Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Management accounting is a new branch of accounting that promotes the Essay

Management accounting is a new branch of accounting that promotes the overall managerial performance of an organisation - Essay Example As scholars indicate, an organisation’s management accounting discipline can have a great influence on its other functions. Mainly, management accounting discipline defines an organisation’s managerial ethics. Hence, the concept of management accounting discipline greatly relates to the firm’s corporate governance policies. This paper will particularly discuss the evolution of management accounting discipline and its relationship with other functions in organisations. The paper will give specific focus to the ethical aspects in management accounting, performance management, balanced scorecard, activity based costing and sustainability reporting. Evolution of management accounting discipline The history of management accounting can be dated back to 19th century when the process of industrial revolution compelled firms to maintain better managerial control over their business activities. During that time, most of the firms were run by a single owner or manager usin g their personal assets. As there had been no external stockholders or unsecured debt, organisations never used to prepare elaborated financial reports. Therefore, the concept of management accounting was widely known by its cost accounting functions in olden days. The idea of management accounting has undergone tremendous changes over the last century. As per the Malaysian Institute of Accountants’ (2005) study, the development of this concept can be explained using four recognisable time phases2. Phase 1 - Before 1950, the major function of the management accounting was to determine the costs and to control financial operations using financial tools such as budgeting and cost accounting. Phase 2 - By 1965, the scope of management accounting expanded and hence its focus has been shifted to provision of information for managerial activities such as planning and control. For this purpose, business managers used tools such as decision analysis and responsibility accounting. Pha se 3 – By 1985, management accountants extensively used techniques like process analysis and cost management in order to reduce the wastage of resources in business processes and thereby improve profitability. Phase 4 – By 1995, the management accounting branch focused more on value creation through effective use of resources. For this purpose, management accountants sought help of technologies that can identify the contributing factors to shareholder value, customer value, and organisational innovation3. The emergence of the concept strategic management accounting in late 1980s notably changed the overall outlook of the management accounting4. By the end of the 20th century, increased pressures from capital markets, creditors, and governmental regulatory bodies forced organisations to pay specific attention to managerial control. In addition, increasing business needs persuaded business houses to raise additional funds from different capital suppliers5. In order to ma nage fund raising activities and to identify future fund needs, business managers had to obtain audited financial statements. Likewise, firms had to communicate its financial

Monday, October 28, 2019

Columbia Gs Admission Essay Essay Example for Free

Columbia Gs Admission Essay Essay My name is Edgar Martinez. I was born in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia) 34 years ago. My childhood was pretty normal. My parents had enough to provide for my little brother and I. My father was a local councilman at the time my mom a homemaker. I always wanted to be a politician like my father I admired him as a matter of fact I still do. I graduated from High School in 1995 and soon after and got drafted to go the Colombian Army. I was sent to Santa Marta a small town located a 200 miles north from my hometown. There I encounter my first experience with the real word and left for good my childhood. In the middle of deployment my father a secretary of Energy for the national government was kidnaped . After that life was never going to be the same. We waited and waited and waited †¦.. and waited. And after a few weeks a platton of navy seals of some sort rescue my father and he was brought back to us alive and almost well. The trauma of being in captivity was devastating for him and the family . My parents desided to send me to the US to be in a safer place. Little did I know I would never return to live in the place I was born. I came to the US in 1997 directly from Cartagena to Salt Lake City.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Essay --

Introduction The previous chapter explained the method of data collection and alluded to the issues pertaining to the actual process of data collection. Once the data was collected from the respondents and coded, descriptive statistics and cross tabulations were performed on the data. The statistical analyses conducted illustrated the extent to which management’s inability to innovate causes corporate failure. The results of the statistical analyses from questionnaires are presented in this chapter. The implications of the findings are discussed in light of the literature reviewed in chapter two. Participants Questionnaires were sent to 120 people across several industries, educational level, race and gender. 98 approximately 82% of the 120 questionnaires sent out were answered and returned. Questionnaires Sent Out Answered Ignored 120 98 22 Gender Question one required respondents to state their gender. 97 questionnaires filled this answer except one. 64 of the respondents were male and 34 female. Gender Distribution Male Female 64 34 Racial distribution Question two was for respondents to state their race. This question was optional but fortunately, all participants filled it. 32 were Blacks, 43 Whites and 23 Asians. Every race had good representation. It was not a coincidence; it happened the way the questionnaires where distributed. Racial distribution Blacks Whites Asians 32.65% 43.88% 23.47% Educational Level Educational level was broken down in several categories, Primary School, Secondary School, High School, Undergraduate, Post graduate, Doctorate or PhD, Professional Qualification and Not Applicable so as to cover every group of persons. Responds where as follows: Educational Qualification Distribution ... ...of the respondents strongly agreed there is a strong positive relationship, 55% agreed, 4% disagreed, 7% strongly disagreed and no one was indifferent. Relationship between Management, Innovation, Customers and Business failure Strongly Agree 32 Agree 55 Neutral 0 Disagree 4 Strongly disagree 7 Conclusion This chapter focused on the actual findings of the study and presented the extent to which innovation can affect an organisation. The statistical nature of the findings was essential to give a clear view on how management’s inability to innovate can cause business failure. There is sufficient evidence to believe that the respondents of this study were engaged in best practice and any information in regards to their identity or personal issues were kept confidential. Based on the finding of this study, the recommendations will be presented in the next chapter.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Piercy?s Use Of Implied And Ex Essay example -- essays research papers

In this poem Marge Piercy’s speaker evokes a concrete vision of a woman who has lost her personal identity to her job. Her bold and descriptive use of metaphors allow the reader to envision a woman who is living her life vicariously through her career. Ms. Piercy successfully uses paradox, personification, and the pun to bring the character alive. With the use of metaphors, both implied and explicit, the reader can deeply empathize with the central character of this poem.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the first line of the poem the tone is set for the reader. It is not so vague as to use a simple simile, but a strong manifestation of the idea of the speaker as an actual personification of a material object. She does not say â€Å"My hips are like a desk†, she says â€Å"My hips are a desk† (line 1). Throughout the rest of the poem, personification of the woman as nothing more than a piece of office equipment is expressed with striking realism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first six lines of the poem the speaker describes herself in salient detail. Each of her body parts are placed with an obvious piece of office equipment. This allows the reader to form a solid picture of a woman sitting at her desk performing the daily drudgery of a secretary. She does not see herself as a real woman but a woman whose hair is†rubber bands† (3), whose†breasts are wells of mimeograph ink†, (5) and whose â€Å"feet bear casters† (6).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The secretary is so entren...

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Should People in the Public Eye Expect Their Privacy to Be Respected by the Media?

Journalism is a field of work that requires an individual to balance the ethical aspects of invading another person’s privacy with getting the information they need to cover a specific story. It is becoming increasingly common to find out what a certain celebrity has said or done yesterday in today’s newspaper and magazine tabloids. Our society has become so fixated in watching and reading about others, that sometimes we forget that celebrities should have some privacy of their own. Stories in the headlines can range from what a certain celebrity orders from a fast food restaurant to information concerning a divorce settlement between couples. Every solitary move a famous individual makes in his or her life is documented in a photograph, editorial, or headline on a TV show dedicated to exposing their life. If famous celebrities cannot receive any amount of privacy, why should individuals like ourselves be guaranteed that our personal lives are not exposed to the world? Should not all human beings be able to keep certain aspects of their life personal? Journalists and photographers should realize that celebrities are human beings that would like to keep certain parts of their lives to themselves, and not have their lives consumed with photographs and editorials devoted to exposing all details of their life good or bad. The definition of public eye is people in the one, which consist of politicians, athletes, celebrities and other individuals who are famous. For my presentation we will be concentrating on the public eye and whether they should expect their privacy to be respected by the media. Media comes in various forms, with the more common ones being newspapers, tabloids, radio, paparazzi, internet, social media and many more. With the amount of attention numerous celebrities receive from the media, invading their privacy is just another part of a journalist’s job description. Such actions as going through another individual’s trash can lead to the next big headline on tomorrow’s magazine. Some journalists will ultimately dedicate their life to exposing someone else’s in magazine editorials and articles. The media is certainly abusing the rights they are given by exposing details of famous individual’s lives. Anything from celebrity scandals and breakups to private matters like divorce are always shown on TV shows featured on E News, which show the latest and most up to date stories. These shows will provide viewers with hard evidence including paper documents and photographs that depict a certain story. Stories dealing with breakups, for instance, the popular divorce between Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston after seven years of marriage, are sold to specific magazines for a large amount of money. Public eye privacy being invaded – a question that has been discussed over and over again in the media itself, the debate intensifying after the latest tragic break-ups by famous ex-actor and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger was caught having an internal affairs with his maid is to believed his privacy being invaded. Sought by celebrities, anonymous informers as well as ordinary citizens, privacy should be respected by members of the press – too often do journalists use techniques that show disregard for others' distress in order to â€Å"get the story†. However, in other cases, it is due to the publication of â€Å"private† details that hidden agendas and acts of corruption are brought to light. It is the amount of public interest involved that is more important in determining whether or not the press is justified in overriding privacy. The press – all members of the printed media, including newspapers, magazines, and tabloids – plays the important role of informing the public of what they need to know. This freedom of speech in the media is central to our democracy, as it means that the public's main source of information is independent of any of the authorities, and is thus more likely to present information in an unbiased manner. As stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, â€Å"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. â€Å"It is the right to know, the publics right to access information, which allows us to keep a critical eye on our society and ensure the fair running of our country. However, another basic human right is the right to privacy â€Å"freedom from intrusion and public attention† as defined in the Oxford Dictionary. This includes privacy for the person, conversation, seclusion and personal information. That is, one should be able to lead a life without others following one all the time, eavesdropping on what one says, having one's every move under surveillance, and making public one's personal details. Such two basic human rights come into conflict when matters are to be reported in the media. What the press sees as information that ought to be made public may be considered private by the individual. 997 figures showed the privacy complaints made by both public personalities and private citizens, having tripled since 1994, stood at 9% of the total number of complaints lodged to the Press Council. Often when confronted with such accusations of intruding upon one's privacy, the journalist's defense is that it was in the â€Å"public interest†. This term, however, is rather vague. Many tend to define it as what the public is interested in – the kind of sensational news that increases circulation and sells papers. Yet this sacrifice of the individual's privacy for the entertainment of the general public is not â€Å"public interest†. In fact, it is the necessity of the public, as citizens, to have access to essential information. A great proportion of those mentioned in the media are ordinary citizens who, because of their experience of extraordinary circumstances, become significant. These people are most likely to be victims of crime or tragedy. In such cases, names, addresses, photographs and other details that would lead to the identification of the victim should not be published without consent. It is not imperative for the public to know the name of the victim because, after all, stories reported in the media are often far removed from the readers' daily lives that the name is of no more interest to them than a piece of trivia. Yet to the victim and his or her family and friends, publication of the name could mean embarrassment, harassment or even death threats from the criminal. In conclusion, the most basic form to freedom of expression and encourages the journalists to have public responsibilities as an honest and efficient journalist that respects the rights of others. The 8th code of ethics in MEAA is to ‘use fair, responsible and honest means to obtain material and never exploit a person’s vulnerability or ignorance of media practice’, meanwhile the 11th code of to ‘respect private grief and personal privacy. But again, it does actually depend on what situation that the public eyes are going through. Is it bad or good thing that journalism should report a story regarding on their private life or its just counted as an entertainment values as in the public interest that will do the rating of a certain story to put in the tabloids.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism

Diagnosis and Treatment of Autism Free Online Research Papers The subject of Autism is personal for me because one of my good friends has a son who has autistic. All this week CNN has been doing a study on autism which I found to be very interesting; this is why I am doing my report about the Autistic disorder. Autism which is short for the term autistic disorder is an unusual and severe disorder that can be diagnosed during infancy. According to the Surgeon General autism affects about 10 to 12 kids for each 10,000 kids (Smith, 2008). Autism can be described as an extreme lack of ability to participate in different settings, and by a lack of interest in, societal relations (Smith, 2008).The lack of social interaction, imaginations and communication are other distinct characteristics of Autism. People with autism normally have a limited array of interest and often produced the same behaviors and gestures. According to the University of Phoenix â€Å"the specific source of autism is not known, though most theorists believe that autism is for the most part a product of genetic conditions (University of Phoenix, 2006). The Surgeon General has posted on his state website that â€Å"there is verification to facilitate numerous but dissimilar reasons of toxic or infectious harm to the central nervous system throughout a Childs early development as well might add to the autistic disorder (Smith, 2008). There are some signs through social impairments, and communications that will help determine and diagnose weather a child has an autistic disorder (Slonims, 2003). Autistic children may have problems in developing critical language skills particularly understanding verbal communication; or an abnormal use of speech. Some autistic kids have a hard time responding to there name; Some have partial non-verbal communication. Some other signs of autism in kids are that the baby is not pointing, making gestures, and babbling. Baby’s should be able to say a complete word by 18 months, and there should not be much loss of social skills or language. There may also be minimum appreciation or receptiveness to other peoples joy or suffering. There will be very a partial range of creative pretence or, engage in recreation particularly social imagination (Slonims, 2003) Treatment for autistic disorder at an early age is very important. The earlier a child is diagnosed with the autistic order the sooner they can get the help and therapy they need to live the best life possible. My friends son John who is autistic saw me playing the piano one day at church, and started clapping and jumping up load. I told my friend Dave to bring him in before one of lessons with a student which he did. I sat John down and put his hands on the piano, John played about 3 notes before I stopped him, and hummed a Bflat. To my surprise John laughed and played the same note I just hummed. I laughed as well because he played the B flat fast without even thinking about it. I continued to test John for about 20 minutes on recognizing notes, â€Å"he did not miss one†. I discovered that John had perfect pitch. He had the ability to her a sound and duplicated it on the piano. In the first lesson I show John how to play Marry had a little lamb, and I’ve got the joy, which he learn in minutes. John’s parents told me that John was not suppose to be able to talk, and now they can not get him to stop talking, Because of the progress of John the school district has allowed John to leave school early every Tuesday and Thursday to come to my office for a piano lesson which the district considers to be therapy. Since John has started playing the piano his hands are getting stronger, with more dexterity. I have noticed that John is more calm than usually, and he also likes to create his own music. The majority of behavioral treatment plans contain understandable instructions to the person, prompting to achieve exact behaviors. Another key is to give attention, rewards, and praise for doing those behaviors. I think the main key is for parents to know how to take care of there autistic kid so that they child can grow up to be all that they can be. References Slonims, V. (2003). Diagnosis of autism. BMJ , 1. Smith, B. . (2008, 02). Other Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Retrieved 04 05, 2008, from public health services: surgeongeneral.gov/library/mentalhealth/chapter3/sec6.html#autism University of Phoenix. (2006). Psychological Disorders . In U. o. Phoenix, Psychology: An Introduction (12th ed.). Research Papers on Diagnosis and Treatment of AutismThree Concepts of PsychodynamicEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenResearch Process Part OneAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementHip-Hop is ArtRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionPersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraTrailblazing by Eric Anderson

Monday, October 21, 2019

The New Napster essays

The New Napster essays So its a Friday night and you, being a stereotypical Penn State student, are ready to go out. Whether it be the latest fraternity party, or just a get together in an apartment, everyone is well aware of the evenings plans. Go to a party, drink some beer, take a few shots, and make your way home at some point in the evening. But you show up at this party and you hear the news, there will be no alcohol at this party. There will be no alcohol at any party that Penn State students attend. Instead, Gram Spanier has kindly purchased a vending machine full of non-alcoholic beverages that you can sample for free, but if you want to drink the whole thing, you must pay ninety-nine cents. He doesnt want any Penn State students getting in trouble with the police and that underage drinking law. So hes provided an alternative. Isnt he a wonderful president? I think not. This is Dr. Spaniers way of helping out the students of Penn State. This is his way of making sure we stay out of trouble. Except its not underage drinking that hes attempting to ban, its illegal file sharing. Penn State has recently adopted a new file-sharing program called Napster. Napster was previously shut down by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) but recently has been allowed because of the new pay-to-play ideals. This means that for a fee of ten dollars a month, anyone can download music to their computer (Sagoff, 2003). Penn State students do not have to directly pay this fee because it is included in the pre-existing information technology fees, currently $160 per semester (Borland, 2003). The new program gives on campus students free access to more than 500,000 songs, as well as forty radio stations, along with access to six decades of Billboard chart data, an online magazine and community features. Downloading songs is free, but to burn these songs onto a compact disc, the cost is ninety-nine cents per...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Fast Food, Fat Profits

Fast Food, Fat Profits The documentary film Fast Food, Fat Profits is aimed at exploring various issues such as the underlying causes of obesity in the United States, the eating habits of American people, and the factors that shape their dietary choices. This movie can be discussed with the help of frame analysis developed by Erving Goffman.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Fast Food, Fat Profits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This approach can show how the authors convey their main message to the viewers. Moreover, this film should be evaluated from the perspective of radical doubt. In this way, one can evaluate the arguments or ideas more critically. First, one can speak about social framework which implies that the events and trends described in the movie can be explained by the actions and decisions of individuals and organizations that can derive some benefit from current social tendencies (Goffman 22). In this case, one s hould speak about the activities of fast-food companies that provide products that are rich in calories. These enterprises can appeal to many consumers because they can sell their foods at a much lower price. Moreover, these organizations resist the attempts of legislators to regulate their activities. Apart from that, much attention should be paid to the unwillingness of public administrators to raise awareness about the risks of fast food. For instance, many employees of the U.S. Department of Agriculture are affiliated with the producers of fast food. In fact, they can even lobby the interests of these businesses. Thus, the epidemic of obesity in the United States can be attributed to the activities of corporations as well as governmental officials who have a conflict of interests. This is one of the messages that this documentary film conveys. However, it is also possible to speak about the natural framework according to which the events should be regarded as undirected or ungui ded (Goffman 22). In other words, the outcomes should not be attributed to an agent that strives to influence the behavior of other people.Advertising Looking for critical writing on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This perspective can be applied to this film. For instance, one can say that the epidemic of obesity is driven by the economic inequalities in the American society. Many people are not able to purchase healthy food products; therefore, they have to buy fast food. Furthermore, many people do not know much about the risks of such eating habits. In particular, some of them are not fully aware of such consequences as diabetes or heart diseases. Therefore, it is not reasonable to blame only fast-food companies or governmental officials for the growing rates of obesity in America. By combining natural and social frameworks, one can argue that obesity can be viewed as the result of economic inequa lities, the activities of fast food companies, and people’s lifestyles. Thus, the film-makers crafted the main message of this documentary by using natural and social frameworks. This is one of the issues that can be distinguished. In addition to that, this film can be discussed from the standpoint of radical doubt. In particular, it is possible to assume that people, who spoke about the underlying causes of obesity, had an incentive to conceal or even distort information. For instance, one can suppose that some critics of these products were affiliated with some competitors of fast-food companies. Therefore, they could be motivated to accuse these businesses of various health problems faced by American people. Thus, the practice of radical doubt can help a person to examine the arguments of other people more thoroughly. Furthermore, this approach is useful for indentifying the limitations of the statements made by other people.Advertising We will write a custom criti cal writing sample on Fast Food, Fat Profits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For example, one can say that the authors of this movie did not pay much attention to the sedentary lifestyles of many people. Similarly, the people, who were interviewed in the film, could be willing to accuse fast-food companies because it was difficult for them to accept their responsibility for their eating habits. This is one of the details that should not be overlooked. In turn, the film-makers did not speak much about people’s unwillingness to do physical exercises which are important for controlling weight. Therefore, the main message of this documentary is not quite accurate. Thus, the notion of radical doubt is a helpful tool for the evaluation of information. There are some limits to the practice of radical doubt. As it has been said before, this method is premised on the idea that a person has an incentive to lie. Thus, one must show or prove tha t this motivation is present. Furthermore, by relying on radical doubt, one can question the validity of every study, report, survey, and so forth. The main problem is that in this way, one can reject virtually every source of information. This is one of the limitations that can be singled out. Still, this discussion shows that the analysis of cinematographic work should be based on the application of critical thinking skills. In this way, one can better critique the arguments put forward by other people. These are the main benefits of this approach. Goffman, Erving. Frame Analysis: An Essay on the Organization of Experience,  Boston: Northeastern, 1986. Print.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

International management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

International management - Essay Example Though The global financial crisis battered many European businesses, Bernard Arnault, the manager of LMVH, believes that his company will not suffer much in the long run, but will, on the contrary, continue growing in emerging markets; particularly China, India and Russia. This means the manager has faith in his strategy and, indeed, investing into further growth instead of cutting budgets in times of a financial crisis will provide the company with an advantage of getting new sources of income. LVMH’s management seems to understand the continuous need for development. As a result, the company will not lose its existing market share because of cost cuts (Pacek & Thorniley, 2007, p. 11). Arnault is setting realistic goals to achieve sustainable growth in the upcoming years. Working internationally Furthermore, intention to work in the emerging markets of China, India and Russia is very logical considering that in the emerging markets LVMH’s products will be filling larg e existing voids and, in addition, the company will have fewer competitors than in the developed markets (Miller, 1998, p. 148). So an emerging market is always a good environment for company’s success. Nevertheless, LVMH will face a number of challenges and risks entering the new markets. Among them are differences between cultures, political uncertainty, and currency exchange risks. As for all the other aspects, risks of domestic firms are basically similar to those of multinational ones and, hence, a decision of the company not to operate overseas may be caused only by these two mentioned above factors. At the same time, a multinational company, despite larger number of risks, has more advantages in comparison with a domestic one. The reason for it is the fact that while, exposed to some risks, the domestic office is working on the development of new profitable managing strategies, foreign subdivisions of the company are working and getting profits. At the same time a pure ly domestic company puts all its resources for solving the current problem and has no additional income. Nevertheless, a new business abroad will be exposed to a greater number of potential risks than a home-country one. Any multinational company is exposed to risks such as change of foreign currency exchange rate, commodity prices and interest rates because it denominates its transactions in foreign currencies. That’s why there is also some uncertainty in future earnings, liabilities and assets values. Therefore, before taking a decision on the country of entry, a profound analysis of its current political and economical situation is to be performed. Setting and implementing objectives One more important thing to consider is that there is always a possibility of risk influencing company’s strategic planning and strategy. Therefore, objectives should be flexible enough in order for the company to be able to adjust them to particular circumstances in case market environ ment or other factors influencing company’s operations change. Besides, not only management, but each separate employee of the company should be aware of such objectives, strategies and special programs in order to understand his/her particular part in their achievement better, and feel free to initiate actions aimed at their achievement. Every employee should have clear responsibilities and duties in this or that project in order for everyone to know and understand one’

Friday, October 18, 2019

Case study on MABUCHI MOTORS CO. LTD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Case study on MABUCHI MOTORS CO. LTD - Essay Example (Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd.). The strategic management of Mabuchi Motor Co. Ltd., has come in for acclaim for its use of innovation in products, processes, and management techniques that has made the company a formidable business enterprise. This was rewarded by, Mabuchi Motor Company becoming one of the first four Japanese companies to receive the Porter Prize in 2002. (New Porter Prize Awarded in Japan). Mabuchi Motor Co. Ltd. has concentrated on market and production location diversification, while hanging on to its limited product range strategy. (Goerzen, A., 1998). This strategy of Mabuchi, enables it to concentrate all its efforts into its single product, and consolidate these efforts to give it opportunities into diverse markets. This also signifies the strong confidence of Mabuchi in its product enhancement to meet new challenges in the market for small electric motors. The disadvantage of a single product portfolio is that it makes the creation of adequate demand for the product a very significant factor. Mabuchi has turned this disadvantage into an opportunity, as it strives to meet customer requirements within its narrow product base. The Germany Company, Braun is the largest manufacturers of electric razors, and approached Mabuchi with an attractive proposal to enlarge its product base by developing an electric motor without a steel core. Mabuchi refused this offer, but t ook this up as challenge, and convinced Braun on the true capabilities of its steel-core electric motors, and developed a motor for Braun at roughly one-tenth the price of the motor that was in use at that time by Braun. This endeavor of Mabuchi has made it the sole supplier of small electric motors to Braun. The ability of Mabuchi to develop electric motors for diverse application provides it with a window of opportunity for finding new markets. (Hiroaki, N.). The prices of the products of Mabuchi are extremely competitive. This is because of

Prepare a brief project about Art Exhibition Essay

Prepare a brief project about Art Exhibition - Essay Example The exhibition includes iconography and distinctive style, and the breadth of its impact on the a thousand years in which the first cities in the world have turned into the first states and kingdoms of the world (Cookson 2007).The unity of mankind is impressive by the fact that similar features recur over the world is evident by religion, thought forms, tools and social forms. The simplicity of the man is great despite its diversity (Bliss 2008). Or just by observing the common component, however, is divergent clear. In the story, which is invaluable and irreplaceable comes to light in unique creations; breakthroughs and achievements. These creative steps are as revelations of a country other than the simple course of event source. They laid the foundation of humanity to come next. The Greek historian Herodotus wrote in the sixth century BC was amazed fertility of Babylon, the richest granary of the country in the world, and huge crops of wheat, millet and sesame, the size. Grown This incredible landscape in the third millennium BC Sumer and Accad, and after the city of Babylon name is later known, covering the southern part of a diverse landscape, which is mentioned later in the Greek sources Mesopotamia, or "land between the rivers", the Euphrates and Tigris (Bliss 2008). It comprises the eastern end of the Fertile Crescent of popular literature. However, the fertility of Mesopotamia is not the natural state of the alluvial plain south, where the first towns founded. On the contrary, the generosity of Herodotus praised the work of people who irrigation in agriculture, an unfavorable climate with unpredictable rainfall and damaging floods. It is invented to overcome a pattern that is expressed by Sumerian literature. A project organization is a structure that facilitates the coordination and the implementation of Project activities. Its main task is the creation promotes an environment those interactions between team members with minimal

Thursday, October 17, 2019

CONFERENCE AND EVENT MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

CONFERENCE AND EVENT MANAGEMENT - Essay Example These issues were however raised prior to the commencement of the 2009 annual event and were reported upon after the event, as will be highlighted within this report. Prior to the commencement of the 2009 event in Brisbane, media reports dominated the process of the refurbishment of the existing show grounds where the exhibition is housed on an annual basis, with a budget of $3 billion. This refurbishment includes inter alia the development of retail, commercial and residential infrastructure and development within the immediate grounds and vicinities, which in itself represents a significant contribution to the region in terms of both development, as well as the regional economy. Although this is not specific to the EKKA itself, it is seen as an initiative from within the EKKA camp and represents value to the region as a whole. From a historical perspective, the EKKA originally named The Brisbane Exhibition had its inaugural exhibition in 1876 with an attendance of 17,000 visitors (Mirosch, 2008). According to the media reports of the Brisbane Times and pertaining to the 2009 event, an approximate visitor turnout of 400,000 people attended the 2009 event (Brisbane Times). This turnout was however down on the preceding years figures by as much as 20%, represented by a significant turnout of over half a million people in 2008, according to media reports and resources. The show was still however deemed to be successful despite the reduced numbers in attendance, the media attributed the reduced turnout to the current financial situation as well as the impending swine flu situation. Attendance figures may well have an impact upon the sustainability of an exhibition, as well as the profitability of the event itself, dependent upon the expected income generated from admission or entrance fees, this will be addres sed further

Fashion Business and Family Dynasties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Fashion Business and Family Dynasties - Essay Example The essay "Fashion Business and Family Dynasties" discovers the business and families of Hermes and Louis Vuitton. Hermes has been associated with the most wonderful luxury brands and is related to the category of women’s handbags, perfumes and jewelries. Hermes is one of the oldest firms in France that has been owned and managed by the family of Hermes. Thierry Hermes is the founder of the Hermes Group. Until 2004, the business of Hermes had been controlled and managed by the family members of Hermes. The family owned group had controlled the family stake and had shown efficient leadership to retain control over the strategic decision of the business within the family. During the period of 1978 to 2004, the Hermes Group was managed under the leadership of Jean-Louis Dumas who was the great-grandson of Hermes. In the year 2006, Jean-Louis Dumas had passed away and Patrick Thomas became the manager in Hermes. He was the ‘first non-family manager’ in Hermes in their entire history of business operations. Patrick Thomas became the first CEO of Hermes but the control was with the family members of Hermes and they retained the control to maintain the family heritage of the business. Hermes is basically known as the bag and scarf maker. They have by no means aggressively pursued any kind off strategy to develop as a luxury conglomerate and constantly remained strong in their individual space of operations. Louis Vuitton is a French based company that deals with fashionable merchandizes. ... family members of Hermes and they retained the control to maintain the family heritage of the business (Bhalla, â€Å"Disintegrating Family Firm: How Well Are You Prepared For the Ultimate†). Hermes is basically known as the bag and scarf maker. They have by no means aggressively pursued any kind off strategy to develop as a luxury conglomerate and constantly remained strong in their individual space of operations (Elite Choice, â€Å"Louis Vuitton Claims to be a Long Term Shareholder of Hermes, Raises Stake to 20%†). Louis Vuitton (Family & Business) Louis Vuitton is a French based company that deals with fashionable merchandizes. Louis Vuitton was established by the founder Louis Vuitton in the year 1854. It deals in the luxury merchandizes (Louis Vuitton, â€Å"About Us†). The Louis Vuitton brand had been famous for its LV logo that features upon most of the merchandizes of Louis Vuitton ranging from luxury chests and leather merchandize to shoes, ready-to-wea r merchandizes, accessories, books, sunglasses, watches and jewellery. Louis Vuitton is known as the leading fashion house in the international market. The merchandizes of Louis Vuitton are sold through the model of standalone boutiques, e-commerce application and lease departments that are departmental stores which represent high-end values (Louis Vuitton. â€Å"The World of Louis Vuitton†). Louis Vuitton and family have managed their entire business in the world. They started in Paris and slowly gained acceptance due to their skillful work. Louis Vuitton had developed the brand uniquely as there was duplication of the products especially in the leather bags category for travelers. After the demise of Louis Vuitton, his son Georges Vuitton controlled the business and managed all its activities. Georges Vuitton

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

CONFERENCE AND EVENT MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

CONFERENCE AND EVENT MANAGEMENT - Essay Example These issues were however raised prior to the commencement of the 2009 annual event and were reported upon after the event, as will be highlighted within this report. Prior to the commencement of the 2009 event in Brisbane, media reports dominated the process of the refurbishment of the existing show grounds where the exhibition is housed on an annual basis, with a budget of $3 billion. This refurbishment includes inter alia the development of retail, commercial and residential infrastructure and development within the immediate grounds and vicinities, which in itself represents a significant contribution to the region in terms of both development, as well as the regional economy. Although this is not specific to the EKKA itself, it is seen as an initiative from within the EKKA camp and represents value to the region as a whole. From a historical perspective, the EKKA originally named The Brisbane Exhibition had its inaugural exhibition in 1876 with an attendance of 17,000 visitors (Mirosch, 2008). According to the media reports of the Brisbane Times and pertaining to the 2009 event, an approximate visitor turnout of 400,000 people attended the 2009 event (Brisbane Times). This turnout was however down on the preceding years figures by as much as 20%, represented by a significant turnout of over half a million people in 2008, according to media reports and resources. The show was still however deemed to be successful despite the reduced numbers in attendance, the media attributed the reduced turnout to the current financial situation as well as the impending swine flu situation. Attendance figures may well have an impact upon the sustainability of an exhibition, as well as the profitability of the event itself, dependent upon the expected income generated from admission or entrance fees, this will be addres sed further

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

New technolgy work and the economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

New technolgy work and the economy - Essay Example It complements other organizational management indicatives in providing a focus on the sustenance of competitive advantage. Every company has its own unique knowledge management strategy. To understand how knowledge management affects work and the economy, it is important to understand what it is in all aspects (Christensen, 2003). There is no universal definition of knowledge management, but a few experts have tried to put to words what this kind of management entails. Knowledge management is the term used to refer to the â€Å"collection of processes that govern the creation, dissemination, and utilization of knowledge† (Newman, 2002). It can also be said to be the systematic process by which information is found, selected, organized, distilled and presented. This systematic process is carried out in a way that serves to improve the employees’ understanding of a particular area of interest. In other words knowledge management is a process that should be used to enhance the objectives and goals of the organization (Nonaka, 2002). Knowledge management allows an organization to achieve its goals and objectives. This means that knowledge management is an important factor that contributes to the organization’s long term success without putting too much strain on the existing resources. All the different definitions are similar in that they emphasize the importance of the organization as a whole in the process of knowledge management. Most of the definitions point out that knowledge emanates from individuals and that not a single one of them knows everything. It is therefore important to manage all this knowledge so that everyone on the organization can gain something from one another (Christensen, 2003). The aim of any organization is to ensure that it is as profitable as possible. Mnprofitability can be achieved through many ways, including proper knowledge management. Effective knowledge management makes it possible for a company to serve customers to

Peruvian market Essay Example for Free

Peruvian market Essay My final paper will focus in the Peruvian generic medicine market. The Peruvian market is dominated by the leading laboratories who set the prices and control the brands. Peruvian customers are used to follow doctors prescriptions strictly and believe that the use of generics is dangerous. This situation allows the laboratories to capture the market and set the prices (Peruvian medicines are more expensive than in the USA). The Peruvian health agency; Ministerio de salud signed a cooperation agreement with national association of pharmacies for them to distribute 83 of the most used generic medicines along with the brand medicines. They never kept up the agreement, and the pharmacies refuse to sell generic medicines. The generic drug industry covers the marketing and sale of medication containing the same active ingredients and dosages as brand-name drugs manufactured by the pharmaceutical industry. Drugs can be prescribed under their chemical name without specifying a particular pharmaceutical brand or company. A key benefit of generic drugs is that they usually cost a fraction of the price of brand-name drugs. In this context, our company (consulting) is planning to open a franchise of pharmacies that will exclusively provide generic medicines to the customers. We have two investors that have different approaches for the business. Final paper will analyze the legal environment in Peru and all aspects of liabilities, torts, ethics and legal implications of opening a parent company that will manage the franchise. Our company is based in the United States and will import products from the US. Therefore, is subject to lawsuits and liability in both the USA and Peru. Peru has a current free trade agreement with the United States. This agreement considers anti-trust laws and monopoly, international contracts, and patent protection among others. The paper will cover the main subjects such as; International law, contracts, anti-trust law, securities regulations, employment law, environmental law, crimes, and torts.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Differences Between Virtual and Real Worlds

Differences Between Virtual and Real Worlds The nearer the virtual world comes to replicating the real world the more we will have to question what, if any, the difference continues to be. Discuss. Introduction The concept of the virtual has been around for much longer than the technology which now makes the virtual part of our lives. In various forms, such as that put forward by Descartes, the concept of the virtual has long permeated the thoughts of scholars. However, it is only in very recent times that the concept of the virtual has really taken flight. For now, with emerging technologies and a world which is more unstable than ever, the world of the virtual has grown rapidly. Now, the virtual is getting closer and closer to reality, and soon we may not be able to distinguish these worlds from each other. Whilst it is clear that right now we have some idea of the difference between the real world and the virtual world, the differences between the two are much less than before. Traditionally, the difference between the virtual and the real worlds was the concept of identity or body – that in the virtual world your mind was separated from your body and therefore the difference between the virtual and the real was the physical form. However, this view is slowly being eroded away and there are many who now believe the virtual cannot be separated from the real in terms of body or physicality. This is a view that the researcher shares, and this concept shall be one of the main points of focus in the essay. Another area which could measure the distinction between the virtual and the real is the concept of risk. Risk is still one of the few concepts which seems to differ in the virtual and the real worlds, at least in a number of cases. Although this difference is being reduced, currently it seems possible to distinguish the virtual and real worlds using the concept of risk. The first part of this essay will look at the way in which the virtual has superseded many aspects of the real world in our lives, and how these areas can no longer be easily distinguished. These normal, everyday events are now both real and virtual simultaneously, and there is no discernible distinction. The second part of the essay will deal with the concept of physicality in the virtual world, and how the evidence now suggests that the virtual and real worlds cannot be distinguished through the identity of the physical body. The final part of the essay will show that despite this convergence between the virtual and the real, there are some distinctions to be made. The way in which the virtual can be distinguished from the real comes down to the concept of risk, although this distinction is also being reduced and perhaps with the introduction of future technologies this distinguishing feature will also be completely eroded. Information, branding and the virtual One area of our lives that has seen a dramatic shift from the real to the virtual over the last ten years is information and branding. Information used to be stored predominantly in ‘real’ forms such as paper books. However, most information is now accessed in virtual form, through computers, radio and television and other digital media. Books and music are now accessed as digital facsimiles of the original, and our world in terms of information has shifted from real to virtual (Argyle and Shields, 1996). This process has come so far that there can be no real distinction between the real and virtual worlds of information. We see books and music in paper form in the same way we do digital e-books and mp3 music. They are perceptually very similar and contain the same information that we require. Our world has shifted from the real and local to the virtual and the global. The shift from real to virtual has also occurred in terms of branding. Brand concepts for many real objects are now so strong that we no longer think of the real object itself but in fact associate the virtual brand as the key identity. For example, vacuum cleaners being called ‘Hoovers’, tissues being called ‘Kleenex’ and digital music players being called ‘Ipods’(Shields, 2003). The brand stands as a virtual representation of the actual real objects, but is virtually indistinguishable, particularly in linguistic terms. The virtual, as Shields puts it, has moved from being something simply transformative and vague to something banal and common. The virtual has permeated or even superseded the real in some aspects of life, and the virtual is now for all intents and purposes indistinguishable from the real. Whilst it could be argued that these virtual forms differ from their real counterparts by way of physical form (i.e. the virtual item has no physical tangible form, whereas the real form does), in the cases of information and branding this distinction of physicality is too small to be clear. For example, the virtual or digital form of a book does have physical form, in that the information can be printed out or used in a physical way just like the real paper book can. This is the same for branding, where the virtual brand names are so synonymous with the real physical objects that they cannot be separated. In these cases ,the virtual has superseded the real, and completely destroyed the boundaries between them. Therefore, this is an area where there cannot be said to be any real distinction between the virtual world and the real world. Physical form, identity within the virtual world The most commonly argued distinction between the real and virtual worlds is the concept of physical form and identity. It is argued by many that in the virtual world you do not have a complete physical identity and that your mind being removed from the physical body is the distinction between the real and virtual. In other words, in the virtual world you have no real identity or physical interaction, whereas in the real world you do. Although it seems clear that the physical characteristics that identify our physical are not obviously visible in the virtual world, the physical self is not completely left behind and we do in fact experience physical manifestations within the virtual world. As pointed out by Katie Argyle and Rob Shields (1996), who point out that ‘presence’ doesn’t simply vanish in the virtual world, and that the technology simply mediates our physical presence. With technology the way it is today, and the fact it is sure to improve in the future, we can now act holistically through our bodies within the virtual world. Although it might seem that our bodies are not part of the virtual, in truth we cannot actually escape our bodies. In other words, we do not lose our body within the virtual world, but rather experience and interact in the virtual world through our bodies. Argyle points out that the emotions we feel whilst interacting in the virtual world are in fact real and are physical. She gives the example of her online presence ‘Kitty’, (Argyle and Shields, 1996, in Kolko, p66) where she says that the interactions she has with people, although in a virtual world the emotions and feeling are real and felt in her body. Argyle’s online interaction shows no separation from the body, and therefore is a suggestion that the physical body cannot be used as a distinguishing feature between real and virtual. This view is supported by Ellen Ullman, who says how she fell in love via email. She only knew this person via the virtual world of email, and not through physical interaction, yet the virtual world elicited real and physical feelings within her. Ullman does differentiate her online body from her ‘real’ one by saying that the love she felt was through her ‘virtual’ body, but she does not separate these two bodies, and the physical form is still linked to the online body or persona (Ullman, 1996) It seems that when interacting online, it is extremely difficult or nearly impossible to completely separate your online persona from your real and physical persona. For instance, in online games where people can send messages to each other within character, they may also ask about the person in ‘real life’, such as how old they are and where they have come from. People often get confused about which ‘life’ the other person is talking about, and so acronyms have been created to stop the confusion such as IC (in character) and IRL (in real life). This confusion is down to the fact that there will always be a part of our persona within the virtual that cannot be separated, and therefore the body cannot be a distinguishing feature between the virtual and the real. Not only does the physical form remain within the virtual world by virtue of its interaction and emotions experienced in the virtual, but many of the laws and rights that govern the real are now also governing the virtual. Even if you want to make a distinction between the virtual body, such as an avatar or image, and the real physical body, many of the outcomes are the same. The laws and rights of the virtual are now mirroring the real, and blurring the lines further between the two worlds. For instance, take the rights of avatars in the virtual world. Whilst avatars cannot have the same basic right as real bodies, namely the right to life (they are not alive after all), they may feel many of the hazards and wish to have the same rights as their real counterparts. For instance, take the example of sexual harassment within the virtual world. Whilst the legal definitions for sexual assault and rape are generally not met by virtual encounters, much of the feelings of intrusion, fear or disgust can be the same. Take the example of Julien Dibbell’s account of Mr Bungle’s rape on the characters Legba and Starsinger in LambdaMOO (Dibbell, 1996). The ‘rape’ was virtual and involved an avatar seizing two other female avatars and graphically describing the actions performed. Whilst this may not constitute ‘real’ rape, the trauma for the two controllers of the female avatars was indeed real. This is because the body cannot be separated compl etely when in the virtual world, and even if the exact actions are not the same it cannot really be said that physicality is a distinguishing factor between the real and the virtual as the body affected similarly in both worlds. The lack of risk within the virtual world Whilst the traditionally held view of being able to distinguish the real and the virtual by the separation of the mind and the body has been shown to be flawed, there is definite promise in the concept of risk as a distinguishing feature. The reasons for this are that risk is something which can only truly be experienced through the physical without the mediating virtual world. Of course, certain risks such as financial risk and emotional risk are possible in the virtual world as these risks will have similar, if slightly dulled, consequences in the virtual world. However, the notion of risk to the physical body or fear is a feature that separates the virtual and the real. For instance, creating virtual business that has real financial consequences may seem to have the same features as real business, but there are differences. Using the virtual world all products can be tested, mapped and made 100% safe before they are sold on. Experiments can be conducted without the potential risks to human life or to property. The concept of risk is in many ways eliminated from the design process, aside from some of the same financial concerns of design costs. Identities and properties can be re-used, re-hashed or completely changed in the virtual world, meaning there is less risk of catastrophic failure. However, perhaps the biggest issue in terms of risk is the fact that fear of physical harm is almost completely removed in the virtual world. Emotions are still prevalent and part of our physicality remains in the virtual. However, the risks associated with physical damage or damage to property cannot be properly appreciated within the virtual world. There are no risks in this sense in the virtual world, whereas there are in the real world. For instance, take the example of realistic computer games such as Forza Motorsport (Lockergnome, 2005). Developed as one of the most advanced driving games for console play, an experiment was conducted to see the difference in performance and reactions between the virtual and real worlds. Six performance cars were driven round the same Atlanta circuit by drivers on the game and on the real life circuit. The results were startling in that the performances between virtual and real worlds were extremely similar. The braking and turning points were extremely similar and the performances in each car were almost the same whether in virtual or real world (Lockergnome, 2005). However, the times in the real world were slower than on the game – much of this attributed to the risk involved in driving the car in the real world. In the game, the drivers could push their cars to the limit in the knowledge that if they crashed there would be no damage to the car. This removed the risk facto r and allowed them to get better times. However, on the real track they had to be more careful, for crashing at 150mph in a high-powered car would be far too risky. This slowed them down, and showed despite all other factors being seemingly indistinguishable, the major difference between the real and the virtual was the risk factor. It can also be seen in the prevalence of online dating and sexual play from people who would not normally engage in such activities in the real world. In the rapidly growing virtual world called Second Life (Linden Research Inc, 2007), there are many groups of various role-players who act out fantasies that they would not do in real life. This is not because it is impossible for them to do in real life (although perhaps some are), but because of the risk factors involved in real life. The feelings they receive from these interactions may be almost identical to the ones they would get in real life interaction, but the crucial difference is risk. Whilst for some interactions this will not affect the sensation, it does for others, such as those involved in fantasies of pain or domination. The risk factor is the one which can distinguish the virtual from the real world. Conclusion Whilst we are still living in a world where the real and the virtual seem in most cases to be separate, this is perhaps less true than we think. The real world of information has become indistinguishable from the virtual, and with new technologies the virtual world has become far more expansive and convincing. This change has meant that it is now impossible to separate all of our real physical identity from the virtual representation of ourselves in the virtual world. However, one factor that still lets us distinguish the virtual from the real is the concept of risk, which is not yet fully realised within the virtual world. However, if in future the technology of the virtual increases to the point where physical sensations can be experienced fully in the virtual world, then physical risk to the body and other items of value will be possible. If risk can be fully replicated in the virtual world, then it seems the two worlds would be very close to being completely indistinguishable. Bibliography Argyle, K., and Shields, R. (1996) Is there a body in the net?, Living Bodies Chapter 4, SAGE publications Ltd, London. Dibbell, J. (1996) ( My Dinner With Catharine MacKinnon and Other Hazards of Theorizing Virtual Rape, available online at http://www.juliandibbell.com/texts/mydinner.html Kolko, B.E. We Are Not Just (Electronic) Words: Learning the Literacies of Culture, Body, and Politics. http://bethkolko.com/includes/pdfs/wearenotjustelectronicwords.pdf Là ©vy, P. (2002) Cyberculture. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. Shapiro, M.A., and McDonald, D.G. (1992) Im Not a Real Doctor, but I Play One in Virtual Reality: Implications of Virtual Reality for Judgments about Reality Journal of Communication 42 (4), 94–114. Shields, R. (2003) The Virtual, Cultures of internet, Virtual Spaces, Real Histories Chapter 2, Routledge, London. Ullman, E. (1996) Come in, CQ: The Body on the Wire. Wired-Women: Gender and  New Realities in Cyberspace. Ed. Lynn Cherny and Elizabeth Reba Wiese. Seattle: Seal,  1996. 3-23.  

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Wind - A Renewable Energy Source Essay example -- Alternative Energy R

Wind - A Renewable Energy Source Wind is called a renewable energy source because wind will continually be produced as long as the sun shines on the earth. The sun’s contribution to wind energy deals with converting air into heat or cool wind. Wind is produced by the irregular heating of the earth’s surface by the sun. On land, the warm air spreads and goes up in the sky, in the water, heavier and cooler air moves in to take the warm air’s place, thus providing local winds. This power source should be used more often in the United States for its safer standards regarding the environment and finance. To capture this wind, turbines are used to convert the renewable resource into electricity. The energy in motion or kinetic energy is then mechanically processed. Windmills are used in the United States amongst other countries in the world. They are used to heat water, refrigerate produce, dry crops, irrigate crops, heat buildings, and charge batteries for tractors on farms, etc. Most of today's windmills extract about 30 % of the wind's energy (www.earthsci.org). Windmills are just as efficient as coal; the difference between them is that air is less polluting than coal. Unfortunately there is no such thing as a 100 percent efficient power source. â€Å"For a completely efficient source of energy, the power plants have to run all day and all year without interruption† (www.eia.doe.gov). To do the fact that in order to convert electricity, windmills depend ...

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Autism :: essays research papers

Constructs: In my own research I will be measuring 3 variables as my constructs such as the following: 1) Verbal ability 2) Social interactions or the degree of participation in group work or plays 3) Gender Participants: 20 autistic children between the ages of 6 to 7 with identical IQ levels, both sexes, with equal number of participants- 10 to each Purpose: As researchers claim, autism is four times more prevalent in boys than girls. According to this claim I would like to test whether gender is an effective or dominant factor in determining children’s progress both in verbal abilities and the kind of social interactions they encounter in the educational settings such as kindergartens or schools. Methodology: Instruments: CARS rating scale (childhood autism rating scale) developed by Eric schopler in the early 1970s, it is based on observed behavior, professionals evaluate a child’s relationship to people, body use, adaptation to change, listening response and verbal communication. AUTISM SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE: a 40 item screening scale that has been used with children 4 and older to help evaluate communication skills and social functioning. Plus observations with the help of a professional team including a speech therapist to assess the amount of progress in verbal abilities and interacting with the children’s care givers or parents during the research. Procedure: As far as I’m concerned, the nature of this research lends itself to both qualitative and quantitative methods, in the sense that there needs to be a lot of close observations to assess the trend that the participants follow plus some numerical data which support the findings regarding verbal abilities. In assessing the degree of engagement or participation in groupwork there might be the use of some rein forcers such as toys or chocolates. Here the main emphasis revolves around gender. Therefore an attempt should be made to have exactly the same conditions for both sexes. Since assessing the constructs focus more on gender it could have been more reliable to have a larger sample to be able to generalize the results, but considering the fact that research on autism is a difficult task and requires the cooperation of a professional team, working on large samples may not be possible or easy to deal with. This could be mentioned in the limitation part. In this research 20

Friday, October 11, 2019

Reinforcement Theory Essay

Q# 1: Identify the practices of organization that are indicating the application of reinforcement theory? Answer 1. Focus on proper training before giving task to the employees 2. Monitoring the performance of employees. 3. Formulation of procedures, rules and regulations in detail. 4. Strictness in compliance of rules. Q# 2: You are required to suggest some measures of positive reinforcement that can be implemented by the management of Crisp & Soft restaurant. Answer 1. The manager can start a practice to greet the employees and having pleasant conversation with those who came on time at start of day and conduct a small meeting with staff at closing of day and praised and say thanks those who performed good during the day. These practices will decrease late arrivals and early leaver. 2. The management can start â€Å"Employee of the month† award scheme in which at end of every month letter of appreciation along with small cash price will be give to the employee how performed well during the month. 3. A roll of honor board should be maintained at prominent place in the restaurant where everyone can see it. The pictures of â€Å"Employee of the month† pasted on that board. Q# 3: Assess which level of Maslow’s hierarchy of need the organization is satisfying for lower level staff and managerial level staff? Explain Answer As per Maslow’s hierarchy of need, there are following five levels of human needs: i. Biological Need: The basic requirement for survival of human body e.g. food, water, air and shelter etc. ii. Safety Need: Protection from Cold, Heat, Sand, Storm, Earthquake, Animals, Enemies iii. Social Need: love, acceptance, belonging etc. iv. Self Esteem: Respect, reorganization v. Self Actualization: challenging tasks, In case of lower level workers the Crisp and Soft restaurant management is satisfying level 1 by providing free meal and uniform, paying salaries at reasonable rate and level 2 by making HVAC arrangement for workers. In case of management staff, the restaurant management is trying to satisfying level 3 along with level 1 and 2 also, by providing good salaries (level 1), good working environment (level 2) and membership of social club of restaurant to their staff(level 3) where they can attend get to gathers, family dinners etc.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Reflectiv Wring on a Personality Development Theory

A reflective essay on self, identity, personality, and factors influencing identity based on James Marcia’s theory on personality development. People come in different shapes and sizes. Some are big while others are small, some are fat and some are slim, some are short while some are tall. People have many similarities. Unless born with a physical defect we all have one head, two eyes, two ears, one nose, one mouth, two arms with five fingers each, and two legs with five toes each. So basically we are all physically alike.What makes us each uniquely different is our personality inside of us. A personality can be described as a person’s own distinctive character or the qualities that makes someone interesting or popular. Growing up I would wonder how one’s personality could be theorized. My quest was soon over as I learnt of the James Marcia’s theory on personality development. Based on Erik Erikson’s groundbreaking work on identity and psychosocial development in the 1960s, Canadian developmental psychologist James Marcia refined and extended Erikson’s model, primarily focusing on adolescent development.Addressing Erikson’s notion of identity crisis, Marcia posited that the adolescent stage consists neither of identity resolution nor identity confusion, but rather the degree to which one has explored and committed to an identity in a variety of life domains from vocation, religion, relational choices, gender roles, and so on. Marcia’s theory of identity achievement argues that two distinct parts form an adolescent’s identity: crisis (i. e. a time when one’s values and choices are being reevaluated) and commitment. He defined a crisis as a time of upheaval where old values or choices are being reexamined.The end outcome of a crisis leads to a commitment made to a certain role or value. These are not stages, but rather processes that adolescents go through. All adolescents will occupy one or mo re of these states, at least temporarily. But, because these are not stages, people do not progress from one step to the next in a fixed sequence, nor must everyone go through each and every state. Each state is determined by two factors: * Is the adolescent committed to an identity, and * Is the individual searching for their true identity?These states include: identity diffusion, identity foreclosure, identity Moratorium and identity achievement. I went to one of the best high school in the country. I did well in all subjects I did. I thought I had it all. Paid attention to no one around me, I just ignored it all. People would say someday I would fall but who would have thought they would someday be right. But who would have thought I would have ended up like this. Working on the streets with nowhere to go, nothing to eat, nothing to wear, no money, no one to turn to in my distress.What can I do? Where can I go? I’m lost in this world like a diffused particle basking in the air. Identity diffusion this is the state of having no clear idea of one's identity and making no attempt to find that identity. These adolescents may have struggled to find their identity, but they never resolved it, and they seem to have stopped trying. There is no commitment and no searching. Growing up I was always considered by other to be a very brilliant child and I eventually developed the feeling that I was.My parents enrolled me in the finest school they could afford. In the sixth grade I did the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) and attained a pass to attend one of the noblest institutions in the country. I had always had the dream of becoming a teacher but my parents and others thought differently. Everyone in my family were either nurses or doctors hence I felt like I had to follow in their pathway. In my family one would so to primary school then off to high school. During my first three (3) years of high school I was forced to focus on the sciences.Then during the fi nal two years one would have to sit all three (3) sciences in the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate along with seven other subjects. I thought that if I didn’t do well I would disappoint my parents and other family members, hence I just went along fulfilling what I thought was my obligation. Identity Foreclosure this means that the adolescent blindly accepts the identity and values that were given in childhood by families and significant others. The adolescent's identity is foreclosed until they determine for themselves their true identity.The adolescent in this state is committed to an identity but not as a result of their own searching or crisis. I have had many friends growing up. I have had many role models. I have tried doing many sports. Only to find who I am. Where I belong in this cold world? In school I tried acquiring many skills; I did many subjects and gained them all. During my years at college I did many courses changing my major over three (3) times; only to find who I really was and what I really wanted to become. I eventually graduated with a degree in medicine.But I still haven’t found what I was looking for. I am still searching for my purpose in this society. I am still searching for who I really am. Identity Moratorium this is the status in which the adolescent is currently in a crisis, exploring various commitments and is ready to make choices, but has not made a commitment to these choices yet. On the cool winter morning of January 21, 1995 an angel sent from God was born; Alexcia Anglin. At age two I started school, at an early age teachers soon realized I were a brilliant child.I started Chetwood Memorial Primary school; there I developed a passion for teaching. In the sixth grade I meet the one who turned out to be my role model; Mr. G. Atkinson. Seeing his passion for teaching I then develop a greater passion for teaching and I wanted to emulate him. I then moved on the Mt. Alvernia High School where I met man y other teachers who aided in my development and strengthened my desire to become a teacher. Church was also an integral part of my life.Going to pathfinder’s club on Sunday mornings and associating myself with children regularly I soon realized I loved being around younger children and it was during that point of my life I told myself I wanted to become a primary school teacher. During my high school years I tried my ever best to do well in all the subjects I knew I would need to attain in order to become a teacher. I thought I had everything under control and I thought I was on top but for a while things went sour. I swayed a bit and it seemed as though my dream of becoming a teacher was crushed.My grades were not at its best but a deep voice inside me kept pushing me and told me to keep holding all, life will get better soon. Soon it was time to apply for college and I sent out my application to the Sam Sharpe Teacher’s college. That was not the end I had to sit eig ht CSEC subjects. Waiting for my results and a letter of acceptance from the college I was a bit nervous. Every thing eventually worked out I attain all ones and twos in my subjects and I got accepted to the college. Here I am today embracing my dream of becoming a primary school teacher.Identity Achievement this is the state of having developed well-defined personal values and self-concepts. Their identities may be expanded and further defined in adulthood, but the basics are there. They are committed to an ideology and have a strong sense of ego identity. The core idea of this theory is that one’s sense of identity is determined largely by the choices and commitments made regarding certain personal and social traits. A well-developed identity gives on a sense of one’s strengths, weaknesses, and individual uniqueness.A person with a less well-developed identity is not able to define his or her personal strengths and weaknesses, and does not have a well articulated sen se of self. As teachers we need to be able to cope with the different personalities present in the classroom environment. Students come from different families, different communities and thus have different personalities and are taught different values. The onus is therefore on us as teachers to guide our students into developing socio acceptable values.Before we can do so, we must first know who we are, know what our values are and our personality. I am Alexcia Anglin a first year student of the Sam Sharpe Teacher’s College and as a result of the knowledge I gained in the Emerging Professional course on James Marcia’s theory on personality development, I have discovered my identity status, which is â€Å"IDENTITY ACHIEVEMENT† , as I am fulfilling my dreams of becoming a teacher. References * http://www. learning-theories. com/identity-status-theory-marcia. html * http://socialscientist. us/nphs/psychIB/psychpdfs/Marcia. pdf

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Google Effects on Memory Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Google Effects on Memory - Article Example For instance, they start by introducing information about how a long-time relationship makes people typically develop a transactive memory, which is discussed in the introduction part. Regarding the conclusion and the summary, the authors review literature that confirms vast information available regarding the issue, and also acknowledging the fact that the negative impacts are still under debate. Nevertheless, the literature review was distributed, and did not come mostly from the primary sources. The research question is, has the internet become a primary source of transactive memory where information is collectively stored outside us? Another research question is, do we think about flags or immediately think to go online to find out? The research questions correlates with the purpose of the study. The hypothesis of this study is that people will forget information that they know is externally available, but remember information that they know is not available externally. This matches the purpose of the study because it proves reliance on external sources of information, rather than memory. As a result, it is easier to remember where information is stored than the information

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Health Status in the United States and Contemporary Models of Health Essay

Health Status in the United States and Contemporary Models of Health Care - Essay Example Usually older women are more likely to develop heart disease compared to younger women, though the condition can occur in all age groups (Medline Plus, 2011). Coronary artery disease is a condition that affects the arteries that supply the heart and is caused by plaque build up in the inner walls of the coronary arteries. These plaques are made of fat, cholesterol, minerals such as calcium and other substances. Several serious heart problems arise as a result of coronary artery disease including myocardial infarction (heart attack). heart failures, cardiac arrhythmias, cardiac arrest, etc. The plaques in the coronary artery wall can narrow the lumen through which the blood flows to the cardiac muscles resulting in angina (Chest discomfort). Besides, in some instances, the plaques disintegrate causing the dislodgement of blood clots, which may in turn blocks the flow of blood to various parts of the heart (National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, 2009). Professional practice model (PPM) is a system of practice that consists of certain structures, processes, and values, which can enable the nurse to have greater control over the delivery of nursing care in the appropriate environment for the patient. It has 5 subsets including relationships, values, delivery model, management approach and a mean of compensating and rewarding. Values include provision of high-quality healthcare, nursing responsibility, professional development and greater autonomy. In the professional relationships, greater teamwork, partnership and collaboration should be developed. In the delivery model, the decision-making should be decentralised. In order to support professional development as well as organisation growth, an appropriate compensation and reward system should be programmed (Hoffart, 1996). The professional practice model is ideal for nursing practice meant for women with heart disease. It is ideal as it gives greater

Monday, October 7, 2019

Objectives Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Objectives Assignment - Essay Example 1. As a result of screening and educating the vulnerable persons and people with pre diabetes, 50% of the Native Americans will adapt to a healthy lifestyle changes, thereby reducing the new incidents of diabetes according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (Affective) 2. As a result of facilitating and encouraging the individuals with family history of diabetes and obese individuals for regular, moderate physical activity, Native Americans will be able to reduce new incidents of diabetes by 50% according to the American Diabetes Association (Klein et al, 259). (Psychomotor) 3. As a result of early detection and professional treatments, American Indians can prevent 70% of the incidents of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic related renal failure according to the National Health Institute. (Cognitive) 4. As a result of increasing the availability and the accessibility of professional health care services, Native Americans will be able to prevent complications of diabetes by 50 percent according to the findings of the National Health Institute. (Cognitive) 5. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) American Indians will be able to prevent more than 50% of the new incidents of diabetes as a result of reducing body weight and maintaining healthy weight throughout the life. (Psychomotor) 6. According to the American Diabetes Association due to introduction and implementation of national policies related to dietary and lifestyle changes, Native Americans can effectively reduce new incidents of diabetes by 30% (Klein et al, 260). (Cognitive) 7. Considering the findings of the vast number of researches conducted on American Indians for 30 years, American Natives will be able to reduce new incidents by 25% as a result of consumption of low fat and low caloric diet (Yancy et al, 769). (Psychomotor) 8. As a result of the awareness programs

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Fiduciary duties and acquisition Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Fiduciary duties and acquisition - Case Study Example The outstanding securities in the company are also an important factor to take into consideration. What is the condition and classification of these securities? It is clear to note that the company is up for sale for the purpose of fiduciary duties. One of the most important aspects to note about the company’s history is the fact that the company has been growing. In the event the managers should think about the option of sale, they will be giving up on a good investment. The company has been growing to new heights every other year. This is evident from the stock market and the prices of shares. The growth rate of the company stands out with regards to the market and the internal relations. The firm has instituted an educational program for their employees that seek to address important issues with regards to the manner in which they conduct business and relate with other clients. Growth is one of the areas that display the company’s strengths. Through growth, the compa ny has been able to establish a good market for its products as well as improving its stability. With regards to technology, the company has an extraordinary portfolio. The company’s competencies have been aligned alongside the needs of the customers. The company has a wide variety of customers and continues to increase its customer base through the provision of quality services. The applications provided for by the company range from cyberspace and undersea to outer space and improved military systems. Some of the services provided for by the company include global security, health information systems, missile defense systems, command and control systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, advanced radar systems, large scale intelligence information systems, civil government and public safety information systems, high energy laser systems, and satellites for a wide variety of missions. Through these services, the organization has been able to establish one of the largest client bases through an extensive market. This provides for the growth of the company as well expansion of the operations being conducted by the company. One of the strengths of the company is the manner with which it addresses future expansion. The company is defining future systems through assessing their underlying technologies. The company is focused on addressing the next generation security needs. Through innovation, the company has been able to work on improving their current aerial systems. The company is working towards the development of the future generation of secure and unmanned aerial systems. These advancements are also focused on the establishment of the long range bombers and the space radar systems. The company can be able to shift the course of the organization through preventing the hostile offer. The hostile offer is concerned with the acquisition of the company through the cash considerations. The relationship that has been established between the company and its clients i s also important in the analysis. The company has set up various ways through which the clients are able to communicate with the company’s administration. The company has also ensured that relevant measures are taken to ensure that communication within the different departments and divisions is made efficient. The relationship between the employees and the employer is maintained at high standards. This ensures that the management has an easy time managing

Saturday, October 5, 2019

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE EFFECTS OF HEAVY METAL IONS (LEAD ION AND Coursework

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE EFFECTS OF HEAVY METAL IONS (LEAD ION AND MERCURY ION) ON THE ACTION OT TRYPSIN ENZYME - Coursework Example The above observation will get into the discussion in association with the dissociation of Mercury Nitrate and the lead Nitrate. The above observations might also be explained in terms some complex reactions which do involving the enzyme trypsin and metal ions. RESEARCH AND RATIONAL Enzymes are biological catalyst made up of proteins, they speed up the rate of chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy hence providing an alternative pathway (fig.1). Enzymes remain unchanged at the end of a reaction. They are classified as globular proteins, they are made up of polypeptide chains which coil and or fold up to give a 3D structure which determines the shape of the enzyme and hence, the shape of the active site. http://tfscientist.hubpages.com/hub/what-are-enzymes-where-do-they-work Figure 1http://www.biologyguide.net/unit1/2_enzymes.htm All enzymes have an active site, in 1814 Emil Fischer proposed the lock and key model. According to this theory, the substrate fits perfe ctly into the enzymes active site hence forming an enzyme substrate complex, causing the bonds in the substrate to change. This will eventually lead to the formation of products. The products are released from the enzyme active site leaving the enzyme free to accept another substrate. http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/vchembook/571lockkey.html The diagram below illustrates this theory. Figure 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Competitive_inhibition.svg However X-ray crystallography and computer assisted modelling, research has shown that the lock and key model is not accurate. This has led to the introduction of the ‘induced-fit theory’. It assumes that the substrate influences the final shape of the enzyme active site and that the active site is malleable. Only specific substrates will be able to alter the active site slightly in order for a reaction to take place [1].The diagram below illustrates the induced fit theory. Figure 3: http://www.biologyguide.net/unit1/2_ enzymes.htm There are various factors that influence the activity of enzymes, these include; pH, temperature and Inhibitors. Inhibitors are substances that affect the activity of enzyme, if the site which active of the enzyme gets occupied by a substance which is not a substrate, the activity of the enzyme will decrease because the substrate cannot bind to the active site. This means that both the substrate and the molecule are competing for space on the active site. This is known as a competitive inhibition and can be reversed by the addition of more substrate.  Non-competitive inhibition is another form of inhibition where a molecule binds to the allosteric site on an enzyme hence changing the shape of the active site. This prevents the substrate from binding to the active point. Usually this type is reversible but cannot be overcome by increasing substrate concentration. Trypsin is a serine protease found in the human digestive system, it is essential for the hydrolysis of pro tean such as casein found in milk http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Trypsin.html. Without trypsin, it would be difficult for the human body to absorbed protein; Pb (NO3 )2 and Hg (NO3 )2 contain Pb2+ and Hg2+ ions respectively. These meal ions acts as non-competitive inhibitors and this means that there will be fewer successful

Friday, October 4, 2019

Success In Writing Essay Example for Free

Success In Writing Essay Everyday more and more people try to make a profession in being a successful writer. In this passage, aspiring writer Melusina Fay Peirce writes to novelist Marian Evans Lewes asking if beginning writing at thirty is too old. Evans is moved by this letter and responds mentioning thirty is not too old. In the letter, she comments that even an accomplished writer such as herself is rarely satisfied with hours of work. It is impossible to be an accomplished writer without having years of wisdom behind you. Throughout the passage, she utilizes various persuasive techniques such as refutation and analogies in order to depict novice work as tasteless. In Lewes response to Peirce, she incorporates many rhetorical strategies in order to convey that writers must prepare to be unsatisfied and must not be concerned about flattery because success in writing comes only with maturity. In the beginning of the letter, Evans uses a plethora of rhetorical strategies which suggest that in order to be a writer one must be ready to be unsatisfied. Evans declares her consciousness is not of the triumphant kind. Beginning her letter with a refutation immediately conveys that being a writer is a difficult life. Although one may put hours of hard work into a novel, satisfaction is not always achieved. She then states that Exultation is a dream before achievement and rarely comes after. Evans suggests that she often fancies admiration before her work is finished only to encounter a deficiency of praise after. While Lewes may be a praised writer, she shocks Peirce when saying she is rarely commended for her work; writers dreams are seldom met. When encountering the lack of the praise writers such as Evans tend to feel like a poor husk. Evans uses this word to convey the emptiness in which she feels after writing. One always feels like it is possible to create better work but doesnt know where to look. She then continues on and inquire to Peirce Does these seem melancholy?. This rhetorical question implies that these feelings of incompleteness and emptiness are far less melancholy than self-flattery. This connects to the refutation at the beginning of the paragraph stating that writers seldom feel triumphant. Using the various strategies, Evans conveys that to be a writer one must not be concerned about flattery and must be prepared to be unfulfilled. In the next paragraph, Evans refutes Peirces main concern of being too old to start writing by giving support to the idea that success come with maturity. Lewes responds by mentioning not to fancy yourself old because you are thirty, or to regret you have not written anything. This refutation replies to Peirces concern that she is too old and tells Peirce not to worry. She then states that it does not even matter if one hasnt written anything prior to being an established writer. Lewes then mentions that the writing of a young writer is no better than trashy, unripe fruit. The underdeveloped fruit mirrors the underdeveloped minds and writing of the young writers. He then states that there is nothing worse than a writer who has exhausted himself. One cannot burn out writing all of their material while young. A successful writer needs to be patient, as triumph in literature comes with experience in everyday life. Towards the end of the letter, Evans reflects that when she was young she began a sort of writing which had no great glory belonging to it, but which she felt certain she could do faithfully and well. This anecdote also works as an emotional appeal as it sympathizes with Peircr, implying mutual feelings both writers felt while young. Evans suggests that mature and older writers are more patient in their writing, consequently producing better works. Evans is very persuasive in her position which states achievements in writings will come along with maturity. In Lewess letter to Peirce, she includes numerous persuasive techniques in order to convey that writers must prepare to be unsatisfied and must not be concerned about flattery because success in writing only comes with maturity. Evanss main point is that one is never too old to begin writing. An aspiring writer shouldnt hold back on account that they havent produced descent works in the past. Wisdom, compassion and insight all come with years of aging and are needed to produce successful writing.

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Examining The Importance Of CIO Surveys

Examining The Importance Of CIO Surveys Why do you think a CIO survey is important for the HMIS industry? Surveys of CIOs are important because the results promote an understanding and increased awareness of the HMIS industry. In a study conducted by IBM, CIOs spend about 55 percent of their time steering innovative activities such as implementing new technologies and business initiatives (Levein, 2009). Responsive to the challenges faced in planning, implementation and updated maintenance of systems in the current economic environment, these surveys promote insight to budget cuts, delayed spending, and increased demand for services with reduced resources faced by health organizations. Results of these studies provide a flavor for how CIO and HMIS executives pursue change management solutions that enable them to create lean strategic growth models as they anticipate aspects of future HMIS growth for the upcoming years. Results also indicate what CIOs perceive to be the main obstacles faced as well as areas of opportunity. As the economy transitions from recession to recovery and as healt h organizations revise their strategies from cost-cutting efficiency to value-added productivity, the surveys provide insight for future growth. Survey results help identify industry trends and provide insight from information technology (IT) product and service purchasers. 2. Predict what type of hardware investments would be considered key to HMIS future. Then check out the full survey results, and compare your prediction to the actual results. There are several hardware investments I believe will be considered key to HMIS future. The federal stimulus bill has promised billions of dollars in incentive payments to physicians and medical facilities that buy and use the electronic system so the first hardware investment that comes to my mind is an electronic medical record system. To promote its acceptance and utilization, the computers need to be reasonably powerful to run all the applications necessary to maintain clinical practice efficiency. Storage capacity of a centralized or distributed database is needed to archive large amounts of data. Central servers need to be powerful, and network or Internet connections fast and reliable. Updates to the solution architecture need to occur at the central server location with updates immediately available to all users. Compatibility or interoperability is also a necessity to link with other electronic clinical systems both within and outside the medical facility. Security mechanism s are required to protect client-specific information in an electronic environment. An extensive auditing system is required to monitor activity within the HMIS. I also believe there will be other electronic systems that place emphasis on quality care such as a clinical decision support system which assists clinicians apply new information to patient care and provides suggestions for how to manage a patientà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s condition. The results from this survey are consistent with my belief that an electronic medical record will be considered key to HMIS future. While I incorrectly assumed that a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system was a standard component of the electronic medical record, the survey indicated that installing this type of system can, and is often considered a separate focus. Upon review of the alignment of organizational and IT strategic plans, I was quite surprised to see that almost half of the IT plans are not considered a component of the organizational plan. From my perspective, one cannot function effectively without the other. 3. Why do you think the results showed investment of EHR to be a top priority for CIOs in the coming year? I believe the reason why the results showed investment of EHR to be a top priority for CIOs in the coming year is because the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) intends to give health care organizations incentives to access federal funds to plan, design, and implement the infrastructure to promote the adoption and use of electronic health record systems and support health information exchange (HIE). This push will promote the implementation of interoperable health information technology over the next several years. In addition to financial incentives, it will also help to improve the overall quality and value of health care in the U.S. This will dramatically improve the continuity of care and informed medical decision-making. Why do you think those who work in a clinic/group practice are less concerned about Backup/Disaster Recovery than are those who work in a hospital/integrated delivery system? Do you think this is prudent? Why or why not? It is likely that those who work in a clinic/group practice may be less concerned about backup/disaster recovery than those who work in a hospital/integrated delivery system for a few reasons. What really drives the details of a recovery plan are the functions the medical practice needs to recover and how soon these functions must be available. Sadly, for some organizations, having a disaster recovery plan for remote and branch offices may not even exist. A clinic/group practice tends to deal with ambulatory out patients and may need minimal patient information along with the name and location of an alternate practice to refer patients. Another clinic/group may refer patients who require specialized care to another practice and continue handling routine appointments at an alternate site. Many medical practices continue to utilize a paper-based appointment scheduling system and/or a paper-based billing system. It is not uncommon for each personà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s medic al records to be scattered among all the medical facilities where care has been given. In comparison, hospital/integrated delivery systems may have a higher acuity of patients which places the institution at greater risk. Lives depend on the information in these records and losing access to them, even temporarily increases the potential for many patient safety issues that could be encountered. Many hospitals are already using electronic clinical systems that are critical to providing quality patient care. Many of these electronic systems are interfaced with each other. When considering disaster recovery, it is important to think beyond system failure and recovery; more importantly, the entire hospital needs to be considered. New advances in technology that exist in these types of practices generate more electronic data than in the past. Access to secure and reliable patient information is managed by IT personnel who are on staff to prevent most technical problems and support user needs. Hospitals and other health care facilities accredited by the Joint Commission are r equired to comply with published guidelines by having a business continuity/disaster recovery plan for all information systems (Owens Ahlstrom, 2008) When a disaster strikes, it is my belief that any medical practice must be able to retrieve valuable information through pre-established methods of disaster recovery. Disaster recovery depends on the complexity of the system however, all medical records, paper or electronic, need to be kept protected and secured in any type of disaster. Medical practices must get back up and running as quickly as possible to ensure patient safety and business continuity.