewed as the responsibility of all senior executives, but as their corporation continued to rapidly grow, the executives could not keep up with their primary responsibilities and effectively contribute to the strategic marketing plan. As a result, Day states â€Å"Weâ€⠄¢ve been operating with the assumption that we do customer service well. But the reality is we’ve started to lose sight of the consumer. In addition, Day admits â€Å"we tend to be great at measuring things, at collecting market data, but we are not very disciplined when it comes to using this data to drive decision making. † Both of these statements validate the concern that Starbucks needs to hire a senior executive who will make marketing their chief responsibility. They need a central department who will integrate their market research with top level decision making, and manage promotions, such as frequency programs, so they are using their resources in the most effective way to increase customer loyalty.The marketing department should not only collect data from their own customers, but they should consider hiring a marketing firm in order to ensure they are collecting unbiased information about themselves and their competitors. Using research on their competitors will allow Starbucks to have a more comprehensive view on their industry and growing trends or concerns from their available customer base. This will also give them the information they need in order to attract new customers from other competitors.Day’s preliminary research shows more resources need to be given to accurately capture their customer’s interests to ensure they are meeting high standards of customer service to create and keep loyal customers. Her original plan to invest $40 million to increase labor hours is not the most effective use of resources because each individual store’s needs are unknown. Quality customer service cannot be achieved by concentrating on a single quantitative metric. Customer service is a personal, qualitative experience only the individual store managers can gauge and deliver.Day needs to work with store managers and a marketing department to formulate a more comprehensive plan to measure and improve customer service. EXHIBI T 1 The AVG line is the average of the secret shopper scores for Service, Cleanliness and Product Quality. The compiled average increases as the average customer wait time decreases. EXHIBIT 2 These are the top 7 attributes grouped by category reported in Starbuck’s 2002 self-reported customer survey. Store Attributes, relationship with staff, product quality were all reported to have a higher impact on customer satisfaction than wait time.

African American and American Society Essay Example for Free (#2)

African American and American Society Essay African American (597) , African (466) , Racism (370) , American society (32) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints ? African Americans No matter where or when a person lives, skin color, beliefs, class, or history he/she will see a difference in the way every ethnic group is treated. This world has never been fair for anyone. Life can treat a person with the greatest of care or it will treat a person as if he/she is lower than dirt. African Americans are no different. They have faced great hardships and triumphs throughout the years. Since they had been forced from their homeland they have been treated as if they had no rights or thoughts of their own. They were placed in the status of slaves even though they were human beings too. No matter if they were placed in the minority group by the dominate majority group of white Americans they remind structurally pluralism by keeping to their beliefs and traditions. Before and after slavery African Americans did not receive equal treatment. â€Å"Even when slavery ended, Jim Crow laws went into effect meaning that the very best of everything was reserved for white’s only-school, jobs, neighborhoods, hospitals, etc. † (Moore, 2008). In other words, the African Americans took the subordinate status to the dominant white Americans. Their race was used to dictate what rights they would be allowed to have in America. At one point, they did not have the right to be free and over the years they were given that right back. Even though they regained their right to be free, they still were not very free. They were only allowed to eat in certain places, drink from certain fountains, and ride in the back of the bus. This is not what would be called very free. They were not even given the opportunities to receive a quality education or to vote. â€Å"With the 1896 Supreme Court decision in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson, the separate by equal doctrine was upheld, and the system of segregation in the South was securely in place† (Merger, 2012, pg. 169). When it came to getting a quality education, they were placed at the bottom of the totem pole. The whites receive the best opportunities for receiving a quality education while the African Americans were not. It was not until the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case that African Americans were allowed a better education. â€Å"Separate schools were inherently unequal and imposed an inferior status on black children, causing irreparable psychological change† (Merger, 2012, pg. 173). The rights as citizens were also being denied by not allowing them to vote and make a proper living to take care of theirfamilies. Years ago, African Americans were not allowed to vote, so they had no say in the laws that were made that would deny them their rights as American citizens or human beings. This kept them from changing the laws that kept them from achieving economically and politically. The Civil Right Movement began a new era for African American. It was their gain of the right to vote and be elected to office that gave the some power over their rights as human beings and citizen in the economic and political environment. Even after everything that the African Americans have gone through, they still face prejudice and discrimination in all areas of their lives. It is no wonder that for some it feels as if it is never over. No matter what a person looks like, how he/she talks, their beliefs, where he/she lives, how much money he/she has, or what race he/she may come from we all bleed red and where cut from the same cloth. We all deserve to have the opportunities and resources that are out there to help better ourselves. African Americans are human beings too and they have the same rights as everyone else. African American and American Society. (2016, Dec 19).

Leadership Style of Ivan Seidenberg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership Style of Ivan Seidenberg - Essay Example Mr Seidenberg is regarded as one of the key element responsible for several successful mergers and acquisitions including NYNEX Corporation, Bell Corporation, MCI Inc and GTE Corporation in the years 1997, 2000 and 2006 respectively. He has also served as a director BlackRock International and Honeywell International Inc since 2011 (Forbes, 2013). Although Mr Seidenberg has given his resignation from his CEO post from Verizon communication Inc (Verizon), he will remain chairman of the board (Wall Street Journal, 2013). It is observed that Mr. Seidenberg had exhibited transformational leadership style at multiple stages and various situations. Transformational leadership skills include dealing with the complexity of the management problems effectively and with ease. Transformational theory was defined by theorist James McGregnor in the year 1978 (Sadler, 2003). Transformational leadership skills lead to excellent performance of the employees which are usually beyond the expectation of the organizations. Mr Seidenberg has always been promoting a congenial work environment which helped in achievement of targets and improved the organizational culture. The leadership style exhibited by Mr Seidenberg helped in promoting active participation in decision making, moral and social support, cooperation, etc. (Noguchi, 2005). Organizational Structure & Verizon Communications Under the control of Mr Seidenberg, Verizon Communications had developed a mechanistic and bureaucratic structure which is appropriate for the mass production and makes the employees task oriented. The structure of the organization determines the culture and the performance of the employees. It is believed that organizations are rational entities and the employees are considered as economic components (Martnez-Leon and Martnez-Garca, 2011). The attributes which are found in bureaucratic and mechanistic organizational structure are as follows: Different hierarchy levels where the authority emanates fro m the top level managers to the middle level managers and lower level managers (Martnez-Leon and Martnez-Garca, 2011). Intense work division which helps in generating work specialization A high degree of horizontal differentiation where certain employees are given specialized roles and responsibilities. High formalization which is derived from strict compliance to the formal rules and regulations (Martnez-Leon and Martnez-Garca, 2011). High relational complexity and centralization deriving from the managers need to coordinate the organizational activities which would help in developing effective control over employees and problem resolution. The organizational structure at Verizon had a strong hierarchical control, and the top level managers, especially the CEO, were responsible for decision making. The CEO was responsible for the creation of formalized groups, rules, protocols and procedures. The decision and information disseminated from the top level to the low level managers. Th e job duties, responsibilities and procedure are clearly defined. Although high centralization helps in improving the existing process, it can reduce the innovation procedure (Dastmalchian and Blyton, 1992).

Differentiation and Brand Positioning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Differentiation and Brand Positioning - Essay Example This information is highly crucial to a business since it assists to give it an overall breakthrough and to plan itself well. If I was developing a research design, I would ensure that I include these components in my design in order to ensure that I handle all the required issues. While considering the demographics, I would tackle such factors as age of the targeted population. Evaluation of the age component is indeed crucial since; different age groups will have different needs and wants. Taking for instance, most of the individuals in the young generation are interested in the latest technology. Therefore, in order to know where to position itself, a business will need to evaluate the age of the population. Another issue that I would evaluate under demographics is gender. This is because; a business will have to decide whether to target the female group or the male group. Other demographic factors that I would evaluate include; the income and ethnicity. Assessment of the ethnicit y is mainly relevant to the business since it helps in segmentation of the market. This is because; different ethnic groups will have different preferences and choices which might affect the overall demand market. Behavior components are also extremely pertinent to the business since they help it to make predictions about the reactions of the consumers towards different actions taken by the business. It also helps in understanding the consumer preferences and thus, helps the business in differentiation and branding. Some of the behaviour components to be included in the research design include; consumer reactions towards price changes, reactions towards entry of new products and effect of environmental changes (Blythe, 2008). Lifestyle components are crucial in helping the business to set its prices and position itself in the market. This is whereby if the business deals with luxurious items it will need to position itself close to consumers who lead a high lifestyle. Saxonvilleâ₠¬â„¢s approach was indeed appropriate for this task. This is because; it considered all these issues in a detailed and an organized manner. 2) Which positioning do you recommend, and why? Brand positioning is a strategy applied by many businesses to shape the way in which consumers view the products of the business. Once a firm has already chosen its target market, it will need to define or shape the way in which the consumers view its product in their minds. Different positioning strategies have been applied by different businesses, some of which include; strengthening the current position, repositioning, out-designing and out-innovating everyone, and finding your niche in the market (Ferrell & Hartline, 2010). However, among all these, the best positioning strategy that I would recommend for all businesses is the out-innovating and out-designing of all other businesses. This is because; all consumers usually use the concept of ‘BEST’. Therefore, the commodity that the y choose to buy will be that which appears to be the best according to them. For this reason, the business should seek to be more innovative in coming up with different ideas of creating unique and appealing products. In this way, it will be remarkably easy to create consumer loyalty since the consumers will have fixed in their minds that the products of that business are unique and of high

Reduction of Aggression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reduction of Aggression - Essay Example Socio-cultural perspective believes that bullying is due to the presence of specific social groups with different levels of power. Instrumental theorists take aggression as serving a useful function for the individual aggressive behavior to gain some kind of pay-off which makes it worth the risk. Aggression occurs not for the pleasure of lashing out but for the purpose of achieving some benefit (Campbell, 1997). Sep. 11th attacks were examples of instrumental aggression. They wanted to send a message to US. Study shows that children showing reactive aggression were characterized by higher self-control, especially constructiveness, at each age and better adult adjustment (Pulkkinen, 1995). There exist popular and unpopular subtypes of aggressive children who have different peer affiliation patterns (Farmer et al. 2002). Thus there are two social worlds of aggression in school: aggressive children who are marginalized by society and children who are well influenced in the social structure. This view is supported by studies showing that some children who are perceived as popular in social network use physical or social form of aggression to promote and keep their influence and position in the social hierarchy while other aggressive students are picked-on and victimized by seniors (Adler &Adler 1998; Caims & Cairns, 2005). Hence one can conclude that that aggression is part of the general social dynamics in classrooms. Aggression Prevention Methods Many techniques and procedures can be used to prevent or avoid aggression. Some of them are discussed below. The threat of mild punishment might help to reduce aggression. Mild punishment and education when applied in pair has helped to reduce the bullying behavior in students. Anger management is another effective technique. Stress management training approach (Beck and Fernandz, 1996) to anger management, as given below, is an effective three phase process Phase 1 Identification of factors triggering anger Rehearsal of self statement intended to prevent anger (I can handle this). Phase 2 Acquisition of relaxation techniques Coupling self statements with relaxation techniques after exposure to anger trigger. Phase 3 Rehearsal phase Practicing cognitive and relaxation techniques until mental and physical response can be achieved automatically. Making Choices: a Social Development Program This empirically based intervention targets third grade children who are live in a high-risk rural community that is experiencing rapid growth and changing racial and ethnic demographics.( Fraser, n.d.) Works Cited 1. Anne Campbell (1997) Altruism and Aggression Blackwell publishing 2. Barbara Krahe. The social psychology of aggression 3. Ken Rigby (2003) No. 259 Addressing bullying in schools: theory and practice. Australian institute of criminology trends and issues in crime and criminal justice. 4. Kenneth S.Bordens, Irwin A. Horowitz, Social Psychology.

Characterization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Characterization - Essay Example It relates the story of a younger son who prematurely demands his share of his inheritance from his father, squanders it in a distant land, and is reduced to abject poverty and starvation. He returns home to be warmly received be his father and be showered with affection and attention, to the resentment of his elder brother, who has dutifully remained at home all this while. The parable of The Prodigal Son uses characterization to draw clear parallels between the younger son and sinners, the elder son and the Pharisees and the father and God. The younger son represents sinners and, more particularly, the publicans of Biblical times. The publicans were tax collectors who were detested for their oppressive and extortionate tactics. The younger son exhibits the same greed for material wealth as the publicans, as he demands his share of the inheritance even before his father’s death. This is a form of extortion. Even when the younger son decides to return to his father, he is not motivated by genuine repentance or love for his father. His action is based on the coldly calculating decision to offer to be his father’s servant in return for food, as he realizes that his â€Å"father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare† (15:17). It is hunger and the promise of food which bring him back. Like a publican, he is ruled by the selfish traits of self-preservation and the determination to extract what he needs through whatever means necessary – here by becoming one of his father’s h ired servants. He is still indulging in the manipulation of others to his own advantage. The character of the elder son undisputedly reflects the Pharisees who are accusing Jesus of favoring sinners and publicans. The elder sons’ attitude towards the return of his brother is redolent of the righteous indignation and the judgmental high ground taken by the Pharisees. Like the Pharisees, who are rigid and strict

Composers Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Composers - Research Paper Example Roeder (1994) notes that the works of Tchaikovsky reflects a unique style of music, being based on the combination of Russian culture and the Western music traditions (Roeder 1994, p.293). In terms of volume, the work of Tchaikovsky is also unique: the specific composer has written ‘seven symphonies and eleven operas’ (Kidder & Oppenheim 2008, p.3). The Piano Concerto I (Burt 2001, p.410), also a work of Tchaikovsky, will be analyzed below focusing on its elements but also on its contribution in the development of music. Alexander Litvinov has been one of Tchaikovsky’s students in Moscow (Poznansky 1999, p.62). Litvinov explains that Tchaikovsky used ‘to enter the class with his hand behind his back and to walk immediately towards the piano’ (Poznansky 1999, p.62). It is also noted that Tchaikovsky could play the piano even when holding a pencil, probably in order to be ready to keep notes or to correct pieces of music written by the students (Poznansky 1999, p.62). Litvinov makes clear that when teaching harmony Tchaikovsky used to emphasize on detail, being ‘irritated by the mistakes of students’ (Poznansky 1999, p.62). Gradually, it was revealed that it was his willingness for an exceptional result that led Tchaikovsky to show no tolerance to mistakes (Poznansky 1999, p.62). According to another student, meaning ‘the class in harmony held at the Moscow Conservatory’ (Poznansky 1999, p.62), Tchaikovsky tried always to help students as possible (Poznans ky 1999, p.63). At this point it should be noted that the emphasis on detail has been a characteristic of Tchaikovsky not only in regard to the other’s work but also in regard to his own pieces of music. The creation of Piano Concerto I took place in the period between November 1874 and February 1875 (Roeder 1994, p.293). The Concerto was initially written for Nikolay Rubinstein

Measurement and Instrumentation LVDT sheet Lab Report

Measurement and Instrumentation LVDT sheet - Lab Report Example The device consists of a primary winding (P) and two secondary windings named S1 and S2. Both of them are wound on one cylindrical former, side by side, and they have equal number of turns. Their arrangement is such that they maintain symmetry with either side of the primary winding (P). A movable soft iron core is placed parallel to the axis of the cylindrical former. An arm is connected to the other end of the soft iron core and it moves according to the displacement produced. The LVDT is also used as a secondary transducer in various measurement systems. A primary transducer is used to convert the measurand into a displacement (Scholey et al.,1995). The LVDT is then used to measure that displacement. Examples are: The graph above shows the plot between the resulting voltage or voltage difference and displacement. The graph clearly shows that a linear function is obtained between the output voltage and core movement from the null position within a limited range of 4 millimeter. The results showed that there is linear relationship between displacement and voltage and this relationship continues till the maximum displacement of 40 mm, after that output voltage was decreased drastically towards negative side. The results revealed that there is very strong repeatability in LVTD as show in fig. (2). There is almost no difference in output voltage when the experiment was replicated second time. These results are supported by the findings of other researchers who reported the similar results. (Tariq et al., 2002 ; Wu et al., 2008 and Drumea et al., 2006). It is evident from the data that the instrument has high sensitivity, resolution and repeatability. Maintains a linear relationship between the voltage difference output and displacement from each position of the core for a displacement of up to 40 millimeter. Scholey, G. K., Frost, J. D., Lo Presti, D. C. F., & Jamiolkowski, M. (1995). A review of instrumentation

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Question # 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Question # 1 - Essay Example As such, it is important for the management to come up with strategies to change job satisfaction into positive employee behavior. To begin with, the manager must come up with means of rewarding employees who register exemplary performance. This will increase the employee satisfaction levels of such employees as they feel that their hard work is being appreciated by the organization. The manager should also involve employees in decision making especially on matters that directly affect them (Robbins & Judge, 2011). This will make employees feel like being part of the organization thus boosting their morale. Further, managers need to come up with occasional surveys to determine employee satisfaction levels. This will enable the management ascertain areas, which they need to improve in order to satisfy their employees. In particular, if I was in the position of a manager, I will begin by undertaking employee satisfaction survey in order to ascertain areas of dissatisfaction. Thereafter, I will implement the recommendations thereof in order to improve employee job satisfaction levels. Once implemented, I will undertake an employee satisfaction exit survey. The exit survey will help in evaluating the success of the strategies employed with the aim of boosting employee job satisfaction

Rhetorical Strategy Commercial Essay Essay Example for Free

Rhetorical Strategy Commercial Essay Essay Commercials are not always just informative, some convey a message so strong it leaves you thinking about it when it’s over. Most people could care less about watching commercials and would consider them a waste of time, but an opposite handful comes to find them interesting and useful. Many commercials target certain audiences, having the ability to draw the viewers in closer and closer wishing that it were never over. The Guinness Basketball Commercial of 2013 was a top-viewed ad around the nation for it is something that you do not see everyday. When watching this commercial rhetorically, you see things that many normal viewers would not and how well directed this piece of work really is. The Guinness Basketball Commercial exemplifies the aspects of Pathos and Ethos, delivering a inspirational message nationwide through the use of dedication, loyalty, and friendship. This commercial demonstrates dedication, giving up one’s own time to better off a friend that they care about. In the video, nine normal men play wheelchair basketball with their friend who is disabled and cannot enjoy the same experiences they are able to. This is very powerful because you are able to extract the fact that there is not a shot these men would be playing like this if their other friend did not have the ability to walk. Using the rhetoric concept of pathos, the audience is drawn into a state of inspiration and feels what the disabled character has to go through. When they stop playing, the other nine men stand holding the door open for their friend and exit the gym. This makes the audience feel the entitlement of respect for the players who give up their legs just to make their buddy feel included. The disabled man is filled with joy that he has a group of friends who are willing to do anything to make him feel a part of something. This is shown by his positive body language and reactions. The end of the commercial is composed of them going out for a drink after a hard fought, while fun game of basketball. The director is easily able to connect to the focused audience making them want to watch it over and over again, creating more success for the commercial. All in All, through dedication the commercial is titled as one of the most inspiring and most watched ad in 2013. The commercial also delivers a strong message through the use of loyalty for one another. This commercial connected to me especially because I have the type of friends where I know they would do the same for me if I were in a situation like this. While watching this ad, the audience does not know that the other players are able to walk. When finding out, you are given a feeling of happiness and awe not expecting this would be the outcome. This video really captures the element of pathos to make sure the audience stays focused on the commercial with the competitive gameplay and inspiring music in the background. Faithfulness is enticed throughout the entire commercial because even if they were all disabled, it is clear that this group of friends would stick together through any obstacles thrown their way. Even though the commercial does not give away the message of loyalty right away, you can still see glimpses of devotion between the characters and how much they care for each other. After all that is the meaning of being loyal, having someone’s back no matter how bad the outcome looks. This commercial is intended for a more specific audience rather than the general public. Mainly for those who have a good friend that cannot share the things that they are able to do and are willing to help them out. It may even be for those who do have a problem or disability who want to experience activities others can. The possibilities are endless and loyalty is a major characteristic played in the creation of this commercial. Lastly, this commercial is based off the sole purpose of friendship and what it means to be a good friend. While watching you can already tell this group of guys are comfortable with each other and have a strong bond. But when the defining moment comes and you see them stand, the audience is mind blown and friendship becomes an understatement. Sympathy is given to the character in the wheelchair, but at the same time an emotion of jealousy is also exposed towards him for having such a solid gang that cares and loves him. This makes the viewers start to ask themselves, do I have the type of friends that would do the same for me? That one final scene of them sitting around the table and having a beer, defines pathos the most. You see so many other videos and photos of men talking and smiling drinking a beer, it almost acts as a universal definition of the term friendship. The beautiful thing about this commercial is that it is very rare. You don’t hear of everyday situations like this one happening, so it makes it that much more special adding inspiration. And for those that are caught in a situation like this, words cannot even describe how much this ad must have meant to them. Even though many people are not affected or can relate to themselves to this commercial, it gives a sense of hope that there is still good in this world and true friendship still exists. This ad also embeds the rhetoric concept of ethos to tie in credibility along with the amount of pathos that was used. By using a well-known and prestigious beer commercial, the video becomes extremely credible and valid. The audience is put on their feet wondering what will happen next in the commercial which makes it a successful commercial kicking out any previous thoughts they may have had before viewing the short advertisement. You are able to tell that the director put a lot of thought and did a very well job in the creation of this commercial. No one likes watching commercials, but after seeing ones like this, it send chills down your spine making you crave for more. The commercial states, â€Å"The choices we make, reveal the true nature of our character†, and it could not have been said any better with the emphasis on dedication, loyalty, and friendship.

Enhancing traffic police performance in Egypt Essay Example for Free

Enhancing traffic police performance in Egypt Essay Vision My vision is that of a public service (traffic police) with a performance culture, client-focused (Public) and results oriented (more organized economy) and to decide and examine its current performance in terms of efficiency and effectiveness, and according to the current performance situation, we will try to determine the factors that leads to this situation and also the means to recover or maintain such situation. Where are we now? Many pubic servants are unclear about what the overall objectives are and just what is expected of them. Just to concentrate on traffic police performance, lets first explain the meaning of performance. Job performance ( ) is measured as the quantity and quality of tasks accomplished by an individual or group. This definition urges us to know what factors determine individual performance. In answering this question, the following individual performance equation is a good starting point:- Performance = Ability x Support x Effort We have to handle each of the above three elements, to identify the current points of weakness and strength in traffic police performance and determine whether there is a current inefficiency and/or effectiveness or not. First: Ability Ability establishes an individuals capacity to perform at a high level of accomplishment. By examining this factor on traffic police soldiers and representatives, we may find that many of them lake the appropriate and effective ability to work in police. I believe that many of them are doing their work in a careless way, a way that no one feels responsible toward his work. You can say they are working under pressure and stress of their superior, where, fear and expectation of punishment and insulation is the only dominate on their behavior which in return affect their performance, so they pretend that they are doing their work by checking the car, driving licenses and other traffic regulations but actually there is no concentration and no sense of responsibility control their performance. You can find the way police officers treat their soldiers or subordinates, you will find it a very aggressive way, also you can conclude the reflection of this treatment on their behavior, for sure this treatment has a negative effect on their behavior and attitude toward their work and they will continuously try to do their work in a manner that prevent their officers not to repeat such treatment. Second: Support Every one needs support, even if his work is of high performance, support can be represented in motivation, no stress, encouragement and the most important thing is the persons feeling that he will be rewarded for this work performance. I would like to give an example for this:- Once when I was waiting in traffic sign and before it turned green to pass, at that time I remembered that I have forgotten to lock the seat belt and I found a police representative coming to me to check my driving license and to charge me with a penalty which was EGP 50, I told him that I forgot to lock the seat belt and this was the first time but he pretended that he did not hear to me and started to write a penalty, at that time I hint to him that I will give him EGP 10, actually he caught the money in a certain manner that I am sure that he tried it many times in order not to be seen by his officer or any one else, then I passed by the car without any penalties. Examples for this kind of behavior are many and actually they are common in traffic police stations as I am Manager of Tax dept. and Car pool section , my subordinates in car pool section who are responsible for making car licenses and its renewal usually come and told me that they pay bribe for the employee who handle the cars file, the Engineer who make the inspection of the car, the person who is assigned to choose the car number and the metal board, and even the person who hang the metal board on the car. So no one work for his salary that he is being paid at the end of the month. That is what I intend to mean when I said that every one should feel that he is rewarded for his performance so that every one will try to do his best in order to be paid additional income or incentive or bonus to be encouraged to improve his effectiveness in his work. Also there is lack of technology, new technology must be founded in order to assist and support police officers to improve their work performance efficiency. I am sure that you will agree with me when I remembered you with the computer system used in the traffic police station, is it effective? Many times when I go to the traffic police station to renew my car license, I found that the computer system is out of order and I have to stay for an hour or half an hour till its being repaired. Third: Effort Any person should only work in the place he loves, so as to give it the maximum effort he can, this means that traffic police officers, representatives and soldiers as well must believe in the job they do and should recognize that they work in a so critical area that no exception, no cautions can be applied in its regulations. Once the person believes in that, he will exert as much effort as he can in order to perform effectively and efficiently. Through the above, do you determine now where we are? Using an expired license for two years, during which the traffic police checked it 6 times and returned it back without taking any regulatory procedure, for sure there is lake of ability as the police working while they are not working indeed so they are not effective, also there was lake of support as they are not feel satisfaction that they should be provided and supported by their work so that they are performing ineffective. Finally there was lake of effort as they do not believe in the objective of the work they do to exert effort for it so their performance is inefficient. What is expected in the future? I think that the first step in the improvement process is the selection of right people, as any organizations success is ultimately determined by the quality of its workforce, the right people not only can execute the tasks needed to achieve the organizations objective, they also are a product of and are motivated by the supporting people who provide clear regulations and instruction and maintain gentle relation and communication with the whole workforce, in addition to compensation and reward according to the work performance. The most important change that I hope to be effected in the future is the launch of new technology in the traffic police system, which I think it will reflect remarkable advancements in the efficiency and increased productivity to provide more traffic law enforcement with the same staff and at less inconvenience to the public. Virtual Partner: A Mobile technology Solution A new technology used by Delray Beach Police Department, Virtual Partner is an efficient, timesaving, easy-to-use application that increases efficiency and productivity in several areas. The software was designed and developed by those who stood to benefit the most from the technology, the police officers themselves. These officers, in their quest, exceeded the boundaries  of ordinary operations by developing a technology that has incredible output in terms of efficiency, adaptability, productivity, and ease, at nominal cost. The Virtual Partner application consists of four program components. The automated response system provides quick responses to queries made by officers to the National Criminal information Center (NCIC) and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). Ever mindful of officer safety, the developers included a voice response function that verbally relays information in response to queries entered by the officers. In terms of officer safety, Delray Beach feels the voice response capability was a major breakthrough. Using voice response, an officer can remain focused on the offender and the offenders vehicle without looking at a computer screen, thereby increasing the officers safety and eliminating distractions. The voice response provides the officer with specific information needed such as tag and drivers license status as well as color, make and model of the vehicle. The officers also customized the program to their needs so that it would eliminate unnecessary information and only relay pertinent information requested by the officers. The program confirms warrant hits by signaling the officer with an audible alert tone. The program verbally relays back case numbers, dispatch time, and other requests made by the officer, as well as gate codes to any of the secured gated-communities. The system is also equipped with a two dimensional barcode capability that reads the drivers license information on licenses from other states that have a magnetic strip for so-called swipe capability. The information generated from any of these inquires can be automatically entered onto forms commonly used by police officers. The capability of the program continued to develop after the officers determined the utility and performance they needed from technology. Through their efforts, several components to the system have been engineered that unequivocally changed Delray Beachs technology from a hindrance to an asset. Also its a very important tool needed to enhance the performance effectiveness of traffic police, Traffic Police organization should develop a quality control system for traffic information dissemination to the public. Currently, there is no organized way of monitoring the accuracy of information disseminated to the public. Development of a quality control system will require the following:- 1. Identification of all types of information being disseminated, the source of each type of information, and the means of dissemination. 2. Establishment of procedures for checking the accuracy of each type of information. 3. Establishment of policies regarding the frequency with which information is to be verified. 4. Identification of personnel to monitor information quality. The way by which the information is delivered to the public is very important to think of, and give it the priority, as people needs to aware of what they usually forget as a result of occupation in their life needs.

Assessment and Management of Pressure Ulcers: Nursing Interventions

Assessment and Management of Pressure Ulcers: Nursing Interventions Pressure ulcers continue to present a prevalent concern for patients in health care facilities and the incidence is even expected to rise further with the increasing age of the population. This is a problem that has high potential to be prevented. Therefore, the prevention, assessment, and management of decubitus ulcers are of great importance to healthcare professionals who are charged with the care for these individuals (Clarke et al., 2005). Pressure sores occur when there are localized areas of tissue damage or ulceration of the integument second to decreased blood supply disruption to these soft tissues. This occurs as a consequence of constant pressure, where the pressure exerted on an area is greater than the capillary pressure causing ischemia, friction, or shear force. Florence Nightingale, often considered the pioneer of nursing, recognized in 1860 that quality nursing care can prevent the occurrence of decubitus ulcers among patients (Ousey, 2005). Quality of care will be increased with the implementation of nursing interventions surrounding bed sores. Pressure ulcers present a cost to the health care providers, both financially and time. Pressure ulcers can increase nursing time up to 50%, which is relatively substantial considering many healthcare facilities face nursing staff shortages (Clarke et al.). According to the article written by Joan Wurster, the cost of pressure ulcers is substantial with stage one, two, and three stage ulcers costing between $2,000 and $30,000, and stage four pressure ulcers costing up to $70,000. The cost involved with treating such bed sores often times exceeds the cost of prevention by a large sum of money (Wurster, 2007). Preventative measures are, therefore, essential to implement and include interventions. There are several guidelines listed in National Guideline Clearinghouse regarding pressure ulcers including Assessment and Management of Stage I to IV Pressure Ulcers. This guideline establishes several recommendations such as assessing a patients risk using the Braden Scale, use of special pr essure reducing mattresses, managing adequate nutrition. If a pressure sore is to develop, evidence shows that a proper high-protein diet, the use of wet-dressings, and hyperbaric oxygen as treatments all promote the wound healing process. In taking such actions, the goal of the healthcare provider is that the patient will be free of pressure ulcers during hospitalization and appropriately assessed and managed if one does occur (Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, 2007). Research shows that using evidence-based guidelines, which incorporate scientific evidence and clinical expertise, are the premise of successful prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers (Clarke et al., 2005). Assessment of Patient Risk Using the Braden Scale Prompt and accurate risk assessment is critical in preventing the formation of pressure ulcers. The Braden Scale was created and is now used in countless hospitals to facilitate and guide the nursing care team in their evaluation. Not only can this assessment tool inform a health care professional of any propensities towards skin break down, but also may allow him or her to treat the condition prophylacticly if indicated. Rather than just risk assessment, the Braden Scale may be used for evaluation of the current effectiveness of ulcer care regime for patients with existing ulcers (Braden Maklebust, 2005). The Braden Scale was created in 1984 by Barbara J. Braden, to accurately and systematically describe the risk for development of pressure ulcers (Braden Maklebust, 2005). This scale includes six subscales: sensory perception, moisture, activity level, mobility, nutrition status, as well as the skins exposure to friction and shear forces. Using established guidelines, the nurse assesses the patient and associates his or her findings with a numerical value. These are combined and a patient is given a total score which is indicative of the clients risk of developing a pressure ulcer (Ousey, 2005). Final scores can range anywhere from 6-23. A person is considered at risk if their resulting score is less than 18, as this is the point research shows the relationship between ulcers and risk factors becomes relevant. The lower a patients score, the greater threat they experience of developing a pressure sore (Braden Maklebust, 2005). This information can be used to determine what preventat ive practices can be implemented, as well as the establishment of baselines to gauge the effectiveness of the practices. It should be standard protocol for healthcare facilities to have their staff use the Braden Scale or other objective risk assessment tools when appropriate. Currently, most accreditation agencies now require some form of risk assessment, yet often assessment are shortened, excluding vital factors and skewing the validity of the assessment (Braken Maklebust, 2005). It is up to hospitals, or other care facilities, to ensure that these measures are being implemented. It is best if a minimum standard protocol is established, and the frequency of assessments tailored based on the individuals needs. Recommendations suggest an assessment upon admittance and base the remaining intervals off of the stability of the patients condition. In an acute care setting it is suggested patients be reassessed at least every forty-eight hours, if not more frequently. ICU patients should be reassessed daily if they remain in a stable state or every shift if they are not (Braken Maklebust, 2005). In the e vent of the discovery of the indicators of pressure sores then increasingly aggressive preventative measures can be implemented to prevent the occurrence of ulcers, and minimize the discomfort or complications to the patient. Once standard protocols are integrated it is important to evaluate their effectiveness. Baseline values must be obtained. Since the goal surrounding this nursing intervention is reducing the frequency, it would be logical to obtain the rate at which pressure ulcers are occurring, taking into account the demographics of the patients being evaluated. Braden scale assessment totals and other assessment findings such as erythema, non-blanching hyperaemia, blisters, discoloration, and localized heat and edema, should be documented for each patient and checked for improvement for the individual (Braden Maklebust, 2005; Ousey, 2005). Proof of this documentation must be recorded. After a healthcare facility establishes a standard for using a risk assessment tool at a set interval, the rate should once again be evaluated and compared to the original figures to note any improvement. Studies have been conducted in a similar fashion to evaluate the success of employing the Braden Scale into com mon practice. A study found that patients in a large tertiary care ICU, after Horn and colleagues implemented use of the Braden Scale and preventive protocols, the incidence of pressure Ulcers among the most critically ill patients decreased from 33% to 9% ( as cited in Braden Maklebust, 2005, p. 71). Statistical analysis shows that including the use of the Braden Scale in your plan of care can reduce the rate of pressure ulcer formation substantially, making this guideline applicable to the patient goal. Use of High Specification Foam Mattress Pressure ulcers occur as a result of decreased capillary blood flow to dermal tissues, as oxygen and nutrients are not delivered, and wastes not removed. The use of support surfaces, such as mattresses, mattress overlays, or dynamic support surfaces, is an intervention for prophylactic treatment of pressure injury. In order maintain some perfusion, the external tissue pressure must remain above the capillary closing pressure of 33 mmHg. This is of extreme significance around bony prominences , including tissues over the sacrum, Ischia, greater trocanters, external malleoli, and heels, all of which are frequent areas susceptible to impaired localized skin integrity (Thomas, 2008). According to Ousey, this information is very pertinent, especially when doing a comparison to the force between bony prominences and a standard hospital mattress. These forces ranged between 70 and 100 mmHg, clearly above the capillary closing pressure. If a patient is unable to move, this pressure is too great for the body to handle, and tissue damage occurs (Ousey, 2005). The use of high specification foam mattresses cradles the body in its entirety and distributes the weight so pressure is distributed over a larger surface area (McInnes, Cullum, Bell-Syer, Dumville, 2008). The goal of replacing the mattress or using other supportive surfaces is to reduce the pressure between the patient and the supportive surface below 33mmHg, allowing for blood flow in those patients who are immobile or have decreased sensation (Thomas, 2008). Preventative transfers of patients of moderate to high risk for developing pressure ulcers to high pressure reducing surfaces has the ability to substantially decrease the prevalence of pressure related injuries. The Prevention and Management of Pressure Ulcers article states that when compared to a standard hospital mattress, a number of pressure-reducing devices lower the incidence of pressure ulcers by about 60% (Thomas, 2008, p. 243). Regulation surrounding this issue should be instituted as part of the creation of the plan of care when considering prediction and prevention of decubitus ulcers. Evidence-based research shows that there is no significant difference between eh use of alternating pressure dynamic air flow beds, silicone overlays, foam overlays, sheepskin overlays, or other air filled devices. Health care facilities should take into account the cost and ease of use when purchasing these (Reddu, Gill, Rochon, 2006). Once again, in order to evaluate effectiveness, baseline values of the grade and prevalence of ulcers must be obtained and compared with values obtained at a later time after changes in care have been implemented. It is important to note such things as the age, activity tolerance, gender, present illnesses, and type of supportive surface used to prevent the formation of an ulcer. A guideline followed in an experiment conducted by de Laat, preventative transfers were arranged prior to ulcer formation in the event of finding nonblanchable erythema or an expected immobility exceeding seventy-two hours. Following these procedures surrounding preventative transfers, as well as the sound clinical judgment, proved to be the of the strongest statistical significance in reducing the pressure ulcer density grade II-IV within a one year time period (de Laat et al., 2007). The use of pressure-reducing surfaces, especially if used as a early, is another intervention that will help reach the patie nt goal of preventing the occurrence of pressure ulcers. Managing Nutrition Insufficient nutrition predisposes individuals to developing a pressure ulcer, as well as delays the healing process of sores that do form. Proper nourishment and hydration are behind all body processes, both vital in function and not. It is imperative to maintain good nutrition to provide an optimal environment so that homeostasis may be maintained. However, it is a common occurrence that clients who are admitted to the hospital dont have optimal intake of food or water due to a variety of factors including eating nothing by mouth prior to surgery, unconsciousness, feeling of nausea, presence of illness, polypharmacy, and physical or mental disability (Ousey, 2005). These conditions may result in poor nutrition or malnutrition statuses. The problem lies in the fact that there is no definitive diagnosis for undernutrition. Weight loss and biochemical data of hepatic proteins are the accepted standard. Albumin, pre-albumin, and hemoglobin levels are analyzed. Even though these indicat ors help health care professionals evaluate possible nutrition issues and possibly identify those at risk for developing, they can fluctuate due to underlying disease or hydration status (Dorner, Posthauer, Thomas 2009; Thomas, 2008). Inadequate intake of calories, proteins, fluids, vitamins, and minerals, as well as a low body mass index, may result in impaired skin integrity. It is not yet universally accepted that nutrition status is directly linked to the development of pressure ulcers because studies have not been producing consistent results showing the relationship. On the other hand, there is an accepted correlation between nutritional status and wound care healing. Therefore, it is essential that clinical malnutrition is prevented. A well-balanced diet high in protein is necessary for the healing of pressure ulcers (Dorner, Posthauer, Thomas 2009). Increased calorie and nutrient consumption is required to overcome the hypermetabolic state and increased energy needs. Carbohydrates are needed for the synthesis of glucose, glutamine is needed to serve as a fuel source for epithelial cells, arginine is supports the formation of protein, fluids are needed to serve as a solvent and transportation, ascorbic acid for the production of collagen, and zinc for collagen formation, protein synthesis, and cell proliferation. Perhaps the most important nutrient needed for wound healing is protein. It is needed to maintain nitrogen balance and for the synthesis of enzymes involved in wound healing and collagen and connective tissue production. In order to ensure that all clients have met these nutritional needs, support may be desirable. These include consultation with a dietitian, consultation with a speech pathologist if indicated, use of nutritional supplements, enteral feeding, and parenteral nutrition (Dorner, Posthauer, Thomas 2009). All people are at risk for malnutrition whether young or old, so upon admission, all patients nutritional status should be assessed to determine existing or potential malnutrition, and referred for further help if indicated. Throughout the clients stay at the hospital, all patients intake should be monitored for nutritional value and fluid consumption. If indicated additional supplements should be given within recommended daily intake norms if needs are not met. The obtained information on nutritional status must then be compared with progress made in the healing of the pressure sore, including decreased size and depth, as well as decreased exudate. Reassessment of hepatic lab proteins and body weight may be recorded multiple times to evaluate any improvements. Adequate nutrition may prevent the development of pressure ulcers. More importantly a well balanced-high protein diet can be used in the management of pressure ulcers in the aspect of promoting healing if a pressure ulcer does develop (Ousey, 2005). Use of Moisture-retentive Dressing In the event that all preventative measures have failed, and a pressure ulcer does form, it is recommended that moisture-retentive dressings are used to encourage healing. Moist wound treatment has shown to be optimal in promoting reepithelialization. According to Thomas, Moist wound healing allows experimentally induced wounds to resurface up to 40% faster than air-exposed wounds (Thomas, 2008, p. 246). There are now dressings, called occlusive dressings that were developed to maintain the moist environment. There are other benefits to using this treatment as wounds are further protected from infection and pain is reduced (Thomas, 2008). The introduction of occlusive dressings as a primary treatment is beneficial. Several types of occlusive dressings may be used, such as polymer foams, hydrogels, hydrocolloids, alginates, and biomembranes. All of these have proven to be effective. Four out of five trials comparing hydrocolloid dressing with a moist gauze dressing demonstrated higher healing rates (Thomas, 2008, p 250). Effectiveness of treatment can be evaluated in the time needed for complete healing. Decrease in size and depth, reduced erythema , no exudates production, and increased collagen synthesis are all signs and symptoms indicating healing of pressure ulcers (Ousey, 2005). Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy for chronic wound care is a relatively new concept. Sometimes pressure sores take a prolonged period of time to heal. In HBO therapy, the patient intermittently breathes 100T% oxygen, while the pressure exerted on the body within the treatment chamber is raised to greater than 1 atmosphere absolute (Hunter, Langemo, Anderson, Hanson, Thomson, 2010, p 116). Often chronic wounds take a longer duration to heal due to ischemic injury, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy directly addresses that. These specialized conditions are at the root of why hyperbaric oxygen therapy proves to be beneficial. In these chambers, the amount of oxygen availability is significant and increased atmospheric pressure causes oxygen exchange between the air and the tissues (Hunter et al., 2010). This regime involves effective management and treatment of pressure ulcers in the event a pressure ulcer does not heal. Although not available at all facilities, hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be recognized as a treatment option for chronic pressure ulcers. Patients should be presented with the option if indicated. To ensure this alternative treatment is presented, it should become a standard requirement to document it. If this becomes the choice of therapy, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment by looking for signs of ulcer healing. In one study, chronic wounds were monitored for an eight week time period with hyperbaric therapy. The results showed shrinking of wound size in all participants and even a 16% healing rate (Hunter et al, 2010). Similar standards would need to be implemented with therapy to ensure its efficacy to the individual patient. Hyperberberic oxygen treatment should not be mandatory, but recognized as an option when considering the patient goal of managing pressure ulcers. Conclusion Although pressure ulcers are a problem found in many healthcare facilities, it is a problem that has a wide range of solutions. Decubitus ulcers can negatively affect a clients quality of life and there are potential medical complication, including coma and death associated with this condition. Proper assessment and management of pressure ulcers is a reflection of quality of care. Evidence-based nursing interventions such as assessing a patients risk using the Braden Scale, use of special pressure reducing mattresses, managing adequate nutrition the use of wet-dressings, and hyperbaric oxygen as treatments, have been proven to be effective and are all of great importance in improving patient care (Registered Nurses Association of Ontario , 2007). The goal of keeping patients free of ulcers during hospitalization and proper management of pressure ulcers if one does develop, must be at the root of all tasks. Evidence Based guidelines must be established and disseminated throughout the United States, and practiced in order to reduce the frequency and improve the care surrounding pressure ulcers.

A Personal Philosophy of Music Education Essay -- Teaching Education E

A Personal Philosophy of Music Education Few would argue against the idea that we educate ourselves and our society so that we have adequate means with which to understand and interact with elements of the world around us. Subjects such as mathematics, language, history, and the hard sciences are granted immediate and unquestioned legitimacy in our schools, and with good reason. We encounter each of these elements of our lives on a daily basis. We need to have an understanding of these disciplines in order to interact with them, otherwise they are meaningless to us. I submit that the same can be said for the fundamental concepts of music. Music is something that we encounter in our society every day. It surrounds us. Indeed it would be practically impossible to escape. Like so many other naturally occurring phenomena, a discipline has been developed over centuries to help us interact with music, and that discipline is what I and those of my profession are charged with teaching. Before addressing the need for music instruction in our schools I would like to briefly examine the need for education of any kind. Education is a means of making sure our society has a given set of knowledge. The set of knowledge we perceive ourselves as needing changes based on our surroundings and the issues we are dealing with. In American education's early history we perceived ourselves as needing a set of knowledge that included a common language and common view of history, as well as knowledge of those things with which we would interact every day. In many ways early public education was more a means of social control than an altruistic endeavor. In today's climate we see ourselves as having more diverse needs in our education... ...ure we have a musically literate society. There are many more examples of this commitment throughout our history. Essentially I believe that in today's society music literacy is a necessary skill for us all to have to successfully encounter and interact with the world around us. Reasons for teaching music as a school subject are consistent with the reasons that we educate ourselves about anything else. Furthermore, we have shown a commitment in the past to creating a musically literate society, and events in today's world only strengthen the need to continue that commitment. Works Cited Lebuta, Joseph A. & Smith, Deborah A. Music Education: Historical Contexts and Perspectives. (1997) Upper Saddle River, NJ. Prentice Hall. Lehman, Paul R. et all. The School Music Program: A New Vision. (1994). Reston, VA. Music Educators National Conference. A Personal Philosophy of Music Education Essay -- Teaching Education E A Personal Philosophy of Music Education Few would argue against the idea that we educate ourselves and our society so that we have adequate means with which to understand and interact with elements of the world around us. Subjects such as mathematics, language, history, and the hard sciences are granted immediate and unquestioned legitimacy in our schools, and with good reason. We encounter each of these elements of our lives on a daily basis. We need to have an understanding of these disciplines in order to interact with them, otherwise they are meaningless to us. I submit that the same can be said for the fundamental concepts of music. Music is something that we encounter in our society every day. It surrounds us. Indeed it would be practically impossible to escape. Like so many other naturally occurring phenomena, a discipline has been developed over centuries to help us interact with music, and that discipline is what I and those of my profession are charged with teaching. Before addressing the need for music instruction in our schools I would like to briefly examine the need for education of any kind. Education is a means of making sure our society has a given set of knowledge. The set of knowledge we perceive ourselves as needing changes based on our surroundings and the issues we are dealing with. In American education's early history we perceived ourselves as needing a set of knowledge that included a common language and common view of history, as well as knowledge of those things with which we would interact every day. In many ways early public education was more a means of social control than an altruistic endeavor. In today's climate we see ourselves as having more diverse needs in our education... ...ure we have a musically literate society. There are many more examples of this commitment throughout our history. Essentially I believe that in today's society music literacy is a necessary skill for us all to have to successfully encounter and interact with the world around us. Reasons for teaching music as a school subject are consistent with the reasons that we educate ourselves about anything else. Furthermore, we have shown a commitment in the past to creating a musically literate society, and events in today's world only strengthen the need to continue that commitment. Works Cited Lebuta, Joseph A. & Smith, Deborah A. Music Education: Historical Contexts and Perspectives. (1997) Upper Saddle River, NJ. Prentice Hall. Lehman, Paul R. et all. The School Music Program: A New Vision. (1994). Reston, VA. Music Educators National Conference.

Essays --

Biomedical engineering is a rapidly growing field of research that is making exciting discoveries and advancements in the field of medicine at an astounding pace. With such progress there are many ethical issues that arise concerning new innovative implants, medical devices, and diagnosis and therapeutic treatments in the field of biomedical engineering in order to improve an individual’s quality of life. Neuroethics in particular has become a big topic of debate as researchers gradually decode the complex organism called the human brain. The brain has long been an enigma, its intricate inner workings perplexing even the most scholarly of intellectuals for decades. Recent advancements in neuroimaging, brain implants, and scientists’ increased knowledge of basic human psychology concerning the bases of individual behavior and personality have led to the fear that this new gained information has the potential to be misused by governments and other entities. Ethicist fear that the same devices meant to help patients suffering from devastating neural diseases could be manipulated to breach one’s privacy. Devices and treatments used to cure or alleviate effects of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, or perhaps to help those who have mental illnesses or impairments could be used to decipher one’s hidden thoughts, and even used as a way to discriminate against someone based on one’s religious beliefs and values. The main areas of Neuroethics that have caused concern are brain implants and medical devices, neuroimaging, and brain machine interfacing. Implantable brain or neural devices are an exciting rapidly growing research area in class of biomedical devices. Brain implants usually function by interfering w... ... of the brain and the more complex interworking’s of the human mind. As a result the field of Neuroscience is making strides in medicine and engineering at an astounding rate with no prospect of slowing down in the near future. With such great innovation in biomedical engineering concerning brain implants, neuroimaging, and brain machine interfacing meant to improve the quality of life of individuals. The potential misuse of this technology is of great concern. As engineers grow closer to producing brain scanners that can read someone’s mind or neuroimaging machines that can be used to predict behavior and influence thoughts and emotions, Neuroethics must be a moral compass at the forefront of the field of biomedical engineering in area of neuroscience to ensure that ultimately the rights and privacy of the individuals the technology is meant to help are protected.

Frankensteins Innocence Essay -- essays research papers

The Defense of Frankenstein’s Creature   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Victor Frankenstein, a character in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, decided that he wanted to bring life into this world; a life that would eventually go on to killing the creator himself. The Creature can be seen as either innocent or guilty. The popular opinion of the Creature seems to be that he is guilty considering how he has burned down a house, set up Justine for murder and murdered three others. However, after taking a close look at the text, it can be seen that Frankenstein’s creature is not guilty. He was brought into this world with a child-like innocence, never progressed past the emotional state of a child and was rejected throughout his whole life causing him to do the things he did.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the Creature later went on to commit crimes, he was not instinctively bad. Victor’s Creature was brought into this world with a child-like innocence. He was abandoned at birth and left to learn about life on his own. After first seeing his creation, Victor â€Å"escaped and rushed downstairs.† (Frankenstein, 59) A Creator has the duty to teach his Creature about life, as well as to love and nurture him. However, Victor did not do any of these; he did not take responsibility for his creature. One of the first things that the creature speaks of is that he was a â€Å"poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew, and could distinguish, nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, (he) sat ...

Role of Women in Pakistan

Women in Pakistan were initially thought to play the traditional role of being housewives. However with changing times, the Pakistani society has also evolved. Women have a much significant role to play in the society rather than serving their husbands at home. During this time of economic crisis when men are suffering from unemployment and lower wages, households require all members of the family to work and add to the family income. So the wives have to go out and work so that they could earn enough to give their families a sufficient standard of living.Women belonging to the lower income group and rural class have since independence played the role of family earners. They have served in households by rendering their services such as that of cooks, servants, cleaners, etc. While the lower class women worked all day to earn two meals per day for their families, women of the middle class were supposed to stay at home and take care of the people living in their homes. However when the world entered the 21st century the position of women in the country transpired. More women were allowed to acquire higher education and then work in the corporate world to earn for themselves and their families.Women in Pakistan now form a relatively greater part of Pakistan's working population and their contribution to the country's economy has ever since been increasing. However men still dominate all the higher posts in private and public offices, the trend is now changing as women are being encouraged by being awarded with promotions for their high quality of work. The mindset of the people in the rural class is also changing, there is greater awareness regarding the importance of education for both boys and girls and there has been an increase in the enrollment of lower income class girls in primary and secondary schools.Almost all of the women belonging to the middle class families have now started acquiring higher education. The trend of getting girls married as soon as the y enter their 20s is slowly diminishing because today's men only want to marry women who have acquired a substantial level of education. Women in Pakistan also have a major role to play as housewives and mothers. They are the ones responsible for the upbringing of their children. Since women have now become educated they can teach their children the values and etiquettes of life. Not only that, women could now teach their own children at home after they come back from school.Previously families had to spend excessive amounts of their income to send their children for tuitions because the mothers were not educated enough to guide their children academically but now with most mothers being educated they could sit with their children and help them with their homework. Although there is greater acceptability for women in Pakistan's society, they are still victims of discrimination. The gender stereotypes which have existed in the society for years still continue to be a barrier for wome n's progress in the country.

Psychology Essay

This required Portfolio assignment will provide you with the probability to practice and hone your explore skills. It has been designed to help you think scientifically somewhat legitimate world problems and issues and to apply your friendship of the search work to various topics in psychological science. This assignment accomplishes that goal by contend you to Differentiate between the common character of the enounce research and the use of the word research in the social and behavioural sciences Identify the major steps in the research process using a classic meditate in psychology as an example.Part I define Research The word research is use in many different ways. occupy the chase examples Your friend tells you that he intends to research different hair products originally deciding on one to buy. A real estate agent advises you to research planetary house values in your neighborhood before putting your house on the market. A police officer reports that she i s doing some research on possible motives for a evil that was committed. A writer states that he does enormous research before beginning his sham works. set the questions below1. How is research issuelined in the social and behavioral sciences?2. What makes scientific research different from the examples provided above? In your response, be sure to address the characteristics of frank psychological research.Part II discretion the research process Researchers in Psychology follow a systematic process of investigation. Carefully read Chapter 2 of your textbook, paid special attention to the section on Experimental Research. Then go to Chapter 7 in your textbook and read the following section Research In-Depth Counterfactuals and If Only Thinking. Answer the questions below, using Medvec & colleagues first study as an example 1. What hypothesis did Medvec & colleagues set out to test in their first study of the near miss phenomenon? attract the theory associated with this hyp othesis.2. Identify the variables in the study and cover how they were measured. How did the researchers operationalize (test or measure) affective response upon good-natured a bronze or silver medal medal?3. Who were the participants in the study and what did they do?4. Describe the data that were collected and analyzed.5. Describe the results of the study. What did the researchers conclude?6. If you were to design a carry through experiment on this subject, what might it be?

Football and Soccer Compare and Contrast

foot bollock game and soccer Comp be and Contrast. Football and soccer cast off never been really comp ard before, probably because a raft of stack turn over they dont possess many a(prenominal) similarities. But they actually strike alot more in common that people suppose they do. Having dramaed both sports myself i can promise you that they be very different in varius ways, exactly also very alike. It depends in what aspects you look at it that you can see differences or similarites. Off stadium soccer and football share different backgrounds. On line of business comparisons are never talked about hardly they actually have somre similarities.Yes football is more of a contact sport, and soccer more of a technique sport. But football does have technique as well, and soccer contact. On the field, both teams rely on team play to move up the field and try to score on the opposing team. both sports have a total of 22 musicians on the field, 11 on each team, and passing the ball to teamates is key. In both sports the offensive players portion out nearly(prenominal) of the glory and the spotlight, yet its know that without a beloved defense, its hard to win. You can score all the invests you fatality exclusively if they score more points on you thusly your still losing.Scoring is very different though. On football each time you score is called a touchdown and its given 6 points plus and extra point to try to make it 7. Soccer scoring its still when 1 point and its not called touchdown but its called gol. The game of football has alot more breaks during it, and it has 4 quarters. During each play you have small breaks, plus alot of timeouts and tv comercial breaks. Soccer is a non-stop sport with only 2 halfs and no breaks during each half, just the 30 minute halftime break. genius of the main differences on both these sports in my judging is that football is only a sport play in the United States, while soccer is a human racewide know s port. Soccer means alot in many countries all over the innovation, and t heres tournaments that bring each teams all over the world together. Footballs major occurrence is held here in the United States and it only it involves the ane country. United States has soccer, but its one of their least thriving sports economacly and physically. It has faild to reach the fan base they wanted, and the MLS (soccer league) was close to be being shut own due to inadequacy of fans and lack of income. Soccer is like a holiness in many countries all over the world and it means everything to its fans. Where im from, Argentina, soccer is bigger than anything. Alot of people guard soccer even more serious than their jobs. sometimes a little to serious. There has been a lot of soccer related accidents in Argentina and many other(a) parts of the world. Many of the accidents occur during games in the stands. Soccer rivalries are very big in Argentina. Sometimes they seperate towns.Just like gan gs here in United States, soccer fans fight for respect and scorn towards the other team, a lot of times stopping point in deaths. Other incidents occur off the field. A good example to show how serious fans take the game, is the incident that occur after a worldly concern Cup, when a colombian player scored an own terminus during an important game, and he was assasinated a few age later. Things like that usually never happen here in the United States. Not to say that fans are no passionate about football, but its a different type of passion.The United States understands how important soccer is worldwide, and they have tried to make soccer bigger here in the United Sates, but have failed several times. They have tried to publish soccer more by advertising and by exhausting to bring famous players all over the world to play here in the United States. sustainment here in the US, i saw that football was the major sport here. But in that location are alot of competing sports lik e basketball and baseball, and on that point is also college sports, which are also very big here.In Argentina, there are of course many other sports, but none come close to soccer. As a little kid, i never knew of any other sport than soccer. Every little kid increase up wants to be a soccer player when their older. And that dosnt sound like a problem, but in my opinion it is. Alot of kids growing up have dreaming jobs. Some are sports realted some are not. A lot of kids dream of being doctors, lawyers, firemans and of course scoop up athleets. But in Argentina, most of the kids wanna be the only thing they knew growing up, a soccer player.And with most of those kids not reaching that dream, it leaves a lot of disordered kids. So like most people think, there are many differences overall between football and soccer. But there are more similarities than people think there are. Maybe in the afterlife wih the growth of soccer in the United States, we testament have even more th ings in common. And mayhap the passion for soccer here in US will one day be as big as it is in the rest of the world, but hopefullt without all the violence.