Saturday, December 28, 2019

What Is Fluorescence

Fluorescence is luminescence that occurs where the energy is supplied by electromagnetic radiation, usually ultraviolet light. The energy source kicks an electron of an atom from a lower energy state into an excited higher energy state; then the electron releases the energy in the form of light (luminescence) when it falls back to a lower energy state. Fluorescence Examples: fluorescent lights, the red glow of rubies in sunlight, phosphors in television screens

Friday, December 20, 2019

The Ethical Dilemma Of Abortion - 1319 Words

Abortion is a divisive problem in our time, and it is one that is difficult to solve as each side comes from very different initial premises. As Judith Jarvis Thomson points out, anti-abortionists rely on the premise that foetus’ are persons, and therefore are morally equivalent to human beings.1 Conversely, pro-choice advocates typically come from the premise that, as Mary Anne Warren suggests â€Å"foetuses are neither persons nor members of the moral community.† The key ethical schism, is around the issue of whether the foetus constitutes a person. This essay however will, as Judith Jarvis Thomson did, evaluate the problem on the basis of the assumption that a foetus does have equal moral status to a fully developed human. This creates a new dilemma: if a foetus is indeed equivalent to a person, is it ever right to end a person’s life? This question, and ultimately the ethical dilemma of abortion will be explored through the theoretical approach of Utilitarianism. In general terms, there are three main aspects of Utilitarianism: teleology, consequentialism and utility. A teleological theory is a theory which operates on the basis that the ‘end justifies the means’, so it is not the action itself that is important, but the intended result of the action. Consequentialism means that whether an action is good or bad can be evaluated by the consequences it produces, so utilitarianism would evaluate an action based on the pleasure it produces, making it a theory based specificallyShow MoreRelatedAbortion Ethical Dilemma1643 Words   |  7 PagesAbortion Ethical Dilemma An 18 year old girl gets pregnant and can’t decide whether to keep the baby or have an abortion. Her parents are very religious and do not believe in sex before marriage therefore would not take to kindly to their daughter being pregnant. She does not want to kill her unborn child but feels like there is no other option besides having an abortion. There are many reasons that one would decide upon getting an abortion and againstRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of Abortion1163 Words   |  5 PagesThere are many ethical dilemmas in the world today such as euthanasia, performance enhancing drugs, pornography, abortion and more. Someone’s worldview is often a big contributor in the decisions they make in regards to the dilemma. Abortion is one of today’s most contested ethical dilemmas (Beattie, 2011). Susan is a mother that is debating whether she should have an abortion or not. Her ethical dilemma case will be analyzed and compared from a Christian worldview perspective and other worldly perspectivesRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma On Abortion1703 Words   |  7 PagesMuldrow CWV-101 6/22/15 Professor James Waddell Ethical Dilemma on Abortion There are many common pregnancy alternatives, but most often the resulting decision is abortion because it is effortless. Abortion is endings a women’s pregnancy by removing or forcing a fetus or embryo from the mother’s womb before it is able to survive on its own. Not all abortions are purposely done some are spontaneous like when a women that has a miscarriage. Rather abortion is done purposely or naturally it is a worldwideRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of Abortion1036 Words   |  5 PagesBenchmark Assignment: Ethical Dilemmas One of the most controversial dilemmas occurring today is the topic of abortion. Some believe that a pregnant woman has the choice to end the life of their unborn child if the mother decides that this is what she wants, especially because the child has not been born and walked this earth yet. Others feel that if the woman chooses to have an abortion, the woman would be considered a murderer because she is ending the life of another human. There is also the grayRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of Abortion1312 Words   |  6 PagesInduced abortion is the deliberate ending of a pregnancy before the fetus is viable or capable of surviving outside a female’s body. Abortion has been practiced in every culture since the beginning of civilization† (Kaplan, Tischauser Chara, 2015). Abortion is one of many controversial issues. It is a topic that is widely debated among many people. Abortion is a difficult topic of discussion, when the baby is a product or rape, or has Down syndrom e or deformities. According to my Christian worldviewRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemmas Of Abortion930 Words   |  4 PagesBenchmark Assignment: Ethical Dilemmas Abortion is one of the most controversial topics in the world today. There are many reasons and debates as to when, why or if a woman should have an abortion. One of the most controversial debates on this is when a woman finds out that their unborn child may have a deformity of some sort. In this paper, I will talk about abortion due to a woman carrying a child with Downs Syndrome and how this can be an immoral decision. Ethical Dilemma A woman named Susan hadRead MoreThe Ethical Dilemma Of Abortion1102 Words   |  5 Pagesdetermines what is ethical and what is not? Can someone determine what is right simply relying on what they feel? Or does something drive them to know what is wrong or right? In the case of abortion, one would may ask: Is the fetus a person? At what stage in its development does, it becomes a person? Does any women have the right to decide if she is going to carry the baby to term or not? (Boyle, 2004) This paper will identify the ethical dilemma of abortion, core beliefs of abortion, and possible resolutionsRead MoreAbortion: An ethical dilemma.1944 Words   |  8 PagesAbortion, the intentional termination of a pregnancy through surgical or medical devices, was legalized in 1973. This issue of abortion has caused a great segregation in our country. Often the debate is thought to be conservative versus liberal, republican versus democrat, but more accurately it is pro-life versus pro choice. A pro-life stance opposes the belief that a woman should have the freedom to choose an abortion in the case that for any reason she does not want to have a baby. Pro-choiceRead MoreAn Ethical Dilemma About Abortion Essay1496 Words   |  6 Pageswill be faced with some sort of dilemma that tests their morals and values. They will encounter a situation that forces them to weigh the good and bad against beliefs they have held their entire life and make a decision that could affect their life forever. Those core beliefs are what influences the person’s decisions, their sense of right and wrong as well as their perceptions about every situation they face. This paper will evaluate an ethical dilemma about abortion in relation to the Christian worldviewRead More Ethical Dilemmas Surrounding Abortion Essay1430 Words   |  6 PagesEthical Dilemmas Surrounding Abortion In our society, there are many ethical dilemmas that we are faced with that are virtually impossible to solve. One of the most difficult and controversial issues that we are faced with is abortion. There are many strong arguments both for and against the right to have an abortion which are so complicated that it becomes impossible to resolve. The complexity of this issue lies in the different aspects of the argument. The essence of a person, rights, and who

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Social Media Risks in the Workplace-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Social Media in the Workplace. Answer: Using social media in workplace to communicate Article 1- Social media in the workplace Name of the resource Rose LLP, 2014 Type of resource Journal article Name of the author / publisher Proskauer Rose LLP (Proskauer) Audience test General audience Transparency data collected from the law firms all over the world and the collection of data and analysis of data can be checked. Objectivity test the purpose of writing is for scholarly purpose. Currency test the information is for the year 2014 Summary - Under this article, various people were interviewed to state their views regarding the advantages or disadvantages of social media usage in the workplace. The report also presented the data regarding how many business organizations are using social media at present, for what purpose and the effectiveness of using. It revealed that risk associated with usage of social media can be reduced through proper training to the employees regarding proper usage of social media. It further revealed that most of the organizations are implementing some policies to minimize the risk associated with misuse of the social media. Article 2 Social media and the workplace Summary under this article, the author talked about potential issues and potential benefits of social media and use of the social media in the process of hiring. He further stated the various issues associated with the social media at work with respect to the labour relation act. It revealed that in most of the countries, social media is permitted for monitoring electronic and oral communications as far as it is used for the legitimate business use. Further, the use of social media requires authorization from proper authority for access of the sites. It means, password protected information cannot be accessed without permission. Name of the resource Patterson, 2012 Type of resource Journal article Name of the author / publisher Scott Patterson Audience test Academic audience Transparency data collected from various organizations all over the world and the collection of data and analysis of data can be checked. Objectivity test the purpose of writing is for scholarly purpose. Currency test the information is for the year 2012 Article 3 Effect of social media in the workplace on employee productivity Summary Under this article, the authors stated that the success of the organization largely depends in the employees who are one of the most crucial assets of the organization. the success of any organization is highly dependent on the productivity of the employees. Off late, social media has become well-known and most employees and employers are using the social media in the workplace. It has been concluded in the report that the employees participate in the social media in workplace for work as well as non-work related activities. Further, it stated that social media assists in better communication, which in turn will improve the productivity of the employees. Name of the resource Munene Nyaribo, 2017. Type of resource Journal article Name of the author / publisher Assa Gakui Munene and Ycliffe Misuko Nyaribo Audience test Academic audience Transparency data collected through questionnaire and the collection of data and analysis of data can be checked. Objectivity test the purpose of writing is for scholarly purpose. Currency test the information is for the year 2013 Article 4 - Social media in the workplace how should employees protect themselves? News summary under this news feed it is stated that the participation of employees in the social media is very important in workplace for the purpose of communication and marketing. However, there exist some risks associated with misuse of the social media by the employees. Therefore, employees shall take steps to assure that they are not exposed to any risk areas. It also suggested that all the businesses shall implement the policies related to social media and assure that the policies provide the disciplinary actions. Name of the resource DuMoulin LLP, 2017 Type of resource Website Name of the author / publisher Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP Audience test Academic audience Transparency data collected from various employees and presented in general view. The collection of data and analysis of data can be checked. Objectivity test the purpose of writing is for general purpose. Currency test the information is for the year 2017 Article 5 Social media in the workplace Summary it has been stated in the website that the social media transformed the practice of corporate communication. Social media like Facebook, Twitter enable the organizations to speak directly and solicit the responses from public affordably and quickly. However, the actual intention of the media is to connect the friends and not the employees or customers. Further, as per the website, for the businesses with regard to the managers for the purpose of communication, social media does not fit properly. Name of the resource Weigel, 2017 Type of resource Website Name of the author / publisher Margaret Weigel Audience test Academic audience Transparency data collected from various employees and presented in general view. The collection of data and analysis of data can be checked. Objectivity test the purpose of writing is for general purpose. Currency test the information is for the year 2017 References DuMoulin LLP, F. (2017).Social Media Risks in the Workplace | Lexology.Lexology.com. Retrieved 4 August 2017, from https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=ee35643b-07e1-4f69-9eb0-641318da2a78 Munene, A., Nyaribo, Y. (2017).Effect of Social Media Pertication in the Workplace on Employee Productivity.https://journalistsresource.org/studies/society/social-media/social-media-workplace-research-roundupJournalistsresource.org. Retrieved 3 August 2017, from https://journalistsresource.org/studies/society/social-media/social-media-workplace-research-roundup Patterson, S. (2012).Social Media And the Workplace.oakland.edu. Retrieved 4 August 2017, from https://www.oakland.edu/Assets/upload/docs/UHR/Training/SocialMediaPresentation_July2012.pdf Rose LLP, P. (2014). Social Media in the Workplace Around the World 3.0. Proskeure Rose LLP. Retrieved from https://www.proskauer.com/files/uploads/social-media-in-the-workplace-2014.pdf Weigel, M. (2017).Cite a Website - Cite This For Me.Journalistsresource.org. Retrieved 4 August 2017, from https://journalistsresource.org/studies/society/social-media/social-media-workplace-research-roundup

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Dr. Haneef’s Case Administrative and Public Law

Question: Discuss about theDr. Haneefs Case for Administrative and Public Law. Answer: Introduction Dr. Haneef has been arrested on the grounds that he provided support to a terrorist in relation to a terrorist attack which took place in the United Kingdom. He had been detained without any substantial task for a period of 12 days under the provisions of Section 23 DA and 23 CB of the Crimes Act. He had been charged on 14th July under the provisions of Section 102.7(2) of the Commonwealth criminal Code. His visa had latter been canceled on the ground that he failed the character test. This case is a perfect example of the abuse of ministerial powers against that of natural justice. Such cases have become common in the modern world and the ministers seem to turn a deaf ear towards such issues (Gale 2014). Can a person be prosecuted just because there is a very little if any chance that he might have been involved in an illegal activity? Is the law of the land so unfair that only perceptions are enough to make a person suffer unfair treatment? Considering the present case of Dr. Haneef it can be evidently stated that the answer of both the previous questions would be positive (Qureshi, Gulraiz and Shahzad 2016). With respect to the powers vested in minister for cancelling a visa there are restrictions provided by Section 501(3) of The Migration Act 1958. The section expressly deals with situations where natural justice does not apply contrary to that of Section 501(1) and (2) of the Act. According to the provisions of Section 501(1) and (2) a minister has the power to cancel or refuse visa if they reasonable believe that the person does not poses qualification in relation to the character test and such person fails to establish before the minister of the delegates that he can pass the test. Section 503(3) of the acts makes the minister cancel or refuse visa with respect to the person but only if such sanction is related to national interest. The big question is that was there any national interest in this case or was it only the will to exercise discretionary powered by the ministers. Section 501(1) and (2) of the Act provided that a person whose visa is subjected to be canceled or refused has to be informed in advance about such decision and has the right to be heard before any further step is taken against his visa. Although this is not necessary or compulsory, is it not evident enough that excluding such provisions would bring unfair disadvantage to the aggrieved person as it has happed with Dr. Haneef. Therefore where is natural justice in this case? Or is it just a term which is superseded by ministerial power. It is evident in this case that the presence of provisions relating to section 503A of the act which have been made to address the shortcomings of power abuse is a mere model as this section also can be overridden by the ministers as it has been in this case (Hopkins 2015). Even after being advised that there was lack of evidence in supporting the move, the Australian federal police had placed Dr. Haneef in preventive detention only after three days from when he was arrested. Isnt it evident that the main motive of the police in this case was to detain him rather than reach a justified point in this case? Furthermore Documents which have been obtained by Dr. Haneefs legal team it has been evident that the police were busy in finding new ways to detain Dr. Haneef rather than finding ways which could have solved the issue. It was also clear that the police and the immigration officers in collaboration were planning to cancel the doctors visa much earlier than it had been previously known (Fellows 2016). In one of the documents which had been marked as highly protected the police included the possibility of imposing a further detention order on the doctor under which he could have been detained for an indefinite period. This imposition was planned even when there was no or insufficient information which could satisfy the fact that detaining the doctor would not have affected any terrorist activity (Austlii.edu.au 2017). The provisions in relation to preventive detention orders clearly state that they can only be used when the police have reasons to believe that if such orders are not imposed it would lead to another terrorist attack or evidence tampering. However the police has confirmed evidence in this case as provided by the the United kingdom police department that Dr. haneef had no involvement in the terrorist attack and still it opted for a preventive detention order which makes it clear that its main intention was to make the the doctor suffer. The doctors visa was canceled immediately after he had been granted bail and the documents obtained by the doctors legal team clearly showed collaboration between the immigration department and the police as of what would have happed if the court freed him. Therefore the reason behind the cancellation of visa is clear in this case and it is evident that there was malice involved in the cancellation (Larking 2016). This ascertaining can be made even stronger based on the letter which was sent by the national manager of Australian Federal police to the immigration department dated 11 July which expressly asked the department to revoke the visa issued to the doctor. Evidence which can be referred to in this case is the letter dated 15 July which was sent by the AFP to the Foreign Affairs department which stated clearly that there was no threat to national interest but still the police opted for a preventive detention order (Hosen 2015). It is clearly evident from the above stated facts and evidence that Dr. Haneef is also one of the many targets of ministerial abuse and malicious intention of the police (Theaustralian.com.au 2017). In order to establish its supremacy the police do whatever even if it is illegal and unethical. Dr. haneef has also been one of the victims of such abuse by the police and ministers and in order to restore faith of the general public in the judicial and executive system of the country he must be immediately released and apologized with. References Austlii.edu.au. (2017). 2009 Alternative Law Journal. [online] Available at: https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AltLawJl/2009 [Accessed 27 Jan. 2017]. Fellows, J., 2016. Dr Haneef and a miscarriage of justice!.Res Judicata: contemporary issues in administrative and public law,1. Gale, P., 2014. Beyond Fear and Towards Hope. InMigration, Diaspora and Identity(pp. 123-137). Springer Netherlands. Hopkins, A., 2015. The national crisis of indigenous incarceration: Is taking indigenous experience into account in sentencing part of the solution?.Legaldate,27(2), p.4. Hosen, N., 2015. Law, religion and security.Routledge Handbook of Law and Religion, p.337. Larking, E., 2016. Mohamed Haneef-A Terrorist by Association? Review of Haneef: A Question of Character.Browser Download This Paper. Qureshi, R., Gulraiz, A. and Shahzad, Z., 2016. An Analysis of Medias Role: Case Study of Army Public School (APS) Peshawar Attack.Social Communication,2(2), pp.20-30. Theaustralian.com.au. (2017). Weakness of Haneef case exposed. [online] Available at: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/weakness-of-haneef-case-exposed/news-story/f43806fb9d95efda591adc4ad9ec8ddf [Accessed 27 Jan. 2017].

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Types of love in Shakespeares Midsummer Nights Dream free essay sample

The types of love in Midsummer Nights dream by William Shakespeare To begin with ,we have the love story of Theseus and Hippolyta. Theseus has fought many battles and risked his life in order to win Hippolyta: wood thee with my sword / And won thy love, doing thee injuries. Next we have the pair of romantic lovers Hermia and Lysander and Helena and Demetrius who undergo many trials before they are united Finally, we have the fairy couple Oberon and Titania who are finally reconciled after a long period of separation. What is common to all these different love stories is the fact that the course of true love never did run smooth. Shakespeare reveals to us that love at all levels, whether it is the royalty or the ordinary folk, or in the supernatural has to undergo a rigorous trial before it succeeds. True love will succeed if the lovers are faithful to their partners and remain patient during their time of separation and trial. We will write a custom essay sample on Types of love in Shakespeares Midsummer Nights Dream or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page From the vicious, yet very real, love of Oberon and Titania to the youthful obsessive love that Helena has for Demetrius (and the false love the fairies cause Demetrius to have for Helena), love is a primary subject in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream. Though the King and Queen of Fairies are violent in their love for one another, their anger shaking the ground when the two fght, they most assuredly do love each other. Not so withHelena and Demetrius, however. In the case of Helena and Demetrius, Helena is in such a deep state of obsessive love for Demetrius that she truly shames herself hen trying to catch him going so far as to compare herself with a Spaniel dog , available exclusively for Demetrius use. All the while, Demetrius scorns Helenas affections, preferring instead to chase after Hermia. In fact, Demetrius does not show any love or interest in Helena until the fairy Robin Goodfellow, or Puck , puts a spell on him. This is not a true love on either side. Helena does not love Demetrius, but rather obsesses over him affording Demetrius all worth and herself none unless he returns her affections. On Demetrius side, the only reason that he begins to love Helena at all is the fairy spell not from any affection of his own heart. This is not a healthy , mature love in any sense, with one person in a self-degrading obsession and the other under an enchantment. On the other hand, the King and Queen of the Fairies, Oberon and Titania, have a much healthier, a much truer love relationship between them. Though spiteful at times because Titanias possessions take her attention away from him, Oberon certainly loves his queen. However, this spite drives Oberon to play tricks and put spells on the Queen of the Fairies in order to remove that which so distracts the lady from her husband. On Titanias side, the queen is not above using her power to make Oberon Jealous fawning over her possetions to point of ignoring him. However, once these tricks and intrigues are finished, Oberon and Titania meet in a spectacular reunion that once again reaffirms their love for one another. This is a healthy sort of love, with each partner exerting his or her own will s opposed to one giving all control over to the other person and compromises being made between the two. Furthermore, the couple is not afraid to fght one another when it is appropriate and the relationship seems stronger tor the arguing and making up. The two couples of Oberon and Titania and Helena and Demetrius show the striking contrasts in the types of love evidenced in A Midsummer Nights Dream, though multiple other types are present in the play as well. Ranging from a youthful dalliance to a mature and healthy love, Shakespeare shows the full gamut of the love spectrum.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Discussion of the inner struggle Henry Fleming faces - the difficulty faced during the progression into manhood.

Discussion of the inner struggle Henry Fleming faces - the difficulty faced during the progression into manhood. The Red Badge of CourageByStephen CraneBravery, valor, boldness, intrepidity are all synonyms of the word courage. For a man, courage is more apprehensive timidity than glorious expectance. Something as simple schoolyard brawl can define courage as lucidly as a war of attrition. Henry Fleming is racing towards the clarification of his own inner spirit in the throws of the American Civil War. Fighting against the "rebels," Henry has tremendous ambiguity over his moral fiber. From a war that gave us the term "bite the bullet," referring to the use of a bullet in the mouth of a wounded solider in lieu of anesthesia - it is chilling to imagine the thoughts that Henry Fleming battles from within. Can a boy become a man, define his gallantry and gain his fortitude through the slaughter of another human being? Will his greatest fear of being a coward come to pass? A lifetime of maturity is gained within hours of hostility between the depths of a young mans fervor.First edition cover of The Red Badge of CourageHenry Fleming is alone. Henry is a youth alone in a war between a nation. The inner struggle that he faces cannot be uncovered through his own self-analysis. He must, and will face the ultimate sacrifice. No man knows how he would react in the face of eminent danger comparative to something as gruesome as the Civil War. Henry has heard the horror stories and knows that his fate is approaching beyond his control. Anger exists within Henry as he sees the bravery exhibited by fellow comrades. This courage is illusive to our youthful solider. He wonders, "Where does it lie within me?" "Henry Fleming is caught between the clash of his own courage ness and his desire for self preservation," Steve Crane - Clarendon Press, 1971. The convictions of...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Racism in Yoshiko Uchidas Desert Exile and Anne Moodys Coming of Age Essay

Racism in Yoshiko Uchidas Desert Exile and Anne Moodys Coming of Age in Mississippi - Essay Example In Moody’s Coming of Age in Mississippi, the author presents experiences of racism as not limited to a white to black affair, but also a black-to-black affair. According to the author, whites discriminate blacks in Mississippi. To add salt to the injury, the author also points out that some blacks who are light skinned also look down upon fellow blacks that are not light skinned. Dark-skinned blacks suffer more compared to light-skinned blacks in a complex scenario of blacks discriminating against fellow blacks. For instance, Miss Pearl looks down upon Toosweet, as she is much darker than the Raymond’s family. Ann observes that â€Å"Miss Pearl and Raymond’s older sister would pass right by her without saying anything and Mama would be so hurt (Moody 49)†. Anne’s perception of the lighter skinned blacks also comes out that they see themselves as of a socially higher class than the rest of their fellow blacks. Legally, they enjoy to privileges that a re in any way different from the rest of the black community. That points out to some sort of disunity at that particular historical time. Some children innocently respond to racism with an attempt too physically examine the claimed superiority from white children with whom they play. Children are subjected to racial discrimination despite the fact that they do not know anything. The author mentions heard public arguments that blacks were inferior to whites genetically. Innocently, Anne had the white children remove their clothes so that she would examine them to confirm or disconfirm the claim (Moody 34). The incident demonstrates the racial institutionalization and indoctrinated into children’s minds. From a very young age, children are already growing up with negative connotations of race. Mrs. Burke comes out as an example of whites who discriminated against blacks including making false allegations against blacks. Anne responds by

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Law versus Morality as Regulators of Conduct Essay

Law versus Morality as Regulators of Conduct - Essay Example However, individuals tend to overlook the moral aspect of various laws, and thereby break some laws. In our instance, an individual has the freedom to choose from breaking the law, owing to the lack of supervision or strictly adhere to the law, even on condition that breaking the law would not harm any individual. As such, failure to follow traffic rules in such an instance would make an individual duplicate that habit in another instance and this may compel such an individual into unwarranted litigation.   Breaking the law in such instances in critical conditions such as saving the life of an individual in serious health challenges may be morally allowable. However, since it is evident that such an individual is not in such a critical hurry, it would be unjustifiable to break the law.   Besides, individual instincts have a significant influence on our behaviors and the way individuals conduct themselves in conditions where there is no supervision (Shavell, 2002). As such the human instincts may make an individual feel guilty, owing to such incidences. As such, to omit such guilt, it will be advisable to stop and follow the rules. â€Æ'

Monday, November 18, 2019

HL7 vs. Meaningful Usage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HL7 vs. Meaningful Usage - Essay Example ngful Use and therefore have a great role to play in supporting Meaningful Use requirements in the future (Meaningful Use - Wyoming Electronic Health Record Incentive, 2012). According to HL7 Overview - A Comprehensive Guide to HL7, HL7 is a standardized syntax involve in formatting and passing data via a message between computer systems. A medical concept is only achieved through the combination of the HL7 model and standardized medical vocabulary. The objectives of the HL7 model are easily identifiable. However, the objectives of the Meaningful Use are not straight forward and may even seem arbitrary. The only way to analyze their objectives and use to the healthcare system is by viewing the parts as a whole and as a single part (HL7 Overview - A Comprehensive Guide to HL7, 2008). HL7 functional models have a lot to offer in terms of offering support to solutions. They are used to improve the abilities of the HIE interface, improve storage and data collection standards, enhance data transfer abilities and enhance reporting and extraction of core measures. On the other hand, the reasons for improving Meaningful Use are mainly centered on figuring how electronic health records can be beneficial to patients and healthcare providers. They include- providing accurate and sufficient information that is easily accessible to the healthcare providers, providing improved access to information through sharing vital clinical information and empowering the patient so that he/she can be more involved in the health status of his/her family

Friday, November 15, 2019

A Reflective Account On The Decision Making Process

A Reflective Account On The Decision Making Process For this assignment, I have used Gibbs reflective cycle to reflect on the impact of psychosocial and cultural issues on decision making in dietetic practice. In this reflective piece, I have focused on how these factors contribute to malnutrition in the elderly. My patient was a 79 year old Caucasian lady, referred for nutrition support. She had experienced an unintentional weight loss of 10 kilograms (kg) over two years, since losing her husband. Her weight loss had become a serious concern for her, which led to her referral by her general practitioner (GP). During the consultation, she explained that she had lost 3kg in one month, which is when she started worrying as she noticed her clothes were loose. I examined her food diary and asked further questions to get an overall picture of how she was managing and if other factors were affecting her. She seemed to have an adequate diet, although at her last visit to her GP eight months prior, she was informed that she had impaired fasting glucose (IFG). She therefore decreased her intake of sugary foods for fear of becoming diabetic. When she mentioned she had lost her husband of 55 years, I immediately thought this was the reason for her weight loss. She admitted having battled with loneliness and depression for a while and that support from her son and family was helping her through this difficult time. However, although they visited at weekends, she had no other social support. She spent her time at home except for when she was out doing her weekly shopping. Several psychosocial factors emerged from this part of the consultation including bereavement and the state of depression, which she endured following this traumatic event . A significant attribute of bereavement and depression is appetite loss. She no longer had anyone to appreciate her cooking efforts and the deprivation of companionship at mealtimes became a reminder of her loss. A time of communication, joy and bonding had become a painful experience, leading to lack of interest in any activity related to food or eating, making it more of a chore . Eating is a social variable and part of our self and social identity, which also makes it a cultural variable. It is a structured part of ones everyday life and a valued social activity for most married people. Food habits developed throughout life are an important component of culture and strongly influence food decisions. The stress of bereavement can alter the social, psychological and cultural significance of food during this time . Other psychosocial determinants include access to food, and ability to cook and share meals with others . The patient was shopping for herself and consuming ready meals as she still struggled cooking just for one. It is common for elderly people to consume ready meals as it is convenient since they can buy and freeze them, and they are single portions . She only cooked when her son came to visit. I suggested joining a social club in the area, which could help improve her morale . Meal ambiance has been shown to improve levels of ingestion and is an important stimulus modulated to help increase appetite in places such as nursing homes . Unfortunately, she suffered from urinary incontinence (UI) and found it embarrassing to urinate so frequently when around people, so she declined. I decided it was best to encourage her in relation to her diet so that she felt she was already doing something to help herself and that her coming to see the dietitian would add to her efforts in trying to gain weight . Relocation and change of environment can also yield negative outcomes in terms of psychosocial disturbances such as, anxiety, depression and loneliness, associated with transferring from one place to another . She had recently moved to a smaller house, which was a stressful time for her. She had settled in but had had a hard time adjusting. This is an area I should have explored further. For example, had she made friends in the area; had she changed her eating habits due to limited access to foods she was used to having and so forth. These issues would have impacted on her intake and weight if they were causing her anxiety or depression . Financial constraint is another psychosocial factor to consider when giving dietary advice, as unaffordability affects intake . Cognitive decline is also associated with reduced intake in the elderly as they may not have the desire to eat or may forget to do so . According to her food diary and where she mentioned she was shopping from, she was not restricting herself. She was consuming three meals a day with snacks. However, as research suggests, misreporting of food diaries is common where patients try to present themselves more favourably . Alternatively, keeping the food diary may have acted as a reminder for her to eat. However, this issue was not explored on this occasion. Another psychosocial issue I considered was the food anxiety which had been created following the IFG test. Her GP had told her she was in the pre-diabetic stage and so she had eliminated most fruit and all high sugar foods from her diet as she was worried about becoming diabetic. Food habits are a set of culturally standardised set of behaviours which have been reared in individuals from childhood. Therefore, every person has a culture which dictates their eating behaviour . The burden of disease caused her to change her eating habits . She was anxious about eating foods with sugar, which formerly was a safe component of her diet. I explained that she did not have to exclude sugar from her diet completely. This created confusion as my advice was conflicting with that of her GPs. I clarified that she could still have small amounts of sugar in her but that she was wise to reduce on pure forms of sugar e.g. sweets. She was relieved to discover this and seemed happier that she could relax her diet. When negotiating her goals, I explored the cultural aspect of her diet as her compliance would be affected if I did not consider her current dietary habits. I looked at her meal pattern and food items. When discussing the food fortification process, I was able to relate this directly to specific foods in her diet. Using the appropriate wording is also important as for some, dinner may be evening meal, and tea may be a tea break mid-afternoon . By the end of the consultation, the patient said she felt better following our conversation as she had a clear idea of what she had to do. I wrote down her plan and she said she would buy herself some nice treats on her way home. I hoped that giving her tips on food fortification would give her more of an incentive to eat . Having explored this case in depth, I feel I could have been more thorough about her social life. I could have found out if she had close friends whom she could catch up with over cake and tea. Also, I could have suggested she see her GP about the UI as research shows that behavioural treatment, drugs, exercise or a combination of these can help better control UI. In turn, solving or reducing this problem could restore her confidence in leaving the house more often and lead to her increasing her social network . I could also have asked about her hobbies as this may have helped generate ideas to help improve her morale aswell . If I were to deal with such a situation again, in addition to what I did in this consultation, I would explore more of her cognitive function to see if this was having an impact on her intake. Decline in sensory function can also cause reduced intake as foods no longer taste or smell the same. Forgetting to eat is also common and may require distinct measures such as using an alarm clock as a reminder. I assumed that she was eating well from what she showed me in her food diary but I could have been more flexible in my questioning which may have helped to determine whether she was forgetting to have her meals .

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Gene Therapy :: Genetics Science Papers

Gene Therapy: A new generation of molecular medicine In September of 1990, eight year old Ashanthi DeSilva made medical history when she received the first authorized human gene therapy treatment. Ashanthi has been born with a defective gene that normally produces an essential enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA). If left untreated the inability to produce this enzyme results in the fatal malfunction of the immune system. Four years after receiving the first of many treatment of transgenic cells containing functional ADA genes, Ashanthi was still doing well. Since that first treatment, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been spending hundreds of millions of dollars to develop and evaluate new gene therapy protocols for a variety of genetic diseases (Marshall 1995). Gene therapy has made a profound impact not only in the treatment of genetic disease but also in the way that we look at human disease as a whole. The following text describes the technical and ethical aspects of gene therapy. In the final section a synthesis of the author's personal opinion is presented. 1 Technical Aspects Recombinant DNA (rDNA) technology has made the transfer of genes from one organism to another possible. The use of rDNA technology in conjunction with humans and other mammals is referred to as gene therapy. Gene therapy can be classified into two categories, germinal and somatic (Sections 1.1 & 1.2, respectively). In general, gene therapy involves augmenting the functions of an absent or dysfunctional gene by the introduction of a functional gene into the cells of the individual. If the transfer is successful, the result is a transgenic individual, who is now free of the effects of the dysfunctional gene as long as the new gene is expressed (Griffiths et al. 1996). Gene therapy has been successful in mammalian models, and potential applications for treatment of human genetic disease such as Cystic Fibrosis, ADA and various types of cancer are now being aggressively persued by researchers. Clinical trials have already begun (Section 1.4) (Kolberg 1994, Gibbs 1996 & Marshall 1995). 1.1 Germinal gene therapy Germinal gene therapy involves the introduction of genes into both somatic cells and the germline of an individual. The result is not only that the individual is cured of the genetic disease but some of the gametes of the individual may also carry the altered trait. Germinal gene therapy in mice has been successful, but thus far protocols developed for use in mice have not been effective in humans.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Headlights – A short story

You're paying attention? So there's been this accident so there's been this accident nearby. Very sad. On the telly. Mum watched it this odd expression on her face – strange isn't it – but then you know how these things affect her. Good thing really. That she wasn't there I mean. It was on our way home on our way home that it happened. The accident. Poor brown-haired green-eyed boy. How they described him on the telly. Obviously I didn't get a good look at him. Maybe you did. The car just didn't stop. So I'm sat here and – I just can't console her. Mum. Tried to comfort her – honest. I wish I could just explain things to her but she ignores me stone still. It hurts to see her like this. Just because the police haven't caught the driver yet. All my friends gathered into groups at the scene of the accident but I can't hear what they're saying. Sometimes I think they look at me. No one comes over though. It's not like I did anything wrong! You know that. So now I'm sat here and so now – Sat on the floor in my bedroom. Lara. Sat on my bed. Sat on my bed quiet as I play and sing. For her. You and Ladyface have left â€Å"to go get some drinks†. So subtle. You come back a little later. Later enough. Such a nice day it is with the Sun and all you know. Good that we all have some free time. And we've been talking talking like we should like friends. You won't come back though not now. That's just a memory. A goodbye-memory. You always liked memories talking about them all the time as you did. Said they were important. Can't forget each other we make each other. So I'm trying to remember – honest. No one wants to hear me talk about our memories though. Forever in my memory. Inside my head. Laughing and crying. We always did everything together always. Remember pretending to drive in the garden in the house? Racing round and round. Laughing. There are no accidents when you're five no accidents which a plaster doesn't mend. Learning to drive. Always thought you'd have been better on the road. And crying. You liked Lara as well – didn't know that to begin with. Taught to stop for red lights. â€Å"Hold my hand† sort of stuff. Did Mum teach you the same? Probably. So now I'm sat here and so now I hope – Hopes and dreams. You hoped to be a model. You were smart too. Smarter and better looking. You. So of course she liked you. But she liked me as well. I sang. Played. Laughed. Cried. You'll never be a model now though. Shame about that. Lara bought flowers for me the other day. Not for you. And all the heads were red – red like love. You know that? Red – a familiar colour. Better than black. Black metal. Getting sidetracked though. This all started with the accident. No. It didn't start with the accident. It started with two boys who played pretend cars in the garden and who wanted a girl. It started with guitars and songs and leaving â€Å"to get some drinks†. I don't know when things changed. Why did they change, Joe? Our parents and friends have changed now. Too much. It was just us. We were close. Before the drumbeat. The damned drumbeat in the chest. Then we weren't close. But one drumbeat isn't playing now. You liked playing the drums. Another problem. Girls always like drummers. Oh well not this time. So now our Mum's sat there alone stone still. Occasionally the stone is shivered by sobs. They know who did it. Just a matter of time. I'm so sorry. She holds her broken heart as no one is there to hold her. Only crying. I doubt there will be laughter evermore. I'm at the road now. Won't be long. I'm looking down at my wrist. There's that bracelet stained. Those little drops. Blood. Was that from our pact? Little boys like that sort of thing – big boys like girls. Looking both ways at the road like a good boy. Nothing. Good. Good evening. The air is still heavy with the smell of Lara. Laughter still ringing in my ears. Lara didn't cry. Not before. I step into the road. There are headlights now. They weren't there before. Nothing. Blackness. Then headlights. Headlights growing larger. It looks like your red Honda. Red – a familiar colour. Why are you accelerating? Why aren't I running? Crack. Red – a familiar colour. So now I'm sat crumpled here and so now I hope that you never escape. So now I'm sat crumpled here and so now I hope you're running the rest of your days. So now I'm sat crumpled here and so now I hope she'll hate you. We always did everything together always. So die with me.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Term Paper on Global Warming

Term Paper on Global Warming Term paper on global warming is not necessarily required by science students only. This topic is of universal importance and teachers in all disciplines including business and social sciences ask their students to write term papers on global warming. When global warming term paper is written, it requires a little comprehension about the concept of global warming term paper and its needs. When you need to write a term paper on global warming, you need to have few tips in mind. Such tips are explained in a simple and easy manner in the following lines: You must do a little research to formulate your opinion about global warming that means you must know what does this term of global warming mean in fact. You will introduce the concept and definition of global warming and stories attached with the term internationally. In next stage of writing a term paper on global warming, you should express your concern explain the causes of global warming. Then there is a need to explain the effects of global warming and its dangers on environment, human and other living beings on this earth. In next paragraphs you should show a serious concern about global warming and its dangers and explain the trauma mother earth may face if global warming is not controlled in time. You should also explain in your term paper on global warming the different methods and precautions to control and limit global warming on urgent basis. Custom term paper on global warming should also include the formal parts like title, table of content, introduction, literature review, research methodologies, findings, conclusion, references, appendices, tables and graphics. When you need to do a term paper on global warming topics, you should select a topic of current importance with long term impact. Topics of global warming are huge enough and you can select from the rupture of Ozone layer to the melting Antarctica. Writing a term paper on global warming is not a complex task, if you focus of few basics express in the above lines, you can produce a good quality paper on global warming. When it comes to the term paper writing, it always need time and students often have lesser time available due to multiple assignments given to them. Global warming term paper help is available at different online sources and you can utilize such help sources. The only point you need to consider is not to plagiarize or violate copyrights. Where permission is needed, request the writer or publisher for permission and only include content after you acquire permission.   Some help is also provided by the companies who offer custom term papers on global warming. When you need to place an order for custom term papers on global warming you should only rely on the companies of great repute like our company as both of your time and money will be secured and you will get A class term paper on global warming from this company. Feel free to place your order for custom term paper on global warming.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Free Essays on A Jury Of Peers

Critical Analysis of â€Å"A Jury of Her Peers† In â€Å"A Jury of Her Peers,† the setting is very important; it sets the mood for the entire story, and whether Minnie Wright will be innocent or guilty. The setting is gloomy and sad; from the looks of the outside of the house to the way the inside of the house looks and feels. When the group of people are riding to the Wright house the mood is set. The house is in a hollow and it is described as â€Å"lonesome.† It is also surrounded by â€Å"lonesome-looking trees (1).† The lonesome house and trees symbolize Minnie Wright’s lonesome life. The inside of the house is not any more cheerful than the outside. Minnie’s chores are all half complete and the dishes are dirty. Minnie is described as â€Å"not much of a housekeeper (6).† There is also an old rocking chair that is in the living room of the house. It is described as old, dingy, and saggy; this chair parallels Minnie’s life, and it adds to the gloom of the setting(3). The gloomy and dirty house add to the gloom that surrounds the murder. All of the people in the house seemed to be a bit spooked because of what the house looks and feels like. Mrs. Hale points out that the Wright house â€Å"never seemed a very cheerful place.† When Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale go into the front room to retrieve Minnie’s clothes they both get a chill (8). The setting of the story makes the reader want to believe that Minnie Wright is guilty. If the house had been cheerful, clean, and welcoming people would be less likely to think that Minnie Wright is guilty of killing her husband. The setting of the house is gloomy, and it adds to the guilt that surrounds Minnie.... Free Essays on A Jury Of Peers Free Essays on A Jury Of Peers Critical Analysis of â€Å"A Jury of Her Peers† In â€Å"A Jury of Her Peers,† the setting is very important; it sets the mood for the entire story, and whether Minnie Wright will be innocent or guilty. The setting is gloomy and sad; from the looks of the outside of the house to the way the inside of the house looks and feels. When the group of people are riding to the Wright house the mood is set. The house is in a hollow and it is described as â€Å"lonesome.† It is also surrounded by â€Å"lonesome-looking trees (1).† The lonesome house and trees symbolize Minnie Wright’s lonesome life. The inside of the house is not any more cheerful than the outside. Minnie’s chores are all half complete and the dishes are dirty. Minnie is described as â€Å"not much of a housekeeper (6).† There is also an old rocking chair that is in the living room of the house. It is described as old, dingy, and saggy; this chair parallels Minnie’s life, and it adds to the gloom of the setting(3). The gloomy and dirty house add to the gloom that surrounds the murder. All of the people in the house seemed to be a bit spooked because of what the house looks and feels like. Mrs. Hale points out that the Wright house â€Å"never seemed a very cheerful place.† When Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale go into the front room to retrieve Minnie’s clothes they both get a chill (8). The setting of the story makes the reader want to believe that Minnie Wright is guilty. If the house had been cheerful, clean, and welcoming people would be less likely to think that Minnie Wright is guilty of killing her husband. The setting of the house is gloomy, and it adds to the guilt that surrounds Minnie....

Monday, November 4, 2019

Multiple Sclerosis and Stress Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Multiple Sclerosis and Stress - Assignment Example It has been observed that there is a linkage between Multiple Sclerosis and stress. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease which directly affects the spinal cord and brain. It has symptoms of muscular weakness, depression, memory loss and fatigue. Stress is also the major contributor to the birth of this disease. The severe level of stress can cause depression and therefore, it may lead to the development of Multiple Sclerosis. The research aims to validate the linkage of Multiple Sclerosis and stress by National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s (NMSS). It will better allocate the present funding loans which strengthen the training and Multiple Sclerosis leadership methodologies of NMSS. This association will help to control and improve the level of stress by providing better awareness and educating people who are suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. The research portion of this paper â€Å"Three Abbreviated Research Plan† shows the soundness of house workshop and theories of Multiple Sclerosis. These theories will be investigated and examined as an initiative in order to support the platform of developing the cognitive growth of caretakers and Multiple Sclerosis patients. For instance, the availability or lack of training and development of leadership for MS population versus a virtual online training and development framework will yield better results for MS population at all levels. This research is supported and facilitated by a consultancy firm named as Quality Health Caressa (QHC). This firm is a part of the Stone Industries Group. It helps in directing the research plan and tools which will support the QUAN, QUAL, and their respective hypotheses. Moreover, a six sigma approach is also integrated to validate the success of MS population through the learning environment of online lectures.

Friday, November 1, 2019

E-COMMERCE PROJECT. ElecTeesElecME Dissertation

E-COMMERCE PROJECT. ElecTeesElecME - Dissertation Example Acknowledgements 5 2. Abstract 6 3. Project Set Up 7 3.1. Purpose 7 3.2. Scope 8 3.3. Risks 9 3.4. Feasibility 9 4. Analysis 11 4.1. Fact Finding 11 4.1.1. Methodology 11 4.1.2. Findings 13 4.1.3. Findings for Methodology 18 5. Project Plan 19 5.1. Brief Description 19 5.1.1. Waterfall Model 20 5.1.2. Implementation of Waterfall Model 23 5.1.3. Timeline 24 5.2. Resources 25 5.2.1. Hardware 25 5.2.2. Software 26 5.2.3. Human Resources 27 5.3. Specification of Requirements 27 5.3.1. Functional Requirements 27 5.3.2. Explanation of Major Functions 30 5.3.3. Non-Functional Requirements 34 5.3.4. User Interface Requirements 36 5.4. Analysis of Design – Methodology 39 5.4.1. Programming Language 39 5.4.2. Database 42 5.4.3. Design Methods 44 5.4.4. Analysis of Construction 48 6. User Guide 55 7. Testing 56 7.1. ... Appendix B – Logical Data Model 73 List of Tables Table 1 - Online Retail Shopping Transactions by Country 12 Table 2 - Functional Requirements 24 Table 3 - Non Functional Requirements 30 Table 4 - User Interface Requirements 32 Table 5 - Functional Requirements Testing 48 Table 6 - Non Functional Requirements Testing 50 Table 7 - Problems and Solutions 53 Table 8 - Experiences 53 List of Figures Figure 1 - Penetration Rate of Retail Sales Against Conventional Retail Sales 14 Figure 2 - Percentages of Internet Shoppers by Country 15 Figure 3 - Graphic Waterfall Model 17 Figure 4 – RAD (Rapid Application Development) Model 38 Figure 5 - Use Case Diagram for Login 41 Figure 6 - Basic Use Case Diagram for Online Shopping 41 Figure 7 – Expanded Use Case Diagram for Online Retailing 42 Figure 8 - Complete Online Shopping Use Case Diagram 42 Figure 9 - Alternative View Use Case Diagram for Online Shopping 43 Figure 10 - Advanced Use Case Diagram for Online Shopping 43 Figure 11 - Sequence Diagram for Login 44 1 Acknowledgements I am very thankful to the University for providing me with an opportunity to polish my skills and to apply them to positive aims. I would also like to thank my tutor for his detailed help and support during thick and thin with the same amount of patience and resolve. My friends’ cooperation was also vital to my success as was the support showered by my father that I have found unwavering. I must also acknowledge God’s blessings in His support extended to me and I am extremely thankful to Him for hearing my prayers. 2 Abstract The introduction of the internet has revolutionised the way in which business is conducted. Electronic commerce has emerged as a potent methodology of doing business in the online domains. More and more

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Marketing matrix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing matrix - Essay Example lm which comes with a total bill of $200 million will need a staggered release so that at every stage of the release the filmmaker is able to recover a part of the production cost and hope to increase his/her profits (Waxman, 2006). To make everyone adopt simultaneous release would be to enforce an innovation upon individuals who may not wish to follow it. Therefore, for small productions and those which cost very little to bring to the market, a policy of simultaneous release would be much better and perhaps more profitable than a staggered release to the public. This idea was strongly supported by Godas (2005) who is the founder of Dogwoof Digital which is the company that went for a simultaneous release of its low budget home grown production titled ‘EMR’. In fact, while giving the advantages of simultaneous release, Godas (2005) also describes the idea of having a staggered release and mentions that â€Å"this model works well with larger films (Godas, 2005, Pg. 1)†. While simultaneous release can be seen as a well employed method for film distribution when it comes to small productions, larger films and movies which costs many millions may not see this as a useful method for allowing the public to access movies. Of course it is difficult to say how the future will take shape since major film producers such as George Lucas have already mentioned the benefits of simultaneous release as a means of fighting piracy. Additionally, the innovations used by independent producers and filmmakers may become attractive to larger movie houses but for the most part, what independent release has done for major movie studios is to shrink the window between launching a movie on the box office and launching it on DVD for rentals (Godas, 2005). Undoubtedly, the theatrical experience and the home movie watching experience are two different things and the impact of a work of art in the cinema and in the home may be quite different. Both experiences have their value and the

Monday, October 28, 2019

Need for Survival Essay Example for Free

Need for Survival Essay The first topic I will be talking about is your need for physical survival. There is the need for food and water you will need shelter and some other odds and ends. You will need food first of all you will need to find a place that produces a sufficient amount of food such as a vegetable patch or a shop or a farm. In the book tomorrow when the war began they went to one of the houses that had a good well running vegetable patch and they choose good fruit and vegetables that would last for a good and long period of time. Also during the story they ended up using the shearers quarters to hide from the army people this was also done to get out of the weather. They had many water supplies they had the water in hell the opened out dam the water in the bottles. In the episode of man vs wild he found a snake in by the creek and he caught it and he bit just behind the jaw line and it killed the snake instantly he saved the snake until later when he had set up his shelter and fire he found a shelter in an old cave he set up his fire and he then sat the snake on it until it cooked properly while the snake was cooking he went of and found a hole in which had dirty water in the bottom he used his shirt some charcoal and some rocks and dirt to act as a strainer and clean the water he had to repeat this a couple of times until the water was drinkable and that is how. I am going to summarise the basic survival skills that were used in man versed wild an there is more to survival than the physical survival skills there are mental and tactical survival skills which I will be talking about next. There is more to survival than physical survival there is mental survival which is what I will be talking about now.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Analysis of The Kids Are All Right :: essays research papers

Analysis of The Kids Are All Right by Susan Faludi Kids are crawling around in the dirt, screaming, and have not yet had their diapers changed because the day care provider seems to be in a trance watching the latest episode of the Montel Williams show. One of the workers strikes a child because she won’t stop crying about how hungry she is. The other worker just sits in her chair drinking Jack Daniels with a little Coke mixed in. Not all is well at the Wee World Child Center. But is this the impression that the public perceives of our daycare system in America?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well, most people would say that this is how only a few daycares are run. But many people would still state that kids who have not been in daycare have a better chance at a more enjoyable life than those who have. Susan Faludi, who frequently writes about women’s issues and is the author of Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women, promotes daycare as an enhancement in a child’s life. In her essay, The Kids Are All Right, she claims that kids who attend daycare are more social, experimental, self-assured, cooperative and creative. Faludi’s argument is convincing because she provides solid authoritative sources, gives personal experiences of other girls who have been in day care, and refutes other researchers claims. Susan Faludi dives right into her argument and hits us with an informative source. Faludi cites Alison Clarke-Stewart, a professor of social ecology at the University California at Irvine, who found that social and intellectual development of children in day care was six to nine months ahead of children who stayed at home. This source is reliable because the author of the statement is an expert in the field of social ecology. Therefore this is an opinionative informative source because the researcher could be biased toward one side of the argument or the other. This matters to Faludi because audience could question the reliability of the source.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Susan Faludi also cites personal experience in the form of interviews done by Delores Gold and David Andres in paragraph number two. The interviews of the girls provide not only data on childcare accountability, but also serve to put a personal and more intimate effect on the argument. The interviews have a great effect on the reader because they are grounded in reality and have been conducted by experienced researchers.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Delusions of Grandeur †My Summer in Greece :: Personal Narrative

Delusions of Grandeur – My Summer in Greece It is the lawlessness of Greece that attracts both travelers and outcasts. They arrive on ferry boats with the eagerness of immigrants, drunk with notions of escape and pleasure. This hedonistic lure of the Greek islands is far removed from the academic splendor of mainland Europe. In myth, Greece is a land ruled by the selfish whimsy of the gods, and this climate of self-indulgence blows across the Ionian island of Corfu like a frolicking wind. Teetering, as it does, on the far edge of western civilization, Corfu presents itself as a haven or a refuge, depending on one’s orientation as traveler or derelict. Here, travelers can live out their adolescent fantasies and outcasts can be gods. The playground of these gods, the Mount Olympus of debauchery, spills down the steep east coast of Corfu like a glob of Pepto Bismol—the Pink Palace. I came to the Pink Palace in late May, one of a steady trickle of off-season travelers who had arrived just in time to enjoy the last of the cool nights before the torrent of peak season vacationers, drawn by the summer heat, filled the island to capacity. The last leg of a nine-month solo expedition through Europe, the Pink Palace was my last indulgence in freedom before I flew home to start college. On paper, the resort looked like Paradise—the very brochure seemed saturated with ambrosia. Pictures of gleeful scuba divers, vast cliffs that fell into the Ionian Sea and sunny rooms lured me from the mainland. But the brochure’s utopian promise—†Ideally situated on the sands of Agios Gordios beach, the Palace assures a stay that you’ll never forget†Ã¢â‚¬â€turned out to be, at best, a euphemistic appraisal of the jarring reality that awaited me. The Pink Palace was a glaring twentieth-century smear on an otherwise primitive landscape. At night, the profusion of light and music that came from the resort was as obnoxious and out of place as the sickly pink stucco structure that scarred the green hillside. Self-indulgence came in liquid form at the Pink Palace, with names like Ouzo, Blowjobs, B-52s, Kamikazes, and Alabama Slammers. Having dutifully saturated themselves with the culture of the mainland, my fellow guests now allowed themselves the corporeal pleasure of drunken oblivion.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Why It Is Important to Develop Sustainable Cities?

Why it is important to develop sustainable cities? With the rapid development of urbanization, there are an increasing number of serious problems emerging all over the world, especially in some developing countries. Therefore, if we want to live a sustainable life without destroying the natural resources and wildlife, some effective and feasible sustainable development policies must be taken step by step from now on. Firstly, too many people move from rural areas to urban areas, along with the high growth rate and the low death rate in the cities, which has led to space and housing shortages.There is no enough room for such a large amount people living in the cities, so poor housing conditions, such as squatter settlements and shanty towns are unavoidable. Such poorly constructive and unplanned shacks are usually lack of running water, electricity and sewage systems. Additional, people who live in the slums cannot afford to good quality education, healthcare and social services. To s olve the housing problems, one way is to improve the infrastructure and boost the employment opportunities in rural areas to inspire people to move back to countryside.Another solution is to build â€Å"satellite New Towns† and â€Å"New Territories† near the cities to disperse overcrowded people, like Hong Kong where it has made process on building the high-rise blocks of flats in new settlements. Secondly, the severe pollution problems are more obvious in the cities than those in the countryside. Because of the emission of cars and chemical factories, air pollution has become the biggest challenge for most city governors.It is essential to follow sustainable development policies, such as encouraging mass transit and building fast and efficient transport systems to find alternatives to cars. At the same time, regulations and laws are critical methods to fine or even close badly polluting factories and workshops but encourage environmental-friendly production activitie s. Lastly, there is continuous big concern on exhausting of non-renewable energy resources, i. e. oil, wood, gasoline and minerals. If we overuse and overexploit such energy resources blindly, how can our next generation live?So it is an urgent issue for human beings to discover and make good use of locally available renewable energy (solar, wind and biogas etc. ), which are clean and unlimited, but it will have so many limiting factors to make use of them, like technical financial restrictions. Overall, apparently, practical and feasible sustainable development policies are able to address most problems which come across in the process of human society developing. Therefore, it is vital and necessary to make more and more sustainable policies to keep the pace of urbanization. Word count: 418 words

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Forming Plural Nouns in Italian

Forming Plural Nouns in Italian When you have just one bottiglia di vino  (bottle of wine), especially from one of the many family-run vineyards in Tuscany, you’re doing pretty well. But, if you have several  bottiglie di vino (bottles of wine), youre doing even better. Learning to speak fluent Italian requires that you understand the difference between singular and plural nouns. Turning singular nouns into plurals in Italian is a bit more difficult than in English. Learn the rules, though, and soon youll be able to turn one  bottiglia  into two or more  bottiglie  with ease. Creating Plural Nouns in Italian In Italian grammar, nouns must  agree not only in gender (masculine or feminine) but also in number (singular and plural). To form the plural of Italian nouns, vowel endings change to indicate a change in number. For regular masculine nouns that end in -o, for example, the ending typically changes to -i in the plural: Singular Plural English (Plural) fratello fratelli brothers libro libri books nonno nonni grandparents ragazzo ragazzi boys vino vini wines Plural Feminine Nouns Ending in -A As noted, the ending of plural nouns needs to change to agree  in gender. Regular feminine nouns that end in -a generally take an  -e ending in the plural: Singular Plural English (Plural) sorella sorelle sisters casa case houses penna penne pens pizza pizze pizzas ragazza ragazze girls Plural Nouns Ending in -E Plural nouns that end in  -e  (feminine or masculine) generally end in -i in the plural form. Singular Plural English (Plural) bicchiere bicchieri wine glasses chiave chiavi keys fiume fiumi rivers frase frasi sentences padre padri fathers Words of Foreign Origin When forming plural of nouns ending in a consonant, such as words of foreign origin, only the article changes, as in these examples, where the singular is listed on the left together with the English translation and the plural is printed on the right: Il film (the film) i film (the films)La photo (the photo) le photo (the photos)Il bar (the bar) I bar (the bars) Exceptions Its also important to know the exceptions when forming plural nouns, including: Feminine nouns ending in -ea change to -ee in the plural. For example: dea/dee (goddess/goddesses).Words that end with a grave accent, such as  la citt, (the city),  change only the final letter of the article, making the plural of this word,  le citt (the cities).Feminine nouns ending in -ca change to -che in the plural, as in  amica/amiche (friend/friends). For nouns ending in -e,  the plural forms end in -i   regardless of whether they are masculine or feminine. Additionally, some nouns appear to be feminine (ending in -a)  but are actually masculine, as in these examples: Il poeta i poeti / poet poetsIl poema i poemi / poem poemsIl problema i problemi / problem problemsIl tema i temi / topic topicsIl braccio le braccia / arm armsIl dito le dita / finger fingersIl labbro le labbra / lip lipsIl ginocchio le ginocchia / knee kneesIl lenzuolo le lenzuola / sheet sheetsIl muro I muri / wall walls The walls would be le mura  if you are talking about buildings, particularly historical buildings.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Questions the benefits of class room computers essays

Questions the benefits of class room computers essays Do computers really connect children to the world? argues the Alliance for Childhood (AFC) in the article Questions the Benefits of Classroom Computers. In this Article the author, Joanne Jacobs mainly speaks about the impact of computers on children today and also debates on whether computers are really good or bad for children. Children need more time to explore the real world, interact with people, and play with their friends than to sit inside a room and play on the computer. In fact, many schools have allocated more percentage of the budget towards buying computer and Internet access than buying books, apparatus for the laboratories and science experiments, which may help a kid to learn more. The AFC feels that the money could be spent to improve the school garden, organize camps and field trips etc. The author thinks that the money spent on technology could be better spent to train teachers to use effective reading and math programs and also to hire after-school instructors for struggling students. Also Computers actually connect children to trivial games, inappropriate adult materials and aggressive advertising. Therefore, computers do more harm than good to a child. Children do not have the mature mind to judge what is good or bad, they can easily be attracted to more bad things than good. In my opinion, I totally agree with the article and the impact of computers on the world. I do not think that computers connect children to the real world. Children are often in a dreamland where computers rule their mind. In todays technological world, computers are used in almost every field. They can be found everywhere (home, office, school, etc).. They have become an important part of our daily life. There is atleast one computer in almost every home in the United States of America. This gives children more access to computers. The first thing that attracts children to a computer are the computer games. I...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Smart Conversion Rate And Sales Funnel Secrets From Daniel McGaw

Smart Conversion Rate And Sales Funnel Secrets From Daniel McGaw A sales and marketing funnel is when people have an awareness of your brand and move closer to a buying decision. You want them to know, like, and trust you, so there is enough value for them to become your customer. What does your customer’s journey look like? Fortunately, today’s episode features Daniel McGaw, the founder of Effin Amazing and creator of UTM.io. Daniel is a conversion rate optimization and sales funnel expert. Find out about the magic you can get from links and how to increase Website and content conversions. What are the superpowers of what can be done with a link when shared online? Urchin tracking module (UTM) tags are bits of code you can add to the end of any link; it’s the only universal tracking method available Daniel’s product offers presets for teams to keep tags consistent Most entrepreneurs think about business in the wrong way; they focus on the logo, brand, mission, and other factors before they acquire customers Daniel thinks of business this way: Where is the demand? Do we have a customer? If we have a customer, then we have a business. How Effin Amazing got its name and gets a lot of attention Don’t ask for tons of information; just get an email address to optimize for leads Funnel Anatomy: Awareness, top of funnel (TOFU), middle of funnel (MOFU), bottom of funnel (BOFU), and referrals of the funnel (ROFU) Daniel’s company uses the Velocity/Impact/Confidence/Easy (VICE) framework to map a funnel, which includes documenting information, developing strategies, and building benchmarks Evaluate your team’s skills and abilities to augment VICE scores Most marketers and businesses go wrong when they expect people to buy too quickly; and do not get enough email addresses email is king and the lynchpin to success Learn more about your customers during the funnel stages, and try to educate them Links: Daniel McGaw Effin Amazing UTM Trello RealtimeBoard AMP on iTunes leave a review and send screenshot to podcast@.com If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Daniel McGaw: â€Å"What are the superpowers that we can do with a link when sharing it online?† â€Å"We’re definitely trying to set the standard for how people make UTMs.† â€Å"You have to understand your target customer and what you’re trying to sell them.†

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Office Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Office Management - Assignment Example We have began to receive online application for mortgages in keeping with the high growth rate of the industry. Mortgage institutions originated approximately $2.3 trillion in total home mortgages in 2003. As mortgage manager handling a group of mortgage officers, I realize my task is more than just supervising my team and monitoring their performance. This is the professional level and I come to believe our relationship must subtly go beyond the professional realm for us to be effective as a team. In my mind, I have to assume a parent figure. I have to care for them, know when my officers are tired, pressured, or experiencing burnout. I have to guard against being a slave driver and instead be a coach, know the individual strength and weakness of my team members; know whom to send to field work and when, as well as whom to assign in-house when this particular "player" needs a respite from the rigors of field marketing. Out there are the capitalists looking for productive ways to invest their money. In the same spectrum are young professionals, young families needing to own houses for various reasons such as convenience, stability, and the humble pleasure of being able to provide a home for loved ones, where at the end of the day the family finds a sanctuary. This is the soft side of our hard functions.A home is more than just a house. It is the foundation of long-term financial and emotional security for one's family, one's very own piece of the American dream. Subtopic 3: selection, training, promotion and retention of employees I started as a mortgage officer myself. It helped a lot that aside from my bachelor's degree, I have had other training opportunities. I often tell my officers that they need to pursue a masteral program of study, even a doctorate if they can. On-the-job experiences are best complimented by research-based theories and principles placed in context by experts in the academe. So that when promotion time comes, those who have MBAs already have edge in climbing the corporate ladder. Subtopic 4: the ever-changing technological environment within an office Going online has truly made radical changes within the office. Applicants for

Friday, October 18, 2019

Ethics study of Nanotechnology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethics study of Nanotechnology - Essay Example This is because nanoparticles injected in the blood vessels might end up attacking cells leading to new maladies, hence worsening the ailing person’s condition. The other ethical issue, which I think nanotechnology will bring about, is the safety and elimination of nanoparticles once deposited in the environment such that they will not seep into other essential resources like water mostly used by living organisms. This is especially in the third world states whereby after purchasing nanotechnology products like cosmetics may end up depositing them inappropriately, hence becoming health hazards to people residing near dumpsites. In addition, there is an emerging concern regarding the increase of numerous corporations, which will result to utilizing nanotechnology knowhow in the future; whether they will apply it as necessitated and with consideration of consumer’s health. First pitfall which renders the use of nanotechnology being a challenge encompasses its characteristic phenomenon of varied materials behaving differently besides their respective dimensions shrinking while in use (Fleddermann). Hence, entailing those intending to use them ascertain exactly how a given material would behave before resulting to incorporating it into a certain area of application. This is because they may end up being more of disadvantage to human than how experts initially were anticipating to be beneficial compared to other materials. Another pitfall that may arise in the absence of meticulous testing or research encompasses certain materials’ surfaces being extremely reactive, whereas their bulky forms being inert during application. Hence, being a challenge during fabrication process due to this anomaly, which is also evident when using nanopowder obtained from reactive materials (Fleddermann). This is because nanopowder is more reactive than the parent

Effects of Socioeconomic Influences on Health Assignment

Effects of Socioeconomic Influences on Health - Assignment Example Unemployed people do not have reliable sources of income. Therefore, the individual is not able to cater for his or her basic needs adequately. Healthcare is a basic need for all humanity but requires a certain level of monetary input. Rising levels of unemployment limit people’s access to medical services because they lack funds that would cover their medical expenses. As a result, sick people may not get the medical care they need due to the lack of a source of income. People have different lifestyles, norms, and practices that define them. Some of these lifestyle aspects have severe effects on health. For instance, drug abusers including smokers and alcoholics are at the risk of contracting fatal diseases. Liver cirrhosis is a killer disorder that results from excessive consumption of alcohol. Lung cancer results from excessive smoking. These are diseases that have fatal consequences especially when treatment is not sought early enough. People’s diets also determine their health status. Obesity is common among individuals who eat large quantities of unhealthy food, for example, excessive fatty food consumption. The environment is a crucial determinant of the health status of the societies we live in. Certain environmental settings are characterized by unhealthy factors like pollution. Polluted environments herb various health infections. Respiratory disorders that result from air pollution are common in areas that contain industries that emit harmful gaseous elements into the atmosphere. To avoid health problems, residential premises should be moved away from polluted areas and industries should limit the emission of pollutants into the environment. Healthcare facilities are vital for the provision of medical services. A society that has adequate access to healthcare services is guaranteed an efficient solution to health problems. However, individuals with limited access to healthcare facilities for  example due to scarcity, find it difficult to counter health problems.  

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Business Venture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Venture - Essay Example Some of the themes include: Creation of a new (better) product, bringing in a product with more economic value than others, a vision for growth, desire to foster continuity to a family business and willingness to take uncertainty. ICEVED (2006) explained that research into entrepreneurial behaviour should consider contextual issues and identify the processes that give explicit explanation rather than just describing this phenomenon, and thus leaving the venture vulnerable to ambiguity Economics of value creation is the theme being addressed, and its relevance to the business plan. This heavy duty focus was picked because it is the chief reason for any business venture. This is a basic framework for evaluating and optimizing profits in a business operation. As a matter of emphasis, any business person desires to grow economically. The growth of one individual will automatically overlap into the country's economy. This theme enables a person to make a choice between the infinite business options, and what customers to target and further still how to manage the organisation. A business person is further faced with a forecast of whether there shall be an expansion in his or her venture or not and this is challenging. The road to prosperity is not always easy. Tough decisions have to be made. Such is the case when cornered with many business options to choose from. To support decision making process, a semi-quantitative dimension is added. This consists of general seven step evaluation process as below (Zero million.com, 2008). 1. The starting point is a list of strategic options, as they may have been identified during conventional strategic planning 2. The next step are to identify who will influence the value creation process 3. Find out what value drivers each of them use to influence it. 4. For customers representative of different segments, we can evaluate the value to the customer, the risk to the customer and the relative market power between buyer and seller. 5. The following step is to analyze the cost structure and understand how it scales with market size. 6. By combining the results from the two previous steps it is possible to find the optimal profit as a function of volume, value drivers and the other parameters. 7. In the final step the strategic implications of the various options are integrated with other knowledge to form the basis for selecting a winning business strategy. From a policy perspective, economics of value development; which the main theme of discussion, can be defined as efforts that seek to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for a community by creating Jobs, goods and services which override the former ones. Economic development is an area which pushes a country into progress, and in touches all aspects of an economy. This includes Financial, population, agricultural, technological and acquisition sector (Lupke, 2001). Of major interest is the expansion of the business plan named: White Lion Enterprise ltd. Analysing this business plan will bring to light various aspects, all

Students with mental illness and depression Essay

Students with mental illness and depression - Essay Example Anxiety and depression disorders are common mental illnesses known to exist. Mental illnesses occur mostly in the times of uncertainty or stress which can be resulting from people’s daily life activities. It is worth to understand that mental illnesses and disorders are real illnesses. Just like other illnesses, such as asthma or diabetes, most mental disorders or illnesses are episodic. (U.S. Department of Education). That means there are periods when people will be well and productive, as well as other times being unwell and their overall production and functioning, becomes low. Depression is just a mental disorder, but not a disease. Psychiatrists have tried to help people who seek medication for conditions of mental disorders such as depression, but they have failed to explain the meaning of disorder or depression. These conditions are called disorders but not diseases with a reason. Disorder means something out of ordinary, where depression and other known mental illnesse s belong. According to a report in 2001, the US Department of Education reported that the rate of school dropouts among the students with mental illness is approximately fifty percent (U.S. Department of Education). The above disorder is characterized by the lack of ability to remain focused on a task, excessive activity, and impulsive behavior or inability to remain for a some moments. That means there are periods when people will be well and productive, as well as other times being unwell and their overall.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Business Venture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Venture - Essay Example Some of the themes include: Creation of a new (better) product, bringing in a product with more economic value than others, a vision for growth, desire to foster continuity to a family business and willingness to take uncertainty. ICEVED (2006) explained that research into entrepreneurial behaviour should consider contextual issues and identify the processes that give explicit explanation rather than just describing this phenomenon, and thus leaving the venture vulnerable to ambiguity Economics of value creation is the theme being addressed, and its relevance to the business plan. This heavy duty focus was picked because it is the chief reason for any business venture. This is a basic framework for evaluating and optimizing profits in a business operation. As a matter of emphasis, any business person desires to grow economically. The growth of one individual will automatically overlap into the country's economy. This theme enables a person to make a choice between the infinite business options, and what customers to target and further still how to manage the organisation. A business person is further faced with a forecast of whether there shall be an expansion in his or her venture or not and this is challenging. The road to prosperity is not always easy. Tough decisions have to be made. Such is the case when cornered with many business options to choose from. To support decision making process, a semi-quantitative dimension is added. This consists of general seven step evaluation process as below (Zero million.com, 2008). 1. The starting point is a list of strategic options, as they may have been identified during conventional strategic planning 2. The next step are to identify who will influence the value creation process 3. Find out what value drivers each of them use to influence it. 4. For customers representative of different segments, we can evaluate the value to the customer, the risk to the customer and the relative market power between buyer and seller. 5. The following step is to analyze the cost structure and understand how it scales with market size. 6. By combining the results from the two previous steps it is possible to find the optimal profit as a function of volume, value drivers and the other parameters. 7. In the final step the strategic implications of the various options are integrated with other knowledge to form the basis for selecting a winning business strategy. From a policy perspective, economics of value development; which the main theme of discussion, can be defined as efforts that seek to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for a community by creating Jobs, goods and services which override the former ones. Economic development is an area which pushes a country into progress, and in touches all aspects of an economy. This includes Financial, population, agricultural, technological and acquisition sector (Lupke, 2001). Of major interest is the expansion of the business plan named: White Lion Enterprise ltd. Analysing this business plan will bring to light various aspects, all

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The NHS Improvement Plan 2004 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The NHS Improvement Plan 2004 - Essay Example imaging tests who do not have an appointment within 20 weeks will be offered the choice of having their scan at another provider within a maximum of 20 weeks. This brings new challenges to the NHS, for it covers all diagnostic imaging tests apart from CT and MRI, and other clinical specialities like echocardiography, ultrasound scanning performed in urology/urodynamics and GI physiology, and vascular scanning performed in vascular technology departments. This obviously brings the independent providers into the scene. It is true that whenever choice is introduced, local services tend to improve. Firstly, the threat of competition leads local services to improve their standards. Second, choice leads to the creation of new provision which benefits local people. This will certainly ring true for the imaging services as well. People are to have control over issues like when and where to get a screening done and thereby ensure the quality and convenience that they want. But the local independent sector providers are more or less new to the market. As such, strong management and co-ordination of services by clinicians, radiographers and managers is imperative for ensuring the safety of the patients. Moreover, there are various concerns about the quality of service provided by the independent sector. In June 2004, Alliance Medical Ltd. won a contract to supply the NHS with 130000 MRI Scans per annum for five years. The contract was widely criticised by healthcare unions, including the Society of Radiographers (SoR) which said that the government should have consulted radiographers and those who knew the service best. Patients given MRI scans by Alliance Medical Ltd... The researcher of this essay aims to critically evaluate the statement "By 2008, the Independent Sector will provide up to 15% of procedures on behalf of the NHS" and indicate what effect this will have on NHS Services provided by Imaging Departments of the United Kingdom. The researcher states that NHS Improvement Plan, 2004, predicts a promising healthcare scenario with the policy makers making it clear that the independent sector will play a key role in delivering NHS care, providing upto 15 percent of procedures on behalf of NHS in order to support capacity and choice. This will certainly provide better opportunities for patients as they will have an increased number of choices. The researcher mentiones that there are various concerns about the quality of service provided by the independent sector today. Thus, an increase in the number of choices will have major implications for imaging services as this has reduced waiting times to a great extent. It is describes that this will c ertainly ring true for the imaging services as well. But problems continue to surface, as the services are not integrated into NHS Departments of Radiology to an extent, which the situation demands. In conclusion, the researcher sums up that an ideal approach, in this case, would be enabling flexibility of staffing, and making the best use of teleradiology with images acquired being transmitted to an available radiologist and at the same time maintaining skills and quality assurance of machines and staff.

Chocolate Industry Essay Example for Free

Chocolate Industry Essay The Chocolate industry in the UK has been facing many challenges in recent times. The escalation of prices of the main ingrediants such as cocoa, milk and sugar has forced companies to increase prices. Customers showed resistance to higher prices which prompted brands such as Cadbury Masterfoods (Galaxy) to reduce packaging sizes. Concerns among the public regarding obesity has also led chocolate companies to bring out smaller sizes of chocolate. A big issue facing the industry are cocoa prices hitting a 33% high in 2010 due to growing demands from the chocolate industry and a disappointing crop in the Ivory Coast, an important grower of cocoa. As per Euromonitor reports the total value of the chocolate market has grown by 3% to 5. 4 million from 2009. The main players in the market in UK are Cadbury (owned by Kraft Foods), Mars Nestle. Cadbury as of 2010 accounts for 31% value share in the market. In 2010 acquired Cadbury Plc in January 2010 for ? 11. 5 billion. Cadbury Trebor Bassett (CTB) is the confectionery division of the company, which holds a large stake in the three key confectionery areas – sugar, gum and chocolate. CTB’s key brand in the chocolate market is Dairy Milk. This acquisition has helped Cadbury as well as Kraft Foods by increasing their economies of scale as well as bring out more options to customers. Cadbury Ltd operates in both the chocolate and sugar confectionery markets. It manufactures branded confectionery and beverages, including the internationally-successful Cadbury chocolate brand. The company also manufactures dark chocolate under the Bourneville name, as well as supplying Maynards, Trebor and Basset sugar confectionery. The company owns the chewing gum brand Trident and manufactures the medicated sweet, Halls Soothers. Cadbury chocolate brands in the UK include: Dairy Milk, Wispa, Twirl, Twisted, Freddo, Crunchie, Chomp, Bournville, Decker, Boost, Flake, Dream, Time Out, Star Bar, Picnic, Fudge, Snack, Brunch, Curly Wurly, Roses, Creme Egg, Variety and its standalone organic chocolate brand Green Black’s. Cadbury also produces several other items of confectionary however the focus in this project is chocolate. In this project we will look at the competitive pressures facing Cadbury and how it remains the market share leader. Cadbury Ltd registered a turnover of ? 5. 98bn in the year ending 31st December 2009, up from ? 5. 38bn in 2008. In 2009, pre-tax profit stood at ? 378m, after falling by 5. 5% from ? 400m in 2008. Below is a graph showing positions of all key market players FIVE FORCES TOOL. Michael E Porter devised ‘Porter’s Five Forces tool’ as a way for companies to ascertain market attractiveness and competition with other companies. This tool is not just used by commercial organizations but also by public organizations and not for profit companies to understand their customers and suppliers. In the chocolate industry there is heavy rivalry due to the presence of several large scale and world renowned market players such as Nestle, Cadbury and Mars. Cadbury among others produces countlines, boxed chocolates and sharing bags as well as blocks and moulded bars. RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING COMPANIES Existing rivalry among market players in an industry is an important part of judging market attractiveness and competition. Cadbury in UK faces competition mainly from Mars and Nestle. These three brands command equal market shares in UK and an extra percentage of market share creates big marketing spends, strong pricing and new launches of products within the company. In March 2008, Mars acquired the sugar confectionery company Wrigley US, while, in 2010, Kraft Foods completed its acquisition of Cadbury. As per Keynote reports Nestle is expected to buy out US Hershey brand. Nestle is left with reduced market share after acquisitions of Mars Cadbury. Periods of low market growth according to Porter (1980) particularly during maturity or decline of product cycles intensify competition. Competitors take advantage of the saturation of other products. With excess production capacity and lesser competition, several players engage in price competition to get higher sales. Cadbury goes head to head with Nestle Mars as other players have fairly smaller market shares and often struggle due to these top companies. According to Hooley et all (Marketing strategy and competitive positioning) high exit barriers for a company lead to higher competition as well. If a company is unable to exit a market due to high initial investments, high costs of redundancy (monetary and social) they work harder to compete with other companies. Several companies have egotistical as well as psychological reasons for remaining in a market and ensure they stay on top of people’s minds as exiting is not an option due to brand history and value. Brands such as Cadbury have incredible media presence covering internet, television, print, etc. Cadbury is a major player on the internet and uses this tool as an advantage over competitors. Newer avenues such as E-markets are intensifying competition and deterring exit of big companies. Competition in the chocolate industry is also increased due to the fact that product differentiation is low. The intrinsic quality and external value of a bar of chocolate is similar therefore competition for sales is increased. Switching costs in terms of price and availability for customers is low as many players have similar varieties of chocolate on offer. Customers may not face difficulty in changing from one brand to another due to such factors and this leads to Cadbury, Nestle and Mars to participate in increased competitiveness for higher market share. According to Hooley et All (Marketing strategy competitive positioning) if fixed costs are high then competitive is intensified. THE THREAT OF MARKET ENTRY The chocolate industry must be prepared for the entrance of new competition. Several factors can allow companies from entering into an industry. The chocolate industry has several companies that hold highest market share however there are also small companies as well as a lot of new entrants. New companies enter the industry if cost of entry is low. Companies with relatively less resources can break into markets if capital and investment is low. The requirement of large financial resources in order to compete with established brands can deter new entrants. In the chocolate industry deterrents include rising prices of supplies like cocoa, sugar and milk. The health awareness among the public has also led to dropping sales and this can be a problem for new entrants. Factors distribution channels being accessible for all chocolate companies gives new companies accessibility to enter the market due to heavy presence to retail outlets. Competitive retaliation according to Hooley can hinder entrance of new and fairly smaller companies. Big players such as Cadbury can pursue aggressive marketing strategies to combat new companies from taking over. If bigger companies were unable to respond to new companies with competitive retaliation then it would be far easier for companies to enter. The chocolate industry is composed of very few companies as the main players (Cadbury, Kit Kat Nestle) hold highest market shares. These companies have aggressive market strategies and customer loyalty as well. Existing companies have the funds to expand their presence in the market through acquisitions or mergers. For example, in 2003, Cadbury acquired the Natural Confectionery Company, which has since become a well-known product in the sugar confectionery market. Such extensions serve to diversify the market, while introducing more options in terms of products and brands. Product differentiation can also trigger entry of new companies. The chocolate market is flexible and many different varieties of chocolate can be found. New companies can use this to their advantage by launching specialized products to cater different tastes. In the chocolate industry there are several brands offering niche variety of chocolates whereas the top players are creating extensions similar to what the competitor is providing. Cadbury offers a wide variety of chocolates to compete with Mars Nestle as well as other brands such as Ferrero Rocher, Lindtt Thorntons. Hooley states that when there are gaps in a market new entrants can enter with ease. In highly segmented markets, new entrants can cater to specialized segments of the market as well as newer and experimental audiences. In every industry companies need to understand diversifying interests and requirements of customers or else new entrants can use this opportunity to cater to new tastes and needs of customers. In the chocolate industry more and more varieties of chocolate are available and there is a demand for different types of chocolates that many specialized and newer brands are approaching giving a tough time to established brands such as Cadbury. THE THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES: Every industry including the chocolate industry is threatened by substitutes. New companies can come in and revolutionize the market and offer better and more unique substitutes of whatever is already on offer. In the chocolate industry new companies can provide better alternatives of existing products by offering cheaper prices and better quality. Product improvements can be made and this makes newer companies gain an advantage over existing companies. Due to health concerns in UK many customers are shifting to options such as biscuits. BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS. In the chocolate industry suppliers can gain power by increasing prices, limiting quality and services. The rising prices of Cocoa are forcing many chocolate brands to increase prices or reduce packaging size of chocolates. Bargaining power of suppliers are medium as even the suppliers require these brands to buy. The cocoa industry depends on the confectionary industry. However to combat the high prices Cadbury is reduce. ng packaging of sizes. The price of cocoa is consistently rising and the market is very volatile BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS The other side of powerful suppliers are powerful buyers. Buyers today are expecting better quality and cheaper prices. Since chocolate is a standardized product buyers can choose between many brands and switching costs are low. Brands such as Cadbury and Nestle are following customer demands such as creating healthy alternatives as well as suiting their requirements in terms of flavours, types of chocolate, etc. Due to recession in the UK many people prefer to remain at home and Cadbury is creating ‘Nights in’ options such as chocolate sharing bags. Bargaining power of buyers is high as they have the option to switch to several options. GENERIC STRATEGY OPTIONS According to Porter, a company can outperform other companies in a competitive arena through: 1. Cost Leadership 2. Differentiation 3. Focus As of 2009 Cadbury UK ltd remains market leader in chocolate confectionary accounting for 31% in value sales. With new product developments and extensions Cadbury hopes to woo new customers. With the takeover by Kraft Foods Cadbury is benefitted by widespread distribution and larger economies of scale COST LEADERSHIP: Cadbury is not a cost leader in the market however follows competitive pricing along with Mars Nestle. Due to cocoa prices rising they are increasing prices or reducing package sizes yet maintaining almost similar prices so no one can gain competitive price advantage. In October 2010, The Grocer revealed that Cadbury and Nestle were to increase their recommended retail prices by up to 7% across some of their most popular lines, including Dairy Milk, Wispa and Yorkie. Rising commodity prices led to a 3 pence (p) price increase on standard Cadbury Dairy Milk bars in October — a 30% increase on 2007 — taking the retail price of the chocolate bar to 56p. DIFFERENTIATION: Cadbury provides similar products to its competitors therefore differentiation is hard to achieve. Cadbury’s Diary Milk however is their best selling chocolate and is a plain chocolate. A similar product cannot be found in competitiors. Cadbury however is known for its unique taste and therefore offers differentiation as competitors cannot imitate the same taste. FOCUS: Competitive advantage can be gained if Cadbury focuses on target groups. As per consumer research volumes of chocolate consumed are falling however the same amounts of people are eating chocolate. Several factors such as negative health effects of chocolate and the concept of ‘staying in’ due to recession are deterring consumers from consuming chocolate. Cadbury’s responded to the increasing concern over unhealthy ingredients with the acquisition of the Natural Confectionery Company, which manufactures sweets without artificial colouring or flavourings. Cadbury can capitalise on captive audiences staying in at home with chocolate sharing bags and boxes such as Buttons Roses. Nestle is known to have partnered with Empire magazine’s dvd rental service to gain advantage over this ‘stay at home’ audience. Cadbury also needs to focus on ethical sourcing as people in the UK are expecting companies to conduct business in a socially responsible manner. Cadbury is a supporter of sustainable cocoa farming and in order to appeal to global audiences they entered into Fairtrade. To summarize focus can be on health concerns, ethical sourcing and corporate responsibility as well as seasonal demand during Christmas , Easter, ETC. Cadbury among its competitors also leads in brand extensions, the revival of Wispa is an important example. Competitors feel it comes in the way of original brand sales however Cadbury found success. RESOURCE BASED VIEW: According to the resource based view companies can achieve high performance through their developed resources. This view bases success of a company on its assets and capabilities which help to create competitive advantage. As per the resource based theory competitive edge can be found if companies possess the following characteristics: value, rarity, inimitability and non-substitutability (VRIN MODEL). Resources are further classified into tangible and intangible assets. Intangible Resources for Cadbury are: 1. Brand Name: The brand name Cadbury is very renowned. Kraft’s takeover has helped Kraft more than it has for Cadbury. Cadbury is an easily recognized brand name and is the market share leader in the UK. 2. Reputation: Cadbury has a very good reputation among buyers in the UK. In 2010 Cadbury became Fairtrade and also follows ethical sourcing of cocoa which has helped enhance its image. Cadbury’s history goes beyond 150 years and is considered a top brand. 3. Country of Origin: Country of origin is also an asset and in the case of Cadbury, the COO is UK. The COO is a method of evaluation for quality. Customers except a lot more when a brand originates from certain countries. 4. Market Domination: Cadbury has an additional asset of market domination. As of 2010 as per Euromonitor reports, Cadbury leads market share in the UK accounting for 31% value share in UK. The Kraft takeover has only helped in increasing the dominance of Cadbury due to increased distribution networks and extensive economies of scale. Following the Kraft takeover in February 2010, sales of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk were up 12. 8% and Cadbury’s overall chocolate confectionery business grew by 5%. Although Kraft’s chocolate sales rose faster in percentage terms, at 7. 5% for the 52 weeks ending 30th October 2010, this was the result of increased distribution. Cadbury’s acquisition has helped Kraft Foods. Supply chain assets such as a strong distribution network and good relationship with suppliers (cocoa, milk sugar) are also a strong asset for Cadbury. Cadbury is available at all retail outlets and due to its ethical sourcing objectives and fair-trade association it shares a good relationship with suppliers despite the volatile price environment. Other strong intangible assets for Cadbury include its existing large customer base, glowing corporate culture and production expertise. Tangible assets for Cadbury are factory and equipment as well as cash/cash equivalents. Below is a table listing assets of Cadbury on a Likert scale. Rated from 1 to 5 (5 being the highest) INTANGIBLE ASSETS: Resources| Value| Rarity| Inimitability| Non Substitutability| Brand Name| 5| 5| 5| 5| Reputation| 5| 4| 3| | Country of Origin| 5| 3| 3| 3| Market Domination| 5| 3| 3| 3| Supply Chain Assets| 5| 3| 3| 3|. To gain competitive advantage, capabilities of a firm should also be taken into consideration. According to Hooley, processes that deploy assets are capabilities. Several marketing capabilities should be included such as robust advertising and promotion strategies, distribution capabilities, pricing etc. The following capabilities can apply to Cadbury: * Advertising Promotions: Effective communications can take place through advertising, public relations, direct marketing, etc. Cadbury also launched a ? 50m advertising plan in 2010 as part of its official sponsorship of the London 2012. In recent time Cadbury has received good PR for becoming a fairtrade product. On 28th February 2011, the company began its ‘Fairtrade Fortnight’, after Cadbury announced that it planned to donate 20% of total sales from its fairtrade products to charity in order to fund a program that would give Ghanaian cocoa farmers solar panels. Examples of such good PR and great advertising campaigns help in Cadbury’s aim to gain competitive advantage. * Distribution capability: Distribution capability is a capability for Cadbury as it is available in all grocery stores including large scale retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury Asda. * Product developments: Cadbury’s newest innovations and brand extensions such as Diary Milk bliss (vanilla cream centre, extension of Diary Milk) are capabilities that help Cadbury achieve competitive advantage. Cadbury has also reintroduced Wispa which has been a big seller. During seasonal and festive times Cadbury innovates and brings out products that it is renowned for. Cadbury’s seasonal range offering new product innovations, such as Caramel Bunnies and Creme eggs are a popular choice that set it apart from competitors. CADBURY’S RELATIONSHIPS: Cadbury maintains a good relationship with its customers through effective marketing and PR tools such as social marketing and their website. Cadbury also has a good relationship with its suppliers, In order to achieve corporate social responsibility they have gone fairtrade and continue to support ethical farming of supplies such as cocoa. In 2011 cadbury donated one fifth of its profits from all fair trade certified products sold during fair trade fortnight (28th feb-13th march) to fund solar power projects in Ghana’s cocoa farming communities. Today sales of Cadbury’s Dairy Milk have resulted in 2. 3 million pounds of fairtrade premium paid to Kuapa Kokoo, a fairtrade cooperative for farmers. Cadbury has pledged to invest 45 million pounds over 10 years to secure sustainable future of cocoa farming in Ghana, India, South East Asia and the Caribbean. Cadbury has also invested in farmer education and also reducing its carbon footprint. Cadbury also keeps a good relationship with its distribution channels such as retail outlets like Tesco Asda. Relationships with the media, consumers, suppliers and distributors are the most important relationships for Cadbury. RECOMMENDATION Chocolate remains by far the largest sector of the confectionery market, with sales rising by 17% over the 5 years, compared to the sugar confectionery market which grew by just 6. 3% over the same period. This was principally down to the continued popularity of chocolate products and the rising retail price of confectionery. Countering highly competitive environment through differentiating your product and providing something different from competitors. A tough marketing strategy should be created to help increase value of the product among customers. This creates higher entry barriers for new market players and despite industry growth, market share and costs of supply a brand can cement its own and undisputable position. If product cycle reaches decline then the brand should work to reinvent the product. Cadbury at present is the market leader and with the association with Kraft they can benefit from synergistic strategies. The past few years have also seen concerns regarding the ethical sourcing and production of confectionery products escalate. As a result, organic and fairtrade ingredients have become more widely used in confectionery. Cadbury has created a good name for itself by going fairtrade and must continue to produce in ethical ways. In order to maintain competitive advantage Cadbury must continue to analyse market trends such as healthy eating, staying in and sharing as well as the public’s interest in corporate responsibility. As per keynote reports the price of cocoa and sugar has increased dramatically over the 5-year review period, which is likely to have an adverse affect on the chocolate confectionery sector. Although some companies maintained a good level of ingredient stocks in 2010, the rising cost of commodities, coupled with the increase in value added tax (VAT) in January,is likely to have a more noticeable effect on the industry in 2011. In the UK, the confectionery market continues to enjoy a high level of consumer penetration, with nearly nine out of ten adults purchasing chocolate bars or similar products on a regular or semi-regular basis. However, the market’s large size, its abundance of products and the dominance of well-known brands such as Cadbury. In response to economic downturns and the escalating prices of supplies, Cadbury should respond by producing budget and value items. In a response to escalating cocoa prices Cadbury has responded by not passing price increases onto customers by reducing the size of its products. In February 2011, Cadbury reduced its 140 gram (g) bar of Dairy Milk to 120g (removing two squares), but kept the price the same. Cadbury in order to maintain competitive advantage must continue to offer the customer value through its resources, keep the prices low as well as keep innovating and providing newer products. Another strength Cadbury should concentrate is on to keep focussing on key brands such as Dairy Milk. To have an advantage over competitors Cadbury must continue to follow market trends. REFERENCING Euromonitor reports Hooley, G. , Piercy, N. F. , and Nicoulaud, B. (2008) Marketing Strategy and Competitive Positioning, 4th Ed. , Harlow: FT Prentice-Hall Keynote reports Mintel reports Porter, M. E. (1980c) Competitive Strategy, New York: Free Press Porter, M. E. (1980b) How competitive forces shape strategy, McKinsey Quarterly, Spring, No. 2, pp. 34-50 www. cadbury. co. uk.