The Virgin Companies Free Essay Example, 2750 words

The global travel industry can be characterized as an oligopoly where a few market players control a big size of the industry. This is known in economic theory as C4 where the top four firms control 60% or more of an industry's total sales. In this regard, giant American Express is number one, followed by Carlson Wagonlit Travel Tours (a French company) and Kuoni Travel Holding Ltd. (a Swiss company). The fourth largest is Expedia which is entirely Internet-based, being a spin-off from Microsoft Corporation. The three largest brands above may not be household names because they have numerous acquisitions and tie ups with local firms in the countries where they operate. That unfamiliarity may mask their real clout as the four top firms practically control the huge tourism industry globally. Of course, there maybe several smaller firms too but the overall trend in the industry is consolidation through buy-out and acquisitions. The rationale for the travel industry (especially the holi day travel market) is an end-to-end delivery system, starting from inquiry, planning, hotel reservation, plane ticket, sightseeing, sports activities and the return trip. We will write a custom essay sample on The Virgin Companies or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Towards this end, big travel firms are well positioned to take advantage of their wider geographical reach and global delivery systems. The worldwide travel industry can be considered as a generic product in many sense. Although anybody can offer an exotic or out-of-the-way destination, any tourism or travel holiday product can be easily duplicated by any tour operator as the industry has low barriers to entry of new players. This means another tour operator can offer essentially the same type of holiday experience that renders holiday packages more like a commoditised product. It is hard to maintain a competitive advantage for long periods when there are no differentiating factors or price advantages except through discounting. Along this line, the only competitive advantage left is the ability to deliver all the travel-related products like inquiry, planning, ticket and hotel reservations and bookings from only one vendor called vertical integrati on.

The Rising Rate Of Obesity - 2010 Words

Victoria University Bachelor of Midwifery HMB2106 â€Å"The Rising Rate of Obesity in the Population Has the Potential to Impact the Woman’s Childbearing Experience† May 9th 2016 Emma Greelish S4527299 Obesity is one of the most important risk factors that contribute to the burden of disease in the world, it contributes to a significant reduction in many adults’ life spans through cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes mellitus (Dodd, Grivell, Crowther Robinson, 2010). Improving maternal health is one of the Millennium Development Goals due to its large morbidity and mortality rate in the world, in which obesity plays a part (Dudley, 2009). Approximately 35% of pregnant women in Australia are overweight or obese which is a significant problem in midwifery and obstetric practice (Dodd et al. 2010). Being obese in pregnancy greatly increases the risk of the woman developing pregnancy induced hypertension, pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus as well as increased chances of having an induction of labour, caesarean section birth and still birth (Dodd et al. 2010). Babies born to women who are obese may be macrosomic, require neonatal intensive care and have inc reased risks of congenital abnormalities (Dodd et al. 2010). The midwives role when caring for patients who are obese is very important, the midwife needs to promote a healthier lifestyle to an obese woman but must do it honestly and respectfully by educating and supporting as well asShow MoreRelatedThe Rising Rate Of Obesity Essay1573 Words   |  7 Pages The rising rate of obesity has reached epidemic proportions and is now one of the most serious public health challenges that we face in the United States. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 70.7% of adults over age 20, and 47.4% of children aged 2-19 are either overweight or obese (2015). Over the last 30 years, the number of overweight or obese cases among children tripled, and has doubled among adults according to the former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satchel (2012). ForRead MoreLowering The Rising Rates Of Obesity884 Words   |  4 PagesIn order to stop the rising rates of obesity, there has to be some steps taken to ensure that parents are educated about such programs that will teach them about the effects of different foods and what is actually considered healthy for young children to eat. Sarah Barlow and the Expert Committee (2007) state that the parents being the primary caregivers should track unhealthy eating habits and assess the medical risks in children when children are consuming unhealthy foods. Many of the junk foodsRead MoreObesity Rates Are Constantly Rising Essay2023 Words   |  9 Pages In the U.S., obesity rates are constantly rising. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, shows that, in the U.S., â€Å"more than 1 in 3 adults are considered to be obese, †¦ and more than 1 in 6 children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are considered to be obese† (Overweight). In 2008, the Food Stamp Program, renamed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), had the highest number of beneficiaries since its inception in 1968 (Cancio). â€Å"As of late 2009, about 40 millionRead MoreThe Alarming Epidemic Of Rising Obesity Rates1823 Words   |  8 Pagesepidemic of rising obesity rates has caught everyone off guard considering that in the book â€Å"Obesity Dietary and Developmental Influences† it states that almost two-thirds of the current population is overweight or obese (Lopez 2). Considering that many adults and children are struggling with their weight, many experts try to pinpoint the exact culprit for the obesity rates a nd ways it can be diminished. The focus of this paper is to discuss who exactly is to blame for the rising obesity rates and differentRead MoreFast Food Restaurants Are Being Blamed For Obesity Essay1133 Words   |  5 Pageshow fast food restaurants are being blamed for obesity. I am researching the significance of fast food chains being blamed for obesity rates rising, when we, in fact should be looking at the individual responsible. Rice, S., McAllister, E. J., and Dhurandhar, N. V. Fast Food: Friendly? International Journal of Obesity (2007): pp. 884-86. Academic Search Premier. Web. In this article published by the International Journal of Obesity, S. Rice, Department of Nutrition and Food ScienceRead MoreLiving Healthy: Focusing on Exercises and Better Food Choices692 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Introduction Obesity has become a major problem today for individuals, families as well as the government. While individuals contend with numerous health complications as a result of obesity, the government loses out at the economic front as citizens become less productive. In an attempt to ensure that individuals live healthier lives, attention has in the past been focused largely on obesity related health complications including but not limited to diabetes (type 2) and coronary heart diseaseRead MoreObesity Rates Among The United States1182 Words   |  5 PagesThe obesity rate in America has become a major national health issue over the last several decades. Increasingly alarming statistics have garnered national headlines. Current statistics place 68.5% of the U.S. population in classifications ranging from overweight to super obese. Approximately 35% of all U.S. adults currently fall under the label of obese.(Ogden, et al., 2014) Potentially more alarming is the prevalence of obesity in ad olescents. U.S. youth are becoming obese at earlier andRead MoreThe Effects Of Food Stamps On Obesity1549 Words   |  7 Pagesexpands on the broader hunger-obesity paradox of the 21st century and also attempts to explain how it has become a prevalent issue. Although there are numerous factors that cause hunger, these articles focus on unforeseen factors that have been contributing to the rising obesity rates, in particular to the low-income populations in the United States. In other words, this conversation discusses the factors that do not initially appear to have an effect on obesity rates, such as racial inequality andRead MoreThe Obesity Epidemic : Obesity Essay1696 Words   |  7 PagesThe obesity epidemic proves to be an issue in America and continues to grow with time. In simple terms, obesity is a disorder where the subject has increasing amounts of fat, leading to health problems in the future. This epidemic has steadily increased in American bodies for decades and resea rchers have tried to find the root causes of this problem. Though there is controversy as to what is the primary cause of this rising epidemic, it is clear that there are many factors that contribute to theRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Weighty Problem900 Words   |  4 PagesChildhood Obesity: A Weighty Problem In this day and age, people are living longer thanks to various factors. For example, evidence-based practices guide healthcare providers in delivering safe, effective health care. Additionally, technological inventions have increased the ability of healthcare providers to provide care that helps both quality and quantity of life. However, this technology has also had an unintended side effect - generations of children who are more comfortable playing video

American Beauty †Paper Free Essays

American Beauty In the movie â€Å"American Beauty† there is a list of interpersonal conflicts. Lester and Carolyn Burnham are a seemingly ordinary couple in an anonymous suburban neighborhood, whose marriage and lives are slowly unraveling. They both have become so distant but remain together to keep up appearances. We will write a custom essay sample on American Beauty – Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now This relationship shows all the factors that Daniel Dana considers being a conflict. Two people are independent; they each need something from the other, both parties blame the other or find fault with them for causing the problem, one or more of the parties is angry or emotionally upset, the parties’ behaviors are affecting their relationship with each other and/or their relationships with others. †(Dana, 2000) In the movie there are many conflicts but the interpersonal conflict that stands out is that between Lester and Carolyn. The conflict between Lester and Carolyn is hard to ignore. They have stopped communicating effectively to one another. Lester is a middle aged man, whom sees no satisfaction in his life anymore. Carolyn is a middle aged woman, whom only shows her satisfaction, but it is a mask; to make it seem that she is happy. Lester, at first, seems to have a passive communication style, compared to Carolyn’s aggressive communication style. In the narration from Lester in the beginning of the film; he seems to be tired of his life and how it is going. They live in a big white house with a red door and a white picket fence; living the American dream. Unfortunately it is anything but. They have a daughter Jane who Lester believes he has failed. One night, Lester and Carolyn go to one of her work functions. Almost immediately they go their own ways at the function. Carolyn is being entertained by the â€Å"King† of real estate, drinking. While Lester has found himself outside with the new neighbor boy Ricky Fitts, smoking the illicit drug marijuana. When they go home and are in bed, their problems come to fruition. At this point the â€Å"blame game† comes into the picture; with much negativity. They fight back and forth sarcastically, saying hurtful things, until Carolyn jumps up out of bed and bursts out â€Å"This isn’t a marriage†. Then Lester finally speaks up and tells her what he has been feeling for years. One factor is the lack of sex between them. Also, he states that he has been her puppet for years; since she received her realtors license, and finally that he has been extremely unhappy. Then he continues saying that the only reason she is mad and saying anything is because he is finally fighting back. His dramatic and angry speech makes Carolyn silent. At this point in the film, I am more aware that they haven’t had effective communication to resolve their conflicts, for many years now. This situation escalated from their root cause of both of them becoming withdrawn, and not resolving their conflicts. When conflict erupts, emotions are involved, and the relationship can be threatened if the conflict is not resolved amicably. †(Sole, 2011) I think what started their downfall, years ago, is that they avoided conflict. This can be destructive in any relationship and/or marriage. If you don’t have the skills of resolving conflict; you run the risk of ruining your m arriage, separate friendships, and shatter your family. Since both parties did not obtain the skills necessary to resolve their conflicts, it resulted in Carolyn stepping out of their marriage; to have an affair with her real-estate rival, Buddy Kane the â€Å"King†, of real-estate. Also, resulting in Lester acting out, quitting his job, smoking marijuana, buying a 1970 Pontiac Firebird, and working out to impress a 17 year old girl; what some may call a mid-life crisis. Amazingly enough, this could have all been resolved, as long as they both are willing with positive emotions during their conflicts. Research has shown that interjecting positive emotions, along with negative emotions, during discussions result in happier marriages. I think that is Lester and Carolyn would have used some basic elements like humor, light-hearted fun, or some playfulness during their conversations, their marriage could have remained happy. Then if they could know and understand one another’s communication style, they would be better at resolving conflicts between them. Lester started out having a passive communication style, and then it quickly moved to a passive-aggressive communication style. I believed this happened because he was fed up with how his life was going and started to display resentment. With negative feelings, this indirectly sabotaged his life. If Carolyn held an assertive communication style, rather than an aggressive communication style, I believe they would have been able to eventually resolve their conflicts. All in all, if they had effective interpersonal communication, they would have continued to go down the path, to be a happily married couple. References Sole, K. ,Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication,(2011),BridgePoint Education Inc. Retrieved From: https://content. ashford. edu/books How to cite American Beauty – Paper, Essay examples

Brca1 Brca2 Essay Example For Students

Brca1 Brca2 Essay Are Women MoreSusceptibleto Breast and OvarianCancer If a Mutation inBRCA1 and BRCA2 isFoundBreast and Ovarian cancer are the two most common kinds of cancers found in women in the United States. An estimated 90-95% of cancer casesare believed to be environmental and lifestyle related. The remaining five toten percent of these types of cancers may be caused by inherited geneticmutations. The existence of a breast cancer susceptibility gene known asBRCA1 and its approximate location on human chromosome 17 have beenknown for about 4 years, on the basis of retrospective family studies. Butonly since 1994 have scientist actually been able to isolate and sequence thegene. In 1995, BRCA2 (a similar gene) was identified. In some families, thegene is inherited in a mutated form. Women who inherit a mutated form arehighly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancers. BRCA1 and BRCA2 aretwo known genes that are responsible for an increased risk of both breast andovarian cancer. (Malone 136)What i s cancer? Cancer is defined as a disease in which abnormalcells multiply without control, destroying healthy tissue and endangering life. Cancer occurs in most species of animals and in many kinds of plants, as wellas human beings. About 100 types of cancers attack human beings. BRCA1and BRCA2 are genes linked to breast (male and female), prostate, ovarian,and colon cancer. (Harris 1) Cancer strikes people of all ages, but especially middle-aged to elderlypeople. It occurs equally among both males and females. The disease canattack any part of the body and may spread through means of blood flow. Cancer may spread only if it is not caught in time. Many types of cancers aredetermined in various stages in which they can be treated and possibly cured. (Harris 2)The occurrence of a specific kind of cancer varies from country tocountry. For example cancer of the stomach is much more common in Japanthan in the United States. The primary body sites that cancer strikes mostoften are the skin ; the female breasts; and the organs of the digestive,respiratory, reproductive, blood-forming, lymphatic, and urinary systems. (Harris 2)The body of an adult human being is made up of hundreds of billions ofcells. Each minute, several billion of these die and are replaced severalbillion new cells. Each if these new cells then doubles in size and becomescapable of dicing throughout mitosis. This way, new cells are being producedfor every cell that dies. Normal, non-cancerous cells, divide at a normal raterequired to replace dying cells, never at a faster rate. Like normal cells,cancer cells reproduce by dividing, but have lost the ability to reproduce at acontrolled rate. (Collins 183)Whenever anything interferes with the reproductive control of cells, thecells multiply and gradually build up a mass of tissue called a tumor. Tumorsthat are benign do not spread, while tumors that are malignant do spread anddestroy other parts of the body. The spread of cancer from one part of thebody to the other is known as metastasis. Cancers ability to spread makesthe disease extremely difficult to treat unless detected early. (Harris 4)Most experts agree that people develop cancer mainly throughprolonged contact with one or more carcinogens. In addition, scientistssuspect that a person may inherit a tendency to develop the disease as well,linking it to DNA alterations. Carcinogens attack normal cells and mayeventually cause one of the cells to become cancerous. Scientists believe that90 to 95% of cancer start this way. The changes are then passed on to thecells descendants. One cancerous cell turns into two, and two into four, andfour into eight, and so on. Carcinogens are introduced into the body throughthe nose, mouth, or some other bodily openings. Many cancers are caused bya combination of two or more agents usually rather than a single one. (Harris 7)Some cancers, including those of the breast and colon, occur amongblood relatives at a higher than average rate. Scienti st believe that somepeople inherit a tendency to develop a certain type of cancer. Only a fewtypes of cancer though have been proven to be hereditary, such as, breast andovarian cancer. In addition researchers have identified certain genes, calledproto-oncogenes, that are vital to early tissue development. When thesegenes become changed or rearranged by chemicals or viruses, these genes intheir altered state are called oncogenes. The oncogenes than transform ahealthy cell into a cancerous cell. Scientists have identified over 50oncogenes that may cause cancer in certain organs such as the bladder,breasts, liver, lungs, colon, and pancreas. Some scientists believe thatoncogenes are involved in all cancers, while others do not. (Harris 7)Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer amongAmerican women, affecting 1 in 10 during their life time. It is estimated that45% of all families with significantly high breast cancer incidence, and atleast 80% of families with elevated r ates of both early-onset breast cancer andovarian cancer, carry the mutated BRCA1 gene. A rough estimate is that 1 in200 women in the U.S may have an inherited mutation in the gene. (AmericanCancer Society packet) Up until the 1940s many doctors and scientist thought breast cancerwas a result of old aging. Scientists know now that breast cancer is not aresult of old aging, but a result of being in contact with too many carcinogens,or as a result of inheriting certain genes. It is becoming more and more clear,that all cancers i.e. breast cancer, have a strong genetic basis, not necessarymeaning that they are all hereditary, but can be found linked to certain geneson chromosomes. (Love 165)Normal cells have 46 chromosomes which appear in 23 pair, butcancer cells usually have many more and on occasion fewer. The risks ofdeveloping breast cancer comes from either parent. Because each person hastwo copies of each gene, but transmits only one copy to each of his or heroffspring, the laws of chance predict that about half of all children of a parentwith a mutation in the BRCA1 gene will inherit the alteration. This flawedgene will make you more susceptible to cancer. The most common genes inwomen and men, that when damaged cause breast cancer are BRCA1 andBRCA2. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are also linked to an increased risk for ovariancancer as well as breast cancer. (Love 167)Usually breast and ovarian cancer are not inherited. It has beenestimated that about 5 to 10% of all breast and ovarian cancers are thought tobe due to mutations in a gene inherited from a parent. However, if anindividual has several closely related family members with breast and/orovarian cancer, or if cancer has occurred at an early age, there is highersuspicion that the breast cancer in that family may be an inheritance. (Scalia 1)BRCA1: BR=breast CA=cancer gene 1, located on chromosome 17q,was first discovered in 1994 by Mark Skolnick at Myriad Genetics Corp. BRCA1 normally is responsible for making proteins which is important forthe normal functions of the cells. A mutation in BRCA1 can change theprotein it makes so the protein does not work as well. The BRCA1 gene isencoded by 5591 nucleotides distributed over a gnomic region which isapproximately 100kb in length. (Langston 3) SEE DIAGRAM 1It is possible that the BRCA1 gene may be involved in some sporadiccases through somatic mutations (mutations that cannot be passed tooffspring) that occur in DNA of breast cells during a womans lifetime. Preliminary evidence, however, suggests that BRCA1 plays a small role, ifany, in sporadic breast cancer. (Langston 4)BRCA2: BR=breast CA=cancer gene 2 was discovered in 1995 by Dr. Steven Narod in Ontario, Canada. Twenty-two coding exons of the geneencode a protein of 1863 amino acids. The protein contains a putative RINGfinger domain near the amino-terminal, suggesting BRCA2 may regulatetranscription. (Levine 25) DIAGRAM 1BRCA2, located on chromosome 13q, functions similar to BRCA1. The only real difference between BRCA1 and BRCA2 is that BRCA2 increases the risk for male cancer, while BRCA1 does not. Also theestimated risk of ovarian cancer with BRCA2 is not as high as BRCA1. (Langston 3)When researchers isolated these gene, they looked at selectedindividuals with either breast and/or ovarian cancer. The researchers whoisolated the gene looked for BRCA1 mutations in 32 breast tumors and 12ovarian tumors from patients who were not known to be members ofcancer-prone families. From this test scientists found BRCA1 mutations inthree of the breast tumors and in one of the ovarian tumors. However, eachof the four was found to be a germline mutation, which suggests that thesepatients have inherited a BRCA1 gene mutation in the same way as womenfrom the families that have been studied. Future research will clarify ifBRCA1 has any role in sporadic breast cancers. Studies of families withinherited alterations in BRCA1 has suggested that more than half the womenwho carry a cancer associated mutation in the gene will be diagnosed withbreast cancer by age 50. (American Can Soc Pack 3)Since the isolation of these genes, studies characterizing the effects ofspecific mutations are presently being conducted. Existing tests to determinewhether a person carries a BRCA1 mutation are effected on both research oncommercial levels. Once the gene is identified in a family, researchers canlook directly for the specific mutation. This allows testing for familymembers to be much more easy, as well as less expensive. (Rizzler 24)In women who have been found to carry an altered BRCA1 gene, therisk to develop breast cancer by age 70 may be as high as 80.5% and the riskfor ovarian cancer 40 to 60%. In other words, out of a 100 women whoinherit BRCA1 mutations, about 80 will develop cancer by the time theyreach 70 years; about 40-60 women will develop ovarian cancer. For womenwho develop cancer in one of the breasts, the risk is increased for cancer todevelop in the oth er breast as well. Men who carry a mutation in BRCA1 donot seem to have high risk to develop breast cancer, but there may be aslightly increased risk for prostate cancer or colon cancer. (Bre OvaPAMPHLET)We all have two BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. We get these genes fromboth our mother and our father. A mutation in either of these genes can beinherited from either parent. If the mother or father does have a mutation theneach of his or her children has a 50% chance of inheriting the mutation. Chance determines who inherits the gene and who does not, and theappearance of the gene in one child has no effect on the risk in other childrenin the family. It is possible that all or none of the offspring of an affectedparent will inherit the mutated gene. (Scalia 1) SEE DIAGRAM 2BRCA1 and BRCA2 in their natural form, are thought to be importantfor normal function of cells. Because BRCA1 is a gene that has recently beenidentified, little is known either of its role in breast cancer development or itsnormal function. If there is a mutation, however, in either of these genes, orone copy of either gene is lost or damaged, its function may be disrupted,making breast cells and ovarian cells more prone to the susceptibility ofdeveloping cancer. Not everyone who inherits a mutation in BRCA1 andBRCA2 develops breast or ovarian cancer. BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutationdoes not cause cancer; however it does increase the chances for a person todevelop cancer. Scientists do not know why only some individuals with amutation develop cancer and why some do not, however, with the rapidprogression of cancer research and genetic testing these questions may soonbe resolved. (Scalia 1)Everyone has two genes of a specific trait. One from mom and onefrom dad. If one of these genes becomes mutated, or lost, then the other canserve as a break for the other and continue to function as normal. Womenwith inherited BRCA1 mutation are born with one bad copy, so that forcancer to occur they need only one additiona l damaging mutation in a breastcell some time during life. It is suspected that the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genesfunction as a tumor suppressor. Suppressor genes normally preventuncontrolled cell proliferation and their inactivation through mutation can leadto cancer. Inherited mutation occurs only on one gene, while the other is noteffected. Chances of that person developing cancer from one of these genesis greatly increased, i.e. 85% breast cancer and 50% for ovarian cancer. How can anyone believe that a machine can think? Essay~clinical breast exams. ~mammograms. ~consultation with a qualified healthcare professional if a change in breast tissue is detected. Ovarian cancer guidelines:~CA-125 serum tumor marker testing~transvaginal ultrasound~rectovaginal pelvic examinationWomen who have a BRCA1 mutation and have been diagnosed withbreast cancer are at an increased risk of developing cancer in the other breast. This may affect treatment decisions, i.e., the choice between a mastectomy ora lumpectomy of the affected breast, and either prophylactic mastectomy ofthe unaffected breast and/or prophylactic oophorectomy. (Doctor Pamphleton breast cancer/Gaitherburg)Ways to treat breast cancer:~Prophylactic oophorectomy. Many clinicians believe that this is thetreatment of choice for the women who carry BRCA1 mutation or for thosewho have a strong family history of breast cancer. A bilateral removal of theovaries to decrease estrogen production is effective as well. Otherconsiderations include the individuals risk for cardiovascular disease andosteoporosis and her concerns about sterility. (Doctors Pamphlet on BRCA1and 2)~Prophylactic mastectomy. Because dense breast tissue may interfere withthe clinical examination and mammography, and in premenopausal women every breast cell has a mutated gene placing a woman at a 95% risk duringher lifetime for breast cancer, the volume of the breast tissue that can beaffected is reduced through mastectomy, making prophylactic surgeryappropriate for women who carry a BRCA1 mutation. However, becausesurgery cannot remove all breast tissue, the risk of developing breast cancercannot be totally eliminated. (Doctors Pamphlet on BRCA1 and 2)Another kind of treatment is hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement therapy has been shown to be effective in relievingsome of the conditions often associated with menopause, as well asdecreasing the risk of a heart attack and osteoporosis. However, the use ofreplacement hormones may increase the risk of breast and endometrialcancer. Post menopausal women who are currently taking hormones(estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progesterone) ha ve a relative riskof 1.46% of developing breast cancer compared to post-menopausal womenwho have never taken hormones or had breast cancer. The effect of hormonereplacement therapy for shorter periods of time and for women who carry amutated BRCA1 gene is currently unknown. (Gayther 1462)There are some life modifications that women can make in order todecrease their chance of breast cancer. Women who carry a BRCA1mutation should be encouraged to evaluate their current lifestyle habits and, ifnecessary and/or appropriate, modify the following: (Gross 88)Age at first pregnancy: Data indicates that women who deliver theirfirst child before age 30 are less likely to develop breast and ovarian cancer. Body weight: individuals who are 40% or more over- weight mayhave an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. In addition, maintainingdesirable body weight increases efficacy of cancer screening procedures. Exercise: Physical activity during a womans reproductive yearsaffect the production of estrogen and other sex hormones. This may providea protective effect against breast cancer risk. Tobacco use: A study indicates that a womans risk of dying frombreast cancer increases 25% if the women smokes cigarettes. Diet: Some studies suggest that eating a balanced diet has ananti-tumor affect. Recommendations for a balanced diet include foods low infat and rich in fiber and antioxidants; green leafy vegetables; soy products;and broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and other cruciferous vegetables. Alcohol: Some studies indicate there is some link between alcoholconsumption and the development of breast cancer, although no causalrelationship has not been proven. (Gross 89) SEE DIAGRAM 6In the future, scientists hope discoveries will lead to gene therapy, butfor now there is little one can do about a genetic predisposition beyondcounseling and lifestyle changes. The BRCA1/BRCA2 genetic susceptibilitytest is commercially available through Myriad Genetic and OncorMedLaboratories. Testing to verify sensitivity, specificity, and other parameterswill commence at cancer centers throughout the U.S. Educational materialswill be provided to healthcare professionals who offer BRCA1/BRCA2testing to assist in presenting and discussing issues with patients both beforeand after the test. (Breast/Ovarian Pamphlet)Having a test for either BRCA1 or BRCA2 could affect a personsability to get or to keep insurance in the future. If a mutation is found insomeones family that increases the risk for d eveloping cancer, it could affecttheir familys ability to get or to keep insurance (health, life, and disability). One may experience loss of insurance, inability to qualify for new insurance,increased premium payments, or decreased coverage. A person may belocked into a job to keep coverage, or lose coverage in the event of a job loss. (Hereditary Breast Cancer 4)Patients should talk to their doctor about how the information will bekept in their medical record. People who are concerned about how their testresults will be used need to consider paying for tests out of their ownpockets. Legislators are in the process of introducing state bills which bansuch discrimination from employers and insurance companies. Twenty statesalready have statutes that, to varying degrees, protect the confidentiality ofgenetic test results and protect them from employment or insurancediscrimination. The presence of a mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 indicates that thereis a risk to develop cancer. It does not mean that cancer will definitelydevelop. Although testing is very accurate, there is a chance that an inheritedmutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 will not be detected or that a mutation existsin another gene for which testing was not done. Cancer can and does occurfor other reasons (Hereditary Breast Cancer 4)There are psychological risks for be ing tested. Some people may alsohave difficulty in knowing that they carry a gene which increases their risk todevelop breast cancer. They may experience emotions, such as: anger,denial, anxiety, or shock; fear of cancer or of the future; worry about theirhealth, family, employability; changed self-image; guilt for possibly passingthe gene to children; worry about the future medical costs and insurability. These are all normal reactions. (Hereditary Breast Cancer 4)If a mutation in BRCA1 and BRCA1 is found, one will be encouragedto inform other family members who may also carry the mutation. In theprocess, other family members may also find out confidential information. For example, someone may disclose that a family member is adopted. Therefore, sometimes relationships in families may be affected. (HereditaryBreast Cancer 4)In conclusion, it is believed that 1 out of 3 women will inherit breastcancer during their life time, though others may disagree. Undoubtedly breastcancer is a silent killer in which it must be detected early in order to beprevented or stopped. As one person put it, ?This is the most exciting andmost frightening time there is in the research of breast cancer.? BibliographyBIBLIOGRAPHYAnderson, Greg. 50 Essentail Things To Do When The Doctor Says ItsCancer. Middlesex: Plume Publishers, 1993. Beckman, M.W. ?Clinical Impact of Detection of Loss of Heterozygosity ofBRCA1 and BRCA2 Markers in Sporadic Breast Cancer.? Cancer WeeklyPlus 24 June, 1996: 25. Berger, Karen. A Womens Decision. St. Louis: Quality Medical Publishers,1994. ?BRCA1 Breast Cancer Susceptibility Gene? American Cancer SocietyAtlanta: April 1997, 1-5. ?Breast.? Encarta Disk Reference 1996 ed. Breast Net Team, Breast Net Call for Papers of Cancerwww.bei.org.au/papers/call_for.html ( 26 June, 1996). Carrela, Angela. ?Defending a Life Saving Test.? The Advocate 30 Jan.1997: A1. Collins, Francis. ?BRCA1-Lots of Mutations, Lots of Dilemmas.?The New England Journal of Medicine. 18 Jan, 1996: 183-186. ?Comprehensive BRCA1 and BRCA2 Sequence Analysis.? BRACAnalysisMyriad Genetic Corp. Cummings, Shelly. ?Genetic Counselor For Cancer.?PRO Updates. January1996: Number 1. Davidson, Nancat E., David Hunter, Maryellen Giger, and David Rose. ?Breast Cancer Network Research.? http://www.cancer.org/report.html(Jan 24 1997). Davies, Kevin. Breakthrough. New York: 1995. ?The Effects of Breast Cancer.? Body Works Computer CD-Rom 1996 ed. Fiztgerald, Michael. ?Germ-line BRCA1 Mutation in Jewish Women andNon-Jewish Women With Early-Onset Breast Cancer.? The New EnglandJournal of Medicine 18 Jan, 1996: 143-147. ?Full Sequence of BRCA2 Cancer Gene Published.? Cancer BiotachnologyWeekly 18 March, 1996: 2-6. Gayther, Simon. ?Breast Cancer-Genetic Aspects? JAMA May 1996: 14. Gross, Amy. Women Talk About Breast Sugery New York: CrownPublishers, 1993. Halloran, Liz. ?Preventing Genetic Bias.? The Advocate May 1997: A1Harris, Jules. ?Cancer? Rush Medical College 1994: 1-8. ?Hereditary Breast Cancer: Questions and Answers for Patients.? OncorMedInc. Gaithersburg, August 1996: 1-4. ?Hereditary Breast Cancer: Questions and Answers for Physicians.?OncorMed Inc. Gaithersburg, August 1996: 1-8. Ivor, Benjamin. ?The Breast-Ovary Cancer (Pre-clone).?Available www.oncolink.upenn.edu/specialty/mol_bio/brca1.html (Dec 11,1995). Kormanicky, Lydia, Anne Rosenberg. What to Do If You Get Breast Cancer. Atlanta: 1995. Langston, A. Amelia. ?BRCA1 Mutations In A Population? New EnglandJournal of Medicine. 18 January, 1996: 334-344. Levine, Joseph, and David Suzuki. The Secret of Life Boston: WGBHEducational Foundation, 1993. Love, Dr. Susan. Dr. Susan Loves Breast Book. Canada: OTA Publishing,1995. Malone, Kathleen. ?BRCA1 Mutations In A Population-Based Sample ofYoung Women With Breast Cancer.? The New England Journal of Medicine. 18 Jan, 1996: 136-137. Michnovicz, Jon. How to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer. New York:Warner Books, 1994. Myriad Genetics, ?BRCA -Analysis, Genetic Susceptibility for Breast andOvarian Cancer.? http://www.ps1group.com/dg/z9d.ehtm26 Sept.,1996. Offit, Kenneth. ?Germline BRCA1 185delAg Mutations in Jewish WomenWith Breast Cancer.? The Lancet June 15, 1996: 1643. Rizzler, Carol Ann. Estrogen and Breast Cancer New York: MacMillan,1993. Robinson, Rebecca, and Jeanne Petruck. The Role of Genetic Testing In thePrevention of Occupational Disease. New York: Carol Publishing, 1994. Scalia, Jennifer. Personal Interview. 16 Feb. 1997. Sirsky, Joan. Breast Cancer Handbook. New York: Harper CollinsPublishers, 1994. ?Why Clone Animals for Use In Cancer Science Year 1995, 1995 ed. Science Essays

The Public Library

Introduction Rapid development of information technologies, especially Internet and various social changes contributed to the decline of public library usage in the United States and many other countries (Goulding 2006, p. 112). This trend urges these organizations to improve their practices and find new ways of attracting visitors.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Public Library specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper is aimed at describing an imaginary public library that will serve the needs of a middle-sized city with a population of 150,000 people. In particular, it is necessary to identify the major services that it will provide. Secondly, this essay will explain how this institution will cooperate with other public libraries and governmental structures. Thirdly, one has to explain the principles that will govern this organization. One should note that this organization will operate in the environmen t which does not yet exist. This means that this institution will not have to face budgetary constraints as it is often done by public libraries. Secondly, it will work in the environment in which the government fully appreciates the educational importance of such organizations and supports them. The services provided by the public library First, we should say that this organization will be a part of a large library system. The thing is that such networking enables libraries to better share resources and information (Wilson 1992, p. 166). It is particularly important when we speak about books or periodicals. Secondly, these institutions will able to share information about user’s most common requests. As it has been said before, this organization will work in a middle-sized city. Its population will have various educational, informational, and developmental needs and this library will serve these needs. At this point, it is necessary to speak about these functions in more det ail. First of all, this public library will support those people who pursue their education. In this case, one can mention school, college, or university students and those people who want to acquire new knowledge in their professional area (McClure Jaeger 2009, p. 50). The readers of this library will represent various age groups. They will be able to find literature related to their areas of study. Admittedly, this organization cannot be compared to a research library in which a collection is focused on one or two specific subjects. The books and articles stored in this public library will be related to a variety of scientific disciplines or liberal arts.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Another type of services will be related to the informational needs of the clients. These needs can very heterogeneous, and it is rather difficult to identify each of them. The readers mus t be provided access to a variety of printed and online sources of information. The staff of this library will also help clients develop their information literary skills. In other words, these visitors must know how to access and evaluate various sources of information and assess their validity (Roman Fiore 2010, p. 27). This issue is particularly important for children and adolescents. On the whole, these skills are indispensible for a modern person who has to cope with information overload. Thus, the employees of this public library must show not only where one can find information but also how it can be done. Thirdly, this library will facilitate personal development of the readers. The visitors will be provided with access to various â€Å"works of imagination† which can include the best examples of the world literature and sometimes even cinematography or music (Dewe 2006, p. 18). This is the practice adopted in many public libraries. In addition to that, this library w ill attempt to increase people’s awareness about health, law, environment, society, and so forth (Dewe 2006, p. 18). In this case, the developmental needs of an individual can be linked to the social problems faced by the community. So, these are some of the services that this library will offer to the clients. There are several distinctive features of this organization that are worth discussing. For example, this library will have a multi-media collection. The clients will be able to request various printed sources, E-books, disks, or audiobooks. The use of multimedia can be of great importance to those people with disabilities, for example, with visual impairments (Barker 2011, p. 9). This public library will attempt to provide opportunities for people, whose problems prevent them from reading printed sources of information. For example, it might be necessary to install screen readers on computers in order to help some of the visitors. This organization will try to pursue t he policies of social inclusion, rather than exclusion. The second aspect is that this functioning of this public library will be based on proper utilization of information technologies. For instance, this library will have a digitized catalog that will help the clients search for books or periodicals. Furthermore, the visitors will also be able to use various online databases. The information technologies will greatly improve the storage and retrieval of information (Carnegie Abell 2009). They will be essential for the effective functioning of this organization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Public Library specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another important peculiarity is the emphasis on self-service (Downes, 2010). The patrons of this library will not have to ask the permission of the librarian when they need to use Internet or when they have to check out books. On the whole, one can single out several t hings which are indispensible for the effective functioning of this organization, namely, multimedia sources, increased use of information technologies, and simplified procedures. There are several rational for adopting these strategies. First, public libraries have to focus on the needs of the visitors rather than bureaucratic rules (Mathews 2009, p. 8). Moreover, these organizations have to keep a close track of technological changes. Moreover, they must try to include every member of the community. This is why it is necessary to adopt the technologies which can help people with disabilities. However, this public library can have these resources only if the local authorities and government in general are willing to support them. The cooperation with political and governmental structures This organization will not be isolated from governmental or political structures. Unfortunately, it is rather difficult to create a public library that will be financially independent of the local or federal government. Therefore, to some extent, this institution will be accountable to governmental institutions, for example, the board of directors who represent the city council. As a rule, public libraries have to report and justify their expenses or explain the reasons for structural changes if they do occur (Koontz Gubbin 2010, p. 24). This governing body will be responsible for decisions related to the general strategy rather than daily operations, rather than daily operations. The main issue is that those people, who are on the board of directors, must be proficient in librarianship and the management of non-profit organization (Koontz Gubbin 2010, p. 24). If they do not have these skills, it is quite likely that the chief librarian and the directors will have significant disagreements. Hopefully, the administrators of this library will be more or less autonomous from political or governmental structures. This autonomy is indispensible for the effective management of th is organization. The second issue, which is also very important, is the political structure of the public library. It seems to me that such organizations must be able to distance themselves from politics.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Certainly, they should promote liberal or democratic values; however, they should not be strongly affected by the world of politics. Apart from that, this public library will be accountable to the community, in general. The management of this organization must explain how they can improve the experiences of the visitors and what efforts are made in order to achieve this goal. Conclusion Overall, the public library described in this paper can come into existence on condition that the federal and local governments decide to pay more attention to the needs of such institutions, especially when one is speaking about the funding of these organizations. This essay has described the key features that the public library should have. Among them one can single out the adoption of multimedia, increased usage of information technologies, and simplified procedures. Although, this organization will be accountable to local government, its administrators will have a high degree of autonomy. Hopeful ly, the idea of such hypothetical library can be implemented in a real-life environment. Reference List Barker, D. (2011). On The Outside Looking In: Public Libraries Serving Young People With Disabilities. Aplis, 24(1), 9-16. Carnegie, T. M., Abell, J. (2009). Information, Architecture, and Hybridity: The Changing Discourse of the Public Library. Technical Communication Quarterly, 18(3), 242-258. Dewe, M. (2006). Planning public library buildings: concepts and issues for the  librarian. London: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Downes, A. (2010). Putting readers first: frontline training in Victoria. Aplis, 23(4), 132-140. Goulding, A. (2006). Public libraries in the 21st century: defining services and  debating the future. NY: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Koontz, C. Gubbin, B. (2010). IFLA public library service guidelines. London: Walter de Gruyter. Matthews, J. (2009). The Customer-Focused Library: Re-Inventing the Library from  the Outside-In. NY: ABC-CLIO. McClure, C. Jaeger, P. ( 2009). Public libraries and Internet service roles:  measuring and maximizing Internet services. Washington: ALA Editions. Roman, S., Fiore, C. D. (2010). Do Public Library Summer Reading Programs Close the Achievement Gap? Children Libraries: The Journal Of The Association For Library Service To Children, 8(3), 27-31. Wilson, T. (1992). Impact of technology on resource sharing: experimentation and  maturity. NY: Routledge. This essay on The Public Library was written and submitted by user Kailynn Salas to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Business Process Re-engineerings Come-back

Business Process Re-engineerings Come-back Free Online Research Papers Introduction Pace of literature being published about Business process re-engineering, one of the most talked about phenomena of 90s seems to have gone down in past few years. But recent downturn across the globe has created perfect environment for BPR to make a comeback in a big way. Business process re-engineering has been defined by many researchers in their own words but definition given by Hammer and Champy(1993) is still referred to a lot, according to them: â€Å"Re-engineering is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance such as cost, quality, service and speed[1].† T his article discusses the factors that are critical for success of a business process re-engineering project, and also why this is the perfect time to undertake such projects. Critical success factors for a BPR project There have been many researches in the past to find out critical success factors for a BPR exercise. Factors suggested by Hammer and Stanton have pretty much been the basis of most of such studies done in this area. These factors are: 1.Re-engineering Leadership 2.Organizational Readiness 3.Style of Implementation Lets examine these factors in detail and see which of these factors are the most relevant, when it comes to re-engineering in these times. Re-engineering Leadership This signifies leaders vision and commitment to the project. Since changes involved are radical in nature, and concentrate on processes instead of people, so such changes are often met with a lot of resistance from employees at all levels. To overcome this you need someone from top management to lead the project from front because heads of all the functions involved wont be willing to give up their autonomy. How relevant is this factor in these times? Almost all companies would be thinking of re-engineering their process in current turmoil , of course, reasons would vary from company to company. 1.Companies that have been badly impacted and whose survival is endangered (if this downturn continues for long) are looking for radical changes in the way they do business. These companies want quick response from their re-engineering projects. 2.Companies that have been mildly impacted, or have not been impacted by this downturn need to reengineer themselves for 3 reasons: 1.To guard themselves against long term impact of this downturn 2.To grab the market share of the companies that have been wiped out of picture because this downturn 3.To consolidate their businesses, and prepare for the good times that will follow this downturn Almost all the companies have been forced to take up re-engineering projects to make their survival viable in long term. Even those companies that have not been impacted need to take a fresh look at their processes and prepare themselves for future. So this time, the mandate to re-engineer has been forced on almost all companies, and the top management is not left with any option but to ensure that processes are re-engineered in the best interest of the company. Organizational Readiness Organizational readiness is the existence in the organization of an open attitude toward re-engineering, the capability to make the changes needed and the resources required to support the process. How relevant is this factor in these times? Desperate times call for drastic measures, and there havent been more desperate times than this in past several decades. Organizations definitely have the attitude to re-engineer and sail through the current turmoil but, resources and capabilities might not be present within the organizations. But resources and capabilities are not a constraint anymore as both of these can be arranged, from outside the company. There are enough agencies who can bring in the capabilities and execute the BPR projects for its clients. As far as monetary resource are concerned bailout packages from governments, and declining interest rates have made it easier for organizations to raise money. Companies can also use these resources and invest in building in house capabilities to carry out successful re-engineering projects. Style of Implementation Style of implementation covers aspects such as the need for the re-engineering project to be scoped correctly, for project participants to be empowered to make changes and management systems to be put into place before the implementation of re-engineering projects. The scope of the process chosen for redesign must be well defined in terms of cost improvements or increases in customer value for it to improve performance across the organization. How relevant is this factor in these times? With almost 2 decades in practice, there are enough proven methods which can be followed to make the re-engineering projects successful. Also, with lesser business activity happening these days, this is a perfect time to devote all the organizational energy towards re-engineering processes. Agencies that undertake BPR projects on contractual basis are available in large numbers these days. Organizations can avail their services to carry out a successful re-engineering project. Technology, which is another very important tool for carrying out re-engineering, is also available easily these days. With open-source business process management and re-engineering tools, come best practices evolved over the years, at very little cost Conclusions Need for re-engineering is at all time high and so is the supply of resources for carrying out these projects. Companies should embark upon this journey before its too late for them. If an organization is not convinced with its capabilities to carry out such project on its own then, there is enough professional help available in the market these days. References 1.Hammer,M., Champy.J., (1993), Re-engineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution., Harper Collins, London. 2.Murphy F., Seddon P., Staples S. (2000), Testing Hammer and Stantons Re-engineering success diagnostic., Australasian Journal of Information Systems, Melbourne. Research Papers on Business Process Re-engineering's Come-backGenetic EngineeringIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalThe Project Managment Office SystemOpen Architechture a white paperResearch Process Part OneMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductDefinition of Export QuotasTwilight of the UAWNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceEffects of Television Violence on Children

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

Marketing Techniques - Essay Example This brings to light the aspect of understanding the potential which the 15-inch LCD TV systems have within them and the manner in which the same could be exploited upon by the company rests on the shoulders of the advertising programs, sponsorship packages and rigorous sales promotions – both above the line and below the line activities could be used over a period of time. Price cuts for the 15-inch LCD TV system would not be a fair ploy since reduction in prices usually mean an inferior product produced on the part of the company which is simply not the case. Thus the best aspect of advertising programs would be to manifest that the 15-inch LCD TV system is indeed a viable option for young ones and the office places. This would immediately trigger positive sale as well as corrective word of mouth within the relevant circles. More than anything else, it will facilitate the 15-inch LCD TV system in making a mark for its own self in a short period of time. Since 70% of the potential customers opt for the 17-inch LCD TV system, it would be feasible if the 15-inch LCD TV system goes for a different segment altogether and tries its best to get in touch with them through tailored advertising messages which play a creative trick during the whole activity. It could look to entice its relevant target market with the purchase of the 15-inch LCD TV system in order to satisfy its need as well as the completion of ego or self-esteem issue. A 15-inch LCD TV system would surely live up to their expectations and indeed would look to outdo the rivals, both direct and indirect in the long run. Thus it is advisable for the managers to adopt the manner in which launch of better planned and sound advertising programs is in place – one which aims to pinpoint the campaigns in a narrow-casting fashion, aiming to find the exact audience for its purchase and then hammering the

Compare great depression with the last recession of 2008-2009 Term Paper

Compare great depression with the last recession of 2008-2009 - Term Paper Example Its impact hit the world for a long period that would see governments elect new leaders for several terms before it came to an end. Most of the African countries were still under colonial leadership and hence their independence came after the depression. It is estimated to have begun in October 1929, in United States, stretching across the next decade until 1939 (â€Å"The great depression,† thinkquest.org). At the beginning of the depression, Herbert Hoover was the president in United States, but transitions led to Franklin Roosevelt becoming his successor, while the country struggled to recover its economy. The end of the depression marked the beginning of World War II, where the United States appeared to be the chief creditor and source of funds for the war. The European nations were the most indebted to the United States; Germany and Great Britain suffered the most with regard to how their economies were devastated, as they struggled to pay war reparations, what they owed the United States, and change the weak state of their nations. The commonly referred 2008/2009 recession was termed as the worst so far since the postwar period. Precisely, its origin can be traced back in the United States after December 2007, in the emerging issues of the housing market; the economies linked with the United States had to experience the economic shock afterwards till the approximated time of its ending in June 2009 (EPI stateofworkingamerica.org). Majority of nations worldwide are in the better stages of recovery, and some have actually succeeded to overcome the tragedy. The global economy had shown progress before the recession, as most developing countries were working hard enough to raise their economies, since they had acquired development funds and support from the developed nations. Although the depression period was shorter, most developing nations were hit hard due to their linked economies and investments with developed nations. According to Cross, Canada stands out as the only G7 country that has entirely pulled out of the crisis compared to the rest six (statcan.gc.ca). In the United States, the recovery is yet to end though the economy’s progress is encouraging the citizens concerning their future. As for the European nations, the Euro zone crisis continues to affect their economies and industries to date. Most of their powerful nations like Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Spain are thriving on rescue program funds by the European bank and IMF (Raman ibtimes.com). Cause of the crisis: The great depression had earlier been preceded by another depression six months earlier, though its impacts were not severe. Great recession was initiated by the collapse of stock values in the New York stock exchange in October 1929; investors saw a quick and great loss in their shareholdings that after the next 3 years, the stock prices had reduced by 20% of their value in 1929 (â€Å"About the great,† illinois.edu). Before the decline o f the stock prices, New York stock value had increased, which encouraged massive number of investors to purchase more stock, in the hope that it would pay back with much profits when the future stock prices raise. However, the stock prices expressed variation in a very short period before drastically dropping. The value of assets downturn did not spare financial institutions that

ECE 330 Assignments 1 & 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ECE 330 Assignments 1 & 2 - Essay Example Recently, there have been cases of Ebola, a disease, outbreak in the world. There have been reported cases of Ebola in the United States of America. The case of Ebola is a good example of new information that has had to pass through my human memory system. The disease is quite dangerous and is spread by direct contact with infected persons. Storing of this new information and organizing it in my memory, is a process which is systematic. Ebola being a disease had to be stored next to other similar words which are diseases such as HIV and STI’S. My human memory system then broke down this information further by classifying Ebola as an infectious disease that is spread by direct contact with an infected person’s blood or fluids. This information was, thus, stored next to other infectious diseases, for example, HIV. The new information gained about Ebola was stored in my long term memory because I paid more attention to the information by reading it often. The human memory system is made up of three main elements or three memories. They are the sensory, working and long term memories. Information that is gathered is normally stored in any of the three memories (Schater et al, 2010). When Ebola broke out in Africa, it was just simple news to me since I don’t reside in Africa. This new information was first stored in my sensory memory. Information gathered by our senses is first stored in the sensory memory on a temporary basis. One is able to decide whether to pay more attention to the information and transfer it to our working memory for processing or dismiss the information. In this case, I dismissed the information since it was an outbreak that was affecting only one continent. This new information was not stored. The disease, however, appeared again on the news. It had spread to America. I was compiled to pay more attention. The new information was first stored in the sensory

Ethics in Human Resource Management

Ethics in Human Resource Management This report mainly focuses on providing a critical analysis of ethics and HRM. It further shows the issues to be considered to ensure fairness and justice in the employment relationship. It examines that how changes in the nature of the work are causing illness. The focal point of this report is to examine the real causes of stress and illness in the workplace and evaluation of their solutions. Through entire study and findings, it is concluded that although the changes in the nature of work cause stress and illness, still these can be eradicated by adopting appropriate measures like good management style, training, mentoring, health and safety measures, planning and time management. Introduction Human Resource Management is the systematic and effective management of people to achieve the desired objectives. To gain a strategic edge, it is very important to manage the people resources productively. This will help to attain the strategic goals as well as the satisfaction of the individual employee needs. All the Human Resource practices are based on ethical foundation. It is the responsibility of the employers to maintain health and safety of their employers in the workplace. The main objective of this report is to provide a critical analysis of ethics and HRM and examine the real causes of illness in the workplace and evaluate their solutions. This report helps in undertaking a search in analyzing the ethics to be used in HRM for ensuring employee health and safety. Thus, it mainly focuses on finding the causes that increase illness in the workplace and it proposes various ways to eradicate illness. Moreover, workplaces culture should be developed in such a way that it should allow flexibility, security, autonomy, recognition, participation and involvement to employees in order to create a stress free atmosphere. Ethics and HRM According to Winstanley, Woodall and Heery (1996), Ethics is a special branch of philosophy that focuses on the questions related to morality, that is concepts such as good and bad, right and wrong ; fairness and righteousness. Business ethics deals with the degree and extent of morality to be used in business (George Zoe, 2010). Morals, standards, values and ethics have becoming more complex in the present modern society and the concept of absolutes is taken away by ambiguity. As per Pitt (2007), Human Relations Management is concerned with a variety of ethical issues to be dealt with for making decisions related to businesses. Before making the decisions, the various alternatives catering to the needs of the business must be checked and their effects on the lives of the employees must be considered. Nowadays the relationship between ethics and HRM is becoming a major issue to be taken care of. A significant turning point has been experienced by ethics and Human Resource Management . The business ethics mainly put attention on the social and ecological responsibilities of the companies within the society. Ethics are now becoming one of the most important internal concerns for the companies. Previously, the interests of the employees were not taken into consideration but now it has become one of the main responsibilities of the company to ethically manage its human resources (Christian Andra, 2009). Now its the era of ethical leadership. Acts of its employees towards a business perspective to his moral character is a litmus test.  Relationship between business and its employees is based on employment contract. The principle of ethical selection is followed by an ethical organization for hiring prospective employees. As per this principle an organization should only hire a person who is expected to contribute the maximum towards increasing the long-term value of the business (Glenn, 2001). According to this principle, factors like gender, age, nationality a nd religion are not relevant for hiring a person. The ethical issues which are reflected in the case are: Safety and health: Much of the work in the industries and companies is hazardous. All this is because of the use of heavy technology. Nowadays there is much use of machineries and high temperature based production processes. In addition, there is more dependence on chemical compounds. All these aspects increase injuries, illnesses and accidents in the workplace. For instance, the job of a bullfighter or bomb disposal expert (De Cieri Kramar, 2008). New sources of accidents and illnesses are increasing day by day. Risk is present in every job but its frequency differs from job to job. Face to face ethics: These types of ethics arise due to human element in the activities in the workplace. No work is possible without employees. Corporate policy ethics: The use of more technology in the workplace has replaced the labor in the workplace. This has made hundreds of persons jobless. The managers are responsible for making policies and their successful implementation. The ethical content of these policies has massive impact throughout the company. It should be such that it can be able to send right signals to every person in the company (Shuttleworth, 2004). Employee Relations: Its the duty of the HR manager to maintain objectivity in hiring, discipline, promotion, training, retention, termination and compensation (Ken Joanne, 2010). All this lies at the core of human resources. HR should make it sure that the company policies should follow anti-discrimination legislature and polices of the integrity of performance reviews to make sure that the evaluation process remains fair with all the jobs (Ken Joanne, 2010). Communication: Another duty of the HR Department is to keep informed everyone in the organization on relating to the various legal and ethical issues. HR prepares various communication vehicles to advise employees of the companys code of ethics and no-tolerance policies such as documents, seminars, and informal meetings (Hughes Bozionelos, 2007). Increase in competition, locally or globally, need that organizations should be more adaptable, flexible, agile, and customer focused to succeed (Markiewicz, 2007).  And with this change in the environment the human resource professional needs to be a strategic partner, an employee sponsor or advocate and moreover, a change mentor within the organization. Grove (2009) suggests that in order to succeed a business driven HR function with a thorough understanding of the organizations big picture may be more important to be able to influence decisions and policies.  In general, todays human resource managers focus is on strategic personnel retention and developing talent (Teasdale, 2006).  A recent study (Grove 2009) found that human resource professionals, coaches, counselors, mentors, and succession planners will help to motivate organizations members and their loyalty.  Human Resources Manager will also promote and fight for values, ethics, beliefs, and spirituality within their organizations in the management of workplace diversity, specifically. Insecurity and risk: Another ethical issue that is depicted in the case is insecurity and risk present in the job. This has arisen because of the changes in the macro-economic environment and mass un-employment (Makin Winder, 2009). All this happens because of business restructuring and stripping out of the costs due to redundancy, outsourcing, contingent contracts and systems of rewards in the employment (Grawitch, Trares Kohler, 2007).   Another problematic element of the shift to greater risk and insecurity for workers is that what is happening when other stakeholders have to act on the same insulation from risk (Rodney, Matrina Anne, 2008). Undoubtedly, a key element of economic life in recent years has been a transfer of risk from those who finance business i.e. banks, institutional investors, shareholders, taxpayers and the Treasury to those in gainful employment (Teasdale, 2006).  The moral question here is whether this shift is fair, or compatible with the ru les of distributive justice.  It could be suggested that the transfer is unfair because the investors are in a stronger position to risk-sharing by employees and that this has happened, crudely, it is the exploitation of the change in the bargaining power by the strongest party in industrial relations (Teasdale, 2006). Surveillance and control: It is major ethical concern these days. The right of the employing agency to enter into the subjectivity of the worker to control and manipulate, is taken for guaranteed (Pitt, 2007).  Whether the use of psychometric tests for selection or promotion of employees, culture change programs that seek to challenge assumptions on the job or competence-based HRM, which seeks to promote compliance  with attitudes and behavior, the assumption is that it is lawful for the employer to trespass on workers autonomy.  Such misconduct will never be complete, but the trend for a large complex HRM is to invade privacy of employees. While new forms of work organization can be effective in increasing productivity, but possible adverse effects on the welfare of workers should be considered when evaluating these initiatives (Christian Andra, 2009). A wide range of human relations management activities is concerned with various ethical issues, both on the part of upper-level for management of business and management decisions of low-level regarding treatment of the individual employees (Winstanley, Woodall Heery, 1996).   This can be devastating to individual employees and the communities in which they live.  Managing decisions must be honestly done by taking into account all the factors, including social responsibility as well as stockholder concerns.   HR manager should consider various options for business needs and take the decision that is best for company and employees as well as it will have an impact on employees live.    Issues involved in considering rights, responsibilities, fairness and justice in the employment relationship: There are many issues which are needed to be considered to have good and faithful employment relationship as it has impact on the whole society and economy as a whole. Good Faith: There should be positive relationship between employer and employee. Good faith means to deal with honestly, openly and without misleading each other. It also requires parties to actively and constructively creating and maintaining a productive relationship (Glenn Klaas, 2001).  Such behavior makes sense. Workers with positive relationships are more likely to enjoy the benefits of sustainable, decent work.  Employers also benefit productive employee. On the other hand, an employment relationship may be affected if it is based on distrust and there is doubt or lack of communication. Workplace health and safety: The purpose of workplace health and safety is to protect the health and safety of health and safety of all in a workplace (Markiewicz, 2007). Grawitch, Trares and Kohler state that Effective management of health and safety in the workplace is not only good business, but it is a requirement under the law. Employers have an obligation to ensure that the way in which business is conducted has no adverse effects on health and safety of themselves, their workers or anyone who enters the workplace. The occupational health and safety plan need not be complicated.  It should be simple, practical and easy to implement.  As a result of the implementation of health and safety of the business processes can also benefit from significant productivity gains and cost savings (Makin Winder, 2009). Occupational health and safety is a discipline with broad scope, with many niche areas.  In its broadest sense, it is diverted towards promoting and maintaining the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; preventing workers from the adverse health effects caused by their working conditions; protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health (George Zoe, 2010). In other words, the occupational safety and health include social, mental and physical well-being of workers, which is the whole person. On the other hand, poor working conditions can also affect workers living environment.  This means that occupational hazards can have harmful effects on workers, their families and others in the community and the natural environment around the workplace.  It has been estimated that the indirect costs of an accident or illness can be four to ten times greater than direct costs, or ev en more. Occupational disease or accident can have so many indirect costs for employees that are often difficult to measure them.  One of the most obvious indirect costs is the human misery caused to families of workers, which cannot be compensated with money (Ken Joanne, 2010). Management Commitment: Strong management commitment and involvement of employees are necessary for a successful health and workplace safety program.Effective management addresses all work-related risks, not just those covered by the standards of government, and communicate with employees (Rodney, Matrina Anne, 2008). Workers in every profession can be faced with a multitude of risks in the workplace.  Business addresses health and safety in a wide range of risks in the workplace accident prevention in the most insidious dangers, including toxic fumes, dust, noise, heat, stress, etc. The prevention of occupational diseases and accidents should  be the goal of occupational safety and health programs instead of trying to solve the problems after they have already developed (Teasdale, 2006). Changes in the nature of work: There has been a dramatic change and growth in the workplaces. The workplaces have gone through a remarkable revolution over the last two decades as a result of globalization, democratization and innovations i.e. both technical and creative. The swift growth has brought momentous changes in the structure of the labor market and in the organization of the work resulting in changes both within and outside the framework of the employment relationship. The type of employments has been changed now. Workers are now more engaged and employed in atypical, conditional and contingent employment relationships like casual employment, use of contract work, and the rise of the use of vague and disguised employment (Hughes Bozionelos, 2007). The work environment is now changing fastly. The employment is now becoming unstable, less secure and more concentrated. The trend of the collective bargaining has now been shifted towards individual negotiations (Shuttleworth, 2004). All these factors are res ulting causing the employee to be sick as a result of more work pressure, less secured job and more responsibilities. The trend is shifting towards privatization and the seniors who are more experienced are being replaced by the freshers or the younger graduates who are less experienced and they are more often engaged in the employment that is non-permanent ( Markiewicz, 2007). In the real terms, the average rate of the pay is also decreasing, or its standing still from the last five years (Markiewicz, 2007). For instance, in the media industry, all these changes have resulted in having a negative effect on the editorial contents quality and as its consequence it is jeopardizing the role of the media as a watchdog for the society and it ultimately puts effects on the mental health of the employees as well (George Zoe, 2010). Moreover, more layoffs, longer working hours are there. There is lack of physical activities and poor seating as well. These factors are the biggest sources of stress. Real causes of illness in the workplace and evaluation of their solutions: There are many real causes of illness of workers in the workplace. Some of them can be: Workload: The very first cause of illness in the workplace can be the increasing workload on the part of employees. It is causing stress. Employees are often found in stress when the workload is too high or too less. Its the responsibility of the manager to divide the work properly among employees based on the priorities (Makin Winder, 2009). Targets should be challenging but should be kept realistic. Before making a shift in the responsibilities, its impact should be known in advance. Furthermore, the cost resulting from the stress must be taken into consideration (Teasdale, 2006). More care to be taken when increasing the workload of any worker or when there is a need to hire more people. Moreover, there should be a balanced workload with control over the tasks to be performed. Persuasive uncertainty: When the workers are confronted by new rules, requirements and the procedures, there will be an increase in the level of illness. Its the duty of the manager to check whats going on at regular intervals and convey each piece of information to the staff (Grawitch, Trares Kohler, 2007). In this way, stress can be controlled and this will ultimately result in increasing the productivity. In some companies, the manager writes out the new information in a memo so that it can be conveyed to the employees and the facts can be reviewed (Grove, 2009). Moreover, information given in this way is appreciated by the staff members. This will help in reducing mental illness. Mistrust and unfairness: Mistrust and unfairness can also be the cause of illness in the workplace. These will keep everyone in the workplace on the edge, create bad attitudes, and will decrease productivity (Pitt, 2007). Misunderstanding can be avoided through an open line of communication and by knowing what and how the staff members are thinking about the decisions. Its managers duty to consistently build trust and treat everyone equally. This helps in reducing illness in the workplace. Lack of control: The employees should be given an opportunity to say regarding the things those affect them as if they have no say, and then there will be more chances of workplace illness. All the employees should be given a sense of being in control. The managers should involve employees in both operating as well as administrative decisions. And the frontline employees must know what they are talking about. All this will result in increasing productivity and reducing the stress levels. The managers who are efficient and effective understand that controlling stress and illness are leadership responsibilities and these are as important as any other management functions (Glenn Klaas, 2001). Lack of communication: When the communication system is not good, this will result in lack of understanding, bad performance and less productivity with stress (Rodney, Matrina Anne, 2008). The communication system should be two way so that the employees can be able to receive full information and give suggestions and in this way, there will be no stress. No appreciation: Lack of appreciation will also lead towards illness in the workplace. If the employees do not get feedback on what they are doing, not being appreciated for good performance, they will feel mentally stressed and this can be one of the causes of illness (George Zoe, 2010). To overcome this, the managers should appreciate the good work from time to time. This will create a feeling among the employees that are valuable for the company and they will feel happy and stress free. Poor relationships: Poor relationships with colleagues can also be the factor of illness. If the employees are treated with discrimination then there can be chances of stress. Unclear policies and no sense of direction: If the policies are not clear to the employees and they are not in the written form, then these can cause stress among employees. The policies should be enforced properly and communicated in a clear way. The policies can be reinforced in a number of ways from time to time like memos, personal meetings, bulletin boards, articles, small group discussions, etc. the employees should be informed about the business direction and the significant changes (Grawitch, Trares Kohler, 2007). Contributory factors with regard to sickness: There are many factors causing sickness among the people. The reasons can be tiredness or unappreciation or they can have the travel difficulties. For instance, a person who is suffering from diarrhea or dysuria is very unlikely to come to work from home if he has to drive for 50 miles to get there, whereas another person who is working from home or working in an office which is close to toilet may continue the work for long (Hughes Bozionelos, 2007). Moreover, the workers who are positively motivated they can simply take easy and simple remedies. If there is a bullying environment in the workplace or the manager is over-enthusiastic, then taking sick leave for a minor illness thinking that the power balance has become unequal in the favor of manager? Other sources of workplace illness can be layoffs, absenteeism, alcoholism, lack of motivation, bad decisions, petty internal policies, harassment, lack of equipment, lack of autonomy, etc. Ways to reduce illness in the workplace: Preparing Education Programs: To overcome illness, the employees should be educated about the causes, symptoms and treatment and it should be ensured that all the individuals should have early treatment. Employers can provide assistance by ensuring that every person in the organization from the top down has received full information about all the issues related to mental health and illness (Christian Andra, 2009). Stress management training and counseling services should be implemented in the workplace to eradicate stress. This will help the employees in better management of work during pressure. This will help them to learn techniques like time management, leadership skills, assertiveness, relaxation, etc. The employee must learn how to relax in case of stress. Mentoring: Mentoring can also be very helpful to reduce stress and illness in the workplace. This will help to create strong bonds among colleagues and they can share their work related skills (Ken Joanne, 2010). This can help to create awareness among employees related to the diversity which is very helpful to reduce stress. This will make the employees more confident as they can get to know more things which they previously dont know. Moreover, it will promote team spirit. Encourage exercise: Another way to keep employees healthy and fit is to encourage exercise. Employers should encourage their employees to keep physically fit. Doing exercise and taking a healthy and balanced diet will help employees to have more stamina and energy in the office (Markiewicz, 2007). Exercises can be of various types. For instance, tennis, ballroom dancing, swimming, jogging, cycling, etc. All these will not only promote fitness but also help to get relief from counter stress. The workplace should be clean for the wellbeing of the employees and the overall mental attitude of the employees. The employees should talk with each other so that they can discuss their problems and can reduce stress. Duties of employers towards employees: To reduce stress and illness, it is the duty of the employer to treat each employee equally. Each and every employee should be involved in decision making so that they can feel that they are part of the organization (Grawitch, Trares Kohler, 2007). Each employee should be well trained. The managers need to behave proactively to handle stress. They should be able to understand the signs and symptoms of stress. Employers should provide proper health and wellness programs to reduce stress in the workplace and to ensure health and safety. There should be no bullying and harassment in the workplace. Workplace culture: The organizations need to set proper organization culture to reduce levels of stress in the workplace. Workplaces culture should be developed in such a way that it should be allow flexibility, security, autonomy, recognition, participation, involvement, etc (Teasdale, 2006). All these factors are very important for a stable workplace and industrial relations. Consequently, there will be more employee satisfaction with more productivity. Management style: Management style plays a vital role in ensuring good work environment. The management style should be such that gives encouragement to employees so that they can discuss problems with the managers freely. They should be provided with regular feedbacks and should be given freedom to express their ideas (Rodney, Matrina Anne, 2008). Planning and time management: Stress and illnesses can also arise from lack of proper planning. To get relief from stress, the employees should make a proper planning so that they can make work life balance (Hughes Bozionelos, 2007). In-depth training for managers: Further in-depth training for managers is essential.  The  managerial role may be one of the most stressful jobs within an organization.  Managers are often exposed to many competing pressures and demands.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Managers who are skilled in managing the pressure not only are more effective role models, but also better able to recognize common signs and symptoms stress-related psychological disorders, to make confident risk assessment of staff and providing appropriate support (Glenn Klaas, 2001).   Conclusion Eventually, ethics play a vital role in HRM. The management should consider ethical issues relating to health and safety of employees. There has been a vivid change and growth in the workplaces. The changes in the workplace are causing the employee to be sick as a result of more work pressure, less secured job and more responsibilities. Lack of communication, more workload, lack of appreciation, lack of autonomy are the another biggest sources of stress. Companies are dealing with these sources to eliminate stress in a prudent way but still there is need for more improvements. Employers should provide proper health and wellness programs so that they could reduce stress in the workplace and to ensure health and safety and moreover, a good communication with their employees in order to have deep understanding with each other. Consequently, there will be more employee satisfaction with more productivity. Recommendations Through entire study and findings, the following recommendations are made: There should be a balanced workload with control over the tasks to be performed. Employers should provide proper health and wellness programs to reduce stress in the workplace and to ensure health and safety. There should be no bullying and harassment in the workplace. Stress management training and counseling services should be implemented in the workplace to eradicate stress. The employees should talk with each other so that they can discuss their problems and can reduce stress. The employees should be provided with regular feedbacks and should be given freedom to express their ideas. There should be flexibility, security, autonomy, participation and involvement in the organizations culture.

Rhythmic Procedures and Rudimental Drumming :: essays papers

Rhythmic Procedures and Rudimental Drumming In history, drumming and the use of percussive instruments have had a significant role in people’s lives. Not only do the people who play these instruments enjoy them, but it is said that "there is as much pleasure participating in, as listening to and admiring an expert drummer’s improvisations". The use of drums has been recognized as being able to put people into spiritual trances throughout history. The drum is a musical instrument with great power and presence that gives the "pulse" or backbone to the music it is incorporated with. There are three rudimental rhythmic procedures that have been known in drumming for the use of communication, entertainment and both communication and entertainment together. These are; (1) the use of a drum as a speech surrogate or a "talking drum". These methods of playing were used for communicative purposes and often codes were used to be played over long distances for the sending and receiving of messages. (2) The use of both iconic and symbolic dimensions of communication within music and dance. Throughout many festivals in Africa, depending on the event being celebrated, drumbeats are used to dictate the type of dance to be done by the listeners. For example, at the time of a birth of twins there is a different dance done than at a birth of a single child and the beat of the drum instructs the listeners to do the appropriate dance. (3) This rhythmic procedure is most commonly used today and is the pure musical play of rhythms in dance. There are no communicative obligations within this type of music, which allows for free-form dance and unlimited use of improvisational strategies by the musician. The third rhythmic procedure will be most emphasized throughout this report for a few reasons. One reason is that it is not possible to make generalizations about drumming as a whole, used as communication devices because every society in early Africa had it’s unique fingerprints on sounds of the rhythmic beats they have played. Another reason for the emphasis on this rhythmic procedure and not the first two is the accessibility of rhythmical facts pertaining to each. Unfortunately, much of the known facts about rudimental African rhythmic procedures is stored within the minds of the tribal musicians themselves. One phrase I learned from researching this topic is that "the life and energy of the drummer lives half within the drummer’s soul, and half within the drum he plays".

Facebook Addiction Disorder Essay

Nowadays, the new thing in is Facebook. The big Facebook has changed the life of millions. But is that a good or a bad thing? Well some would think it’s good, but in many cases it isn’t. A new type of addiction was formed, Facebook addiction disorder. This addiction leads, mostly teenagers, to become very addicted to Facebook, and cannot live without it. Critics say that there is, at least, six symptoms of F. A. D. Some have come up with ideas to beat this new addiction. Facebook has completely changed society, for the good and for the worse. The article written by B.  Earl, â€Å" Facebook Syndrome: 8 Ways To Beat Your Facebook Addiction†, explains ways to find out if you are addicted to Facebook. He also explains ways to beat Facebook syndrome. The article written by A. Summers, â€Å"Facebook Addiction Disorder- The 6 Symptoms of F. A. D. † , explains how much Facebook has changed people, specially teenagers. She also mentions six symptoms of F. A. D. B. Earl of The Daily Mind writes, â€Å" If you ever late for a meeting or an appointment because you were checking your updates on Facebook or watching a related video on YouTube, then you know you are addicted†. He is referring to someone’s action, and how the result of that may effect their daily lives. This just to show that this actually happens to people. Many people over sleep due to being on Facebook until late hours, and sometimes lose their job because of too many late or absences to work. A. Summers wrote on the SocialTimes,â€Å" Tolerance- This term is used to described the desperate behavior or a Facebook addict. They spend an increasing amount of time on the site, coming to a stage where they need it on order to obtain satisfaction or on the other extreme, it is having a detrimental affect on them as a person and their life†. Ms. Summer’s quote also relates to that of Mr. Earl. She also is stating how someone who is used to being on Facebook for a large amount of hours per day will get addicted. When one cannot use Facebook because they have to participate in activities and is not allowed to use Facebook, withdrawal signs become visible. Some signs are anxiety, distress, and they require the need to talk about Facebook and what goes on while one is restricted from using it (Summers). She is referring to withdrawal symptoms, just as alcohol or cigarettes have withdrawal symptoms. B. Earl states â€Å"get off the computer. Really†¦do you need to spend that much time on the computer? Honestly ask yourself that†. This relates to what Summers said because if people spent less time on the computer, and more time socializing with people the real way, they would not get withdrawals. Facebook should not get in the way of either one’s individuals studies nor their careers. Nowadays, over 90% of young teenagers have a Facebook account (Adam). This just to show how much Facebook has changed our society, and it’s influencing teenagers to be less social. Adam blogged â€Å"Facebook games have become increasingly popular, and once again, what started out as basic games such as Sudoku or Scrabble has now advanced to games where you can create a whole new world within your laptop and smartphone†. People do this every day and waste money constantly on these foolish internet games. This is what Adam is trying to get at with his blog, people are starting to become so anti-social. Teenagers are starting not know how to communicate to people face to face.

Homework Steven

Criteria Questions to Ask Yourself Comments How important is the subject to the speaker? The speaker seems to be very committed to the information she has learned about van Gogh. She seems that she has done her research and is passionate about his life and art. Appropriateness for Audience and Occasion Is the topic and delivery relevant and useful to the audience? It seems the audience was into the speech. I still could not tell who she was speaking to. Was it an art class? Random group of people who want to know more about van Gogh? Clear Purpose Can you identify the goal(s) the speaker has for delivering the speech?The speaker anted to get across the tragedy and triumphs of Van Go's life. All of which lead him to killing himself. Fresh Point of View Does the speech challenge the audience to think about something in a new way? I think this speech did. The Speaker obviously found information that was plenty interesting and not something you would Just know based on school taught info rmation. Ethics Does the speaker tell the truth and have the best interest of the audience at heart? She seems to have sited all information she found. I would take it as all true and she also looks to have lured the audience in with her facts and excitement about the topic.Substance Does the speech content provide new information supported by facts, statistics, and so-on? Yes, A lot of the facts she had were sited. I had no idea that he went through all of that. Structure Is the flow of information given in the speech well organized so the speech flows from one topic to the next? Yes. By starting with his early years, going to middle age years and ending with him committing suicide. Step 5: Watch the speech, pausing as necessary, and enter any initial thoughts that may be useful in writing your critique of the speech.Step 6: Review the information in Module 2 that covers strategies for giving effective dieback. The recommendations given in the lesson include the following: Begin th e critique by making a positive statement. Focus on select areas for improvement. Make your comments in an organized fashion. Provide specific feedback about what needs to be improved. Be honest, but respectful and tactful, in your comments. Personalized comments by indicating how you were influenced by the content or behavior, using â€Å"l† instead of â€Å"you. † Stress the positive aspects of the speech.Offer specific suggestions on how to correct a problem. Provide a plan of action for how to improve the next speech with examples. End the critique with a positive statement. Step 7: Use your speech evaluation table and guidelines for giving effective speech feedback to write a critique of the speech you selected. Enjoyed learning new information about a famous person in history, I found it hard not to look at the speaker moving her hands continuously. I was also unable to tell who this speech was designed for. Was this speech designed for an art class? Mental patie nts?Suicide prevention? It is unclear who should be the recipient of this speech. I was a bit confused but I still enjoyed the speech. Learning new things, seeing money very passionate about the message they are relaying and it was given in perfect sequence. Step 8: Review the information in the lesson that provides guidelines for handling feedback you receive from others. These guidelines include the following: Be sure to focus on what is being said about your speech and your presentation – not how it is being conveyed to you. Avoid taking the feedback personally or emotionally.When feedback is general or vague, seek out specific problems and suggestions from the feedback source. Evaluate the feedback provided using your critical thinking abilities. Prepare a plan of action for improving your speech and presentation skills prior to delivering the next speech. Step 9: Put yourself in the shoes of the presenter whose speech you watched and critiqued. Imagine that you are the s peaker who received the critique that you wrote. For each guideline you reviewed in Step 8, write a sentence or more that documents your thoughts about the critique comments and observations.How would you use the information, observations, and suggestions in the critique to deliver your speech more effectively? If I were the presenter and saw the feedback I Just wrote, I would say that I do understand, clarify whom the speech is supposed to be for and accept the hand gestures being Just a little too much. I would be happy to hear that someone gained a bit of knowledge from my presentation. I thinking back it would have been nice to see more visuals in the presentation but that is something that different people pick up information easier with. Step 10: Save and submit your document. Remember to use proper PAP Style.