Associates vs Bachelor Degree in Nursing Essay

Bachelor degree nursing programs are highly regarded for the skilled, clinical thinking, and professionalism of nurses they provide for the community. Obtaining a baccalaureate in nursing provides the same skills and knowledge encompassed in most associate’s programs, while allowing a broadened look into research, public health, management, and humanities (AACN IENP, 2012). Many facilities are now providing incentives for nursing staff to continue their education; from tuition reimbursement, an increase in pay, and played time off for the sole purpose of education. Research has proven that with a more educated nursing populous there is a decrease in morality rates and medication errors, and it also provides more positive outcomes (AACN Fact Sheet, 2012). With such a high demand for nurses, the scope of nursing has become more comprehensive with a larger responsibility being placed on nurses. All of this has shown not only to the medical field but also policymakers and other leaders of the community that a higher level of education not only makes a difference, but many feel it should be a requirement. The difference between a baccalaureate and associates degree program may seem obscure at first, but looking into the information and research that students learn in a four year program verses a three year program can be shocking. When looking into the core requisites needed to graduate with a bachelors verses an associates, some obvious differences are the higher levels of English, math, communication, and pathophysiology required to graduate with a BSN. Also, the higher level course work required to complete a bachelors shows the necessity of critical thinking and research a nurse needs to even graduate. Once past the prerequisites required for a bachelor’s in nursing we have to exam the nursing course work itself. As stated before, most of the associates program is incorporated in a bachelors degree; with an associates the clinical experience is more limited to the clinical setting hospitals, nursing skilled facilities, and rehab centers, where as many bachelors programs also included public and community projects. Bachelors programs also put a broader focus on ethics, religion and spirituality, research, global awareness and public health, as well as nursing leadership and management (GCU, n. d. ). Nursing care is focused on the assessment, nursing diagnoses, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patients. This nursing process can also be implemented in aspects outside of nursing and on the nursing field as a collective group. The nursing role is evolving, following the process the outcomes have to be evaluated and put into perspective. Research is being completed the conclusions are all the same, the higher education of nursing care the better the patient outcomes. In an article published in Health Services Research in August 2008 that examined the effect of nursing practice environments on outcomes of hospitalized cancer patients undergoing surgery, Dr. Christopher Friese and colleagues found that nursing education level was significantly associated with patient outcomes. Nurses prepared at the baccalaureate-level were linked with lower mortality and failure-to-rescue rates. The authors conclude that â€Å"moving to a nurse workforce in which a higher proportion of staff nurses have at least a baccalaureate-level education would result in substantially fewer adverse outcomes for patients. † (AACN Fact Sheet, 2012) A Jewish patient is awaiting discharge after receiving an open heart procedure. The difference a bachelor’s educated nurse and an associate degree nurse may have on the patient can be profound in this scenario. A bachelors nurse will have a better understanding of the pathophysiology of this patient’s condition, instead of providing instruction on just the patient after care of the procedure the higher level education will allow the nurse to incorporate teaching of the patient’s condition that brought along the cause of the procedure, the nurse will be provide a broader education base to help the patient better understand the treatment and the conditions that they may face. The bachelors nurse will be able to better identify environmental factors, diet and exercise factors, and other stresses that could be changed to promote health wellness for the patient. The bachelors nurse will be more aware of community based health assistance and programs that will help the patient make more positive health changes. The bachelors nurse will be more aware of the patient’s religious requirements and needs, this may help the patient in making better overall health and wellness decisions. Also, BSN nurses have a more in-depth education in regards to ethics and religion, this may provide a more trusting bond between the nurse and patients allowing the patient to see that the nurse is there for providing care not only in his treatment but all aspects of the patient’s wellbeing. The history of nursing provides a great foundation and view on how nursing came into existence and how nursing has always strived for higher education. Before World War II great strides were made for university nursing programs, with the onset of war and the need for nurses, diploma and associates nursing found its place (Creasia and Friberg, 2011). Many feel that the nursing shortage is the reason that diploma and associates nurses programs still exist. Though, with the growing population that has increasing comorbidities it is more important than ever for nurses to have higher education. References American Association of Colleges of Nursing. 2012. Fact Sheet: Creating a More Highly Qualified Nursing Workforce. Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/NursingWorkforce. pdf American Association of Colleges of Nursing. 2012. The Impact of Education on Nursing Practice. Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education Creasia and Friberg. (2011). Conceptual foundations: The bridge to professional nursing practice. (5th ed. ) St. Louis, Missourit: Mosby Inc. Retrieved from http://pageburstls. elsevier. com/#/books/978-0-323-06869-7/pages/47247567 Grand Canyon University. (n. d. ). Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN). Retrieved from http://www. gcu. edu/degree-programs/registered-nurse-to-bachelor-of-science-in-nursing.

How to Create a Marketing Plan Essay

When was the last time you dusted off that marketing plan you created for your business? Wait, you do have a marketing plan, right? Well, if your marketing plan somehow found its way to the recycle bin or if you have actually never planned out a marketing strategy for your business then BusinessMarketingBlog is going to help you. Before we jump into the 6 Simple Steps to Developing A Marketing Plan, it is important that you understand the following elements of every successful marketing plan: 1) Spend the time and resources to plot out your marketing strategy and budget 2) Implement your marketing plan 3) Analyze and adjust your marketing plan as needed 4) Refine your marketing plan for the upcoming year, quarter, month, etc. 6 Steps to an Effective Marketing Plan Step 1: Define the Purpose of Your Marketing Efforts Before you can create a successful marketing plan you must have a strong understanding of what the purpose of your marketing plan is. QUESTION: What do I want people to do after they have been exposed to my marketing? Your answer should be something very specific, not something vague like â€Å"I want my marketing to help my business grow.† Here are some common purposes that business owners use to drive their marketing efforts: * Get someone to pick up the phone and call me * Entice someone to email me * Get people to tell others about my marketing / business HINT: The more thought and planning you put into this first step, the higher your conversion rates will be throughout your marketing efforts. Step 2: Determine Your Competitive Advantage and Emphasize It Now that you have pinned down a couple of the purposes for your marketing plan it is time to think about and plan out how you are going to get people to complete these actions. QUESTION: Why will people take the specified actions you have identified? You must determine what your competitive advantage is over your competitors. Sure, you probably have a lot of great benefits and value adds,  but you need determine your one strongest and most specific competitive advantage. HINT: Stress your competitive advantage as a solution to a problem (if possible). Step 3: Determine Your Target Audience Your marketing plan cannot be effective unless you know the specific demographics of the customers you are trying to reach. Again, try to be as specific as possible as the most effective marketing plans are centered around targeted, accurate broadcasting and not so much reaching the highest number of people possible. A thousand random prospects will usually not earn you as much profit as 10 of the right prospects. QUESTION: Which group of people will be most accepting and willing to receive my marketing message? You can save a ton of money by knowing who your target audience is and tailoring your marketing to that group of people. HINT: Identify ALL of your target groups, BUT market to each group with tailored, targeted messages. Step 4: Determine Your Marketing Methods There are so many ways to market a business these days; however, only a few marketing methods and mediums are raising to the top as being the most cost effective and penetrating. Get out of your old, set ways of how marketing needs to be and expand your efforts into some of today’s most effective means of reaching prospects. Ask yourself this question: QUESTION: Which marketing strategies will allow me to reach my prospects where they are without annoying or interrupting them and will I be able to directly track the results of these efforts? Online marketing is one of, if not, the most cost effective ways to market a business these days. We recommend a comprehensive marketing campaign that includes all of the following online marketing methods: * Business Website and/or Blog * Paid Search Marketing * Search Engine Optimization * Social Media Marketing * Email Marketing * Video Marketing HINT: Hire a professional to implement and maintain these online marketing services for you. You will save a ton of money in the long run. Step 5:  Determine Your Niche Now that you have pin-pointed your purpose, benefits and target market, you need to define your niche. Ask yourself this question: QUESTION: When people hear your product / business / company name, what’s the first thing that crosses their minds? Is it price, speed, exclusivity, service, value or something else? Your answer to this is your niche, also known as positioning, and it is what your prospects see and expect from you. The more defined and specialized your business becomes, the more likely it is to succeed in the long run so put some thought into this one. HINT: Once you define your niche, specialize in it as much as possible and communicate this niche throughout all of your marketing Step 6: Determine Your Marketing Budget Last, but most definitely not the least important, is to define what your marketing budget is for your business. Your marketing budget is something that should be evaluated at least 4 times a year, if not more. You should stick to your planned budget as much as possible. Too often do we see businesses get nervous in tough economies and decide to cut expenses with marketing being one of the first to see cuts. QUESTION: Do you really think that cutting your marketing budget or holding off on aggressive marketing is going to position your business appropriately in any economy? Marketing is not something you should ever cut corners on, especially in down economies when opportunities are ripe for cheaper market penetration. We recommend preparing to spend at least 10% of your gross sales on marketing your business. HINT: Calculate your marketing budget using your projected gross sales; this will help you operate in a growth mode. If you work off of your current sales then you will be plan ning a marketing strategy to just tread water. Putting It All Together These 6 steps are more than enough to get you started on developing a real marketing plan for your business. There are many more elements to a full scale marketing plan that deserves time, research and planning; however, once this work is done and you are able to see, follow, analyze and refine your marketing plan we can almost guarantee that your business will be taken to new levels of success that you have not experienced yet. Good luck and  please let us know if you need assistance or have specific questions about any or all of the steps outlined above.

Single Mothers in Poverty

Single Mothers in Poverty Midterm Essay 1 After doing the exercise of creating a budget for a single mother with two kids who is trying to â€Å"make ends meet† on a minimum-wage job, I have come to have so much compassion for those struggling with this dilemma. The odds are highly against a poor woman trying to do her best raising her children on a low-income job, some might even say that it would be impossible to do alone.The hurdles of expensive daycare, the rising cost of housing, the low-availability of welfare for women already working, the demanding natures of jobs which don’t allow for paid medical leave, and the skyrocketing costs of health care, all contribute to the poverty of single mothers. While I was taking a deeper look into this problem, it became abundantly clear to me that this is definitely a big â€Å"public issue† that needs to be addressed from a social policy standpoint. One of the biggest issues facing America today is poverty.One of the single most contributing factors of poverty is single-parent (namely single mother) households. Certainly it’s easy to look at individual families like these and see a string of individual choices. Yet, it goes far beyond â€Å"personal trouble† and is definitely considered to be a â€Å"public issue† (a â€Å"public crisis† one might say). As Mills sates in The Sociological Imagination, â€Å"Perhaps the most fruitful distinction with which the sociological imagination works is between ‘the personal troubles of milieu' and ‘the public issues of social structure’† (Mills, pg. 2).Let’s zoom out and look at the bigger picture here. â€Å"The poverty rate among children is higher in the United States than in most other major Western industrialized nations† (Leon-Guerrero, pg. 44). When looking at the single mothers who raise these children, the poverty rate in the U. S. for these women is far above the average in other high income countries, even though the single mother employment rate in the U. S. is also above the average. Less generous income support programs in the U. S. help explain the exceptionally high poverty rate for single mother families in the U.S (forbes. com). This clearly demonstrates the legitimacy of this being a public issue. It’s true that more and more children are growing up in single parent households, and many of these families struggle to get by. In fact, â€Å"†¦children are more likely to live in poverty than Americans in any other age group† (Leon-Guerrero, pg. 44). But that’s not an accident of poor choices: while single parenthood has been skyrocketing, we’ve also been paring back the supports that could help these families stay afloat. Single mothers have an especially hard time getting out of poverty.Households headed by single mothers are four times as likely to be poor as are families headed by married couples (Leon-Guerrero, pg. 46). Not only that, but, â€Å"Single-parent families are more vulnerable to poverty because there is only one adult income earner, and female heads of household are disadvantaged even further because women in general make less money than men do† (Leon-Guerrero, pg. 46). In fact, â€Å"Families with a female householder and no spouse present were more likely to be poor than families with a male householder and no spouse present, 28. % versus 13. 8%† (Leon-Guerrero, pg. 45). And because the majority of single-parent households are headed by single-mothers, this inevitably increases the rate of poverty nationwide. Most of these mothers live in relative poverty, which refers to, â€Å"†¦a situation in which some people fail to achieve the average income or lifestyle enjoyed by the rest of society† (Leon-Guerrero, pg. 40). Take childcare for instance; the high cost of taking care of one’s child is crippling to a single mother making minimum wage and alm ost immediately plummets her into relative poverty.On average, a poor mother spends 32 percent of her total weekly income on child care. This percentage nearly doubles when more than one child needs care (forbes. com). When a family is faced with relative poverty, the affects spread wide. Income loss appears to affect the well-being of children indirectly through negative impact on family relations and parenting. Single parents experience a variety of stressors related to poverty (i. e. , financial, emotional, social). Single mothers must obtain sufficient money to cover the most basic needs, such as food, shelter, and clothing. Wealth is a particularly important indicator of the individual and family access to life chances. Wealth is a special form of money not used to purchase milk and shoes and other life necessities. More often it is used to create opportunities, secure desired stature and standard of living, or pass class status along to one’s children† (Leon-Guerr ero, pg. 39). So, what about solutions? â€Å"The sociological imagination will also help us make a second connection: the one between social problems and social solutions† (Leon-Guerrero, pg. 23).When looking at public issues, the textbook makes it clear that, â€Å"Solutions require social action – in the form of social policy, advocacy, and innovation – to address problems at their structural or individual levels† (Leon-Guerrero, pg. 20). It is essential that we take a fresh look at our national policies — and their dismal results. Not only are U. S. poverty rates extremely high, with one out of five children living in poverty (Leon-Guerrero, pg. 40); crime rates are also high, with all the resulting costs not only to crime victims, but to taxpayers in court, prison and other attendant public expenses.Even more costly is the enormous price our nation is paying, and will pay, if we continue not to invest in a remedy to this poverty crisis. So, if single parenthood and poverty are so closely related, some people say, we should spend hundreds of millions of dollars promoting marriage to help children avoid poverty (and other problems). That’s what the government has done, with money from the welfare budget. Even if it worked (which it apparently doesn’t) it’s only one approach. What about reducing poverty?And, more specifically, what about reducing the relative likelihood of poverty in single-parent families versus those with married parents? That is, address the poverty gap between the two groups, rather than the size of the two groups. This has the added advantage of not singling out one group — single mothers — for social stigmatization. And, because it defines the problem as economic rather than moral, may make it easier to build public support for helping the poor. Although, â€Å"Helping our nation’s poor has been an administrative priority of many U. S. presidents† (Leon -Guerrero, pg. 0), the poverty problem does not seem to be getting much better. Maybe we need to change the conversation about we’re facing here. The conversation about single mothers should focus on how the extreme poverty of U. S. woman-headed families is a symptom of failed U. S. policies. And the conversation about the U. S. economy should focus on the urgent need for a caring economy. We are clearly lacking a â€Å"caring economy† when we are compared to other wealthy nations, â€Å"U. S. wage and welfare programs are much smaller than similar programs in other countries† (Leon-Guerrero, pg. 46). Issues have to do with matters that transcend these local environments of the individual and the range of his inner life. They have to do with the organization of many such milieux into the institutions of an historical society as a whole, with the ways in which various milieux overlap and interpenetrate to form the larger structure of social and historical lifeâ⠂¬  (Mills, pg 2). The issue of poverty clearly stems from the larger structure of social and historical life. It is sad to know that our efforts as a wealthy society are not effectively healing this tragic situation.The poverty level of single mothers affects so many areas of our society as a whole, and our nation’s children get the brunt of it. Not only are they raised poor and impoverished, but their quality of education is compromised, the food they eat is low-quality and unhealthful, and most of them never find their way out of poverty. Writing this paper has truly touched my heart and I long to reach out to single mothers and their children who are desperately in need of compassion and support. More importantly, I would like to reach out this election year and see what I can do to promote the well-being of these mothers who are struggling so hard.Budget Summary for Single Mother in Delta County, Colorado The most recent report for minimum wage in Delta County, Colorado is $7. 25 an hour. The total monthly income for a person working full-time at minimum wage is: $1198 (after taxes). Explanation of calculation: 7. 25 * 40 = 290 (a week) 290 * 52 (weeks in a year) = 15,080 15,080 / 12 (months) = 1256 1256 * . 0463 (income tax rate in Delta County 4. 63%) = 58 1256 – 58 = 1198 Housing Costs| $616| Food Costs| $536| Other Necessities:| | Medical| $412| Clothing| $35| Transportation| $439|Childcare| $996| Phone| $40| Laundry/toiletries/cleaning supplies| $52| School supplies and fees| $20| Appliance and furniture| $17| Miscellaneous| $47| Nonessentials| | Entertainment| $20| Cable| $0| Cigarettes and alcohol| $0| Eat out| $25| Lottery| $5| TOTAL| $3260| *This budget reflects the fact that there is absolutely no public transportation in or around Delta County, so the transportation costs include car payment, insurance, and gas costs. This budget also reflects that I would not invest any money in cable, cigarettes, or alcohol.Also, the cost of ch ildcare for two children in Delta County is exorbitant! At any expense, I couldn’t have my 7 year-old child be a latchkey kid so young. The entertainment and costs of eating out are kept to a minimum. I would (just in case) spend $5 a month on the lottery. Clearly, this mother (hypothetically, me) would be nowhere near making ends meet. I would be living in relative poverty, scraping by every day, living hand-to-mouth, and I would have to be very creative with my time and resources. I would have to make almost TRIPLE what I am currently making in order to live comfortably.Most likely, I would reach out to neighbors, church members, community support groups, food banks, and any other possible resource to keep my head above water. Works Cited Covert, Bryce. â€Å"The Rise and Downfall Of The American Single Mother. † Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 16 July 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. ;http://www. forbes. com/sites/brycecovert/2012/07/16/the-rise-and-downf all-of-single-mothers/;. Leon-Guerrero, Anna. Social Problems: Community, Policy, and Social Action. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge, 2011. Print. Mills, C. Wright. The Sociological Imagination. New York: Oxford UP, 1959. Print.

Shostakovich 8th String Quartet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shostakovich 8th String Quartet - Essay Example Born on September 25, 1906, into the family of an engineer, in St Petersburg, Shostakovich didn't appear to be, in his first years of childhood, as talented as he proved to be later on. But as his parents loved music very much and considered that it was necessary in the process of a child's education, Shostakovich the child received musical lessons. The young Shostakovich showed great interest in music and began studying it seriously, and more than just interpreting other composer's music, he started composing his own pieces of work. As most of the great composers, Shostakovich spoke through his music. As for his personal life, he didn't like to show too much of it. "He was an intensely private person who guarded his personal life and feelings jealously. What all but a very few close friends and family members were permitted to experience of the man was the stiff faade of a civic-minded public servant and consummate music professional." (Fay, 2000 p.2) It's only after his death that the publication of memoirs, diaries, letters, revealed facts about him and his life, some of them controversial. Christopher Norris (1984) shows that Shostakovich's performances of his own music reveal a great flexibility of tempi and the tendency to exaggerate the extremes of his metronome marks. The same source reveals the fact that the members of the Beethoven String Quartet were life-long friends of Shostakovich and this is what gives flexibility to their interpretation. Norris emphasizes on the fact that there are many examples in Shostakovich's chamber music, of movements of unrelenting loudness. And he presents some of these examples: the second movements of the eighth and Tenth Quartets and the Violin Sonata, and most of the third movement of the Third Quartet. Norris analyses in detail the String Quartets. When dealing with the eighth, he begins by showing that the composer is careful about the placing of accents and stresses. And he gives an example: "when the lower three instruments are intoning the revolutionary song "Tormented by the weight of bondage" fortissimo espressivo in octaves, the first violin's independent part has accents on every note to help the balance."(Norris, 1984 p.23) The composer's commentator also remarks the conflict between dissonance and consonance and the task of the performer who must interpret the music using "the appropriate fingering, stress, balance, rubato and vibrato, to highlight the patterns of tension and release." (Norris, 1984 p.23) Norris admits that sometimes the consonance and dissonance are no more than the result of purely horizontal lineality, but he considers that most of the times, the context is deliberately tonal. About Shostakovich's musical style, Martynov says: "AT A FIRST HEARING of Shostakovich's music one is struck by the remarkable facility of his style. So effortless is his manner of solving the most complex problems of composition that it would seem nothing is impossible to him. Few of his contemporaries can compare with him in this. Such creative ease, moreover, is a sure sign of great talent and consummate skill." (1947 p.154). He points out the fact that the Russian composer "worked with extraordinary facility and speed": "his String Quartet was written

New Perspectives and Issues in Educational Language Policy Assignment - 11

New Perspectives and Issues in Educational Language Policy - Assignment Example Through this course, I am well versed with how to handle my attitude in order not to affect the attitude of the student’s towards the course. Furthermore, through this specialization, I have been able to learn how to handle myself and deal with student issues. This is very important in ensuring that my behaviors do not deviate the students’ attention from the course. Furthermore, it has changed my beliefs concerning the course and the strategies to be used to achieve success. Therefore, when handling the students, I am more confident and able to learn the students’ reactions concerning my actions or teaching strategies. As a result, I am able to know when to make changes in order to keep the students glued to the topic of study. Through this course, I have developed immensely. I am now more mature and understand the interests of the students and how to incorporate my personal goals with those of the students. In addition, I now understand how to ensure that the personal life of the students does not affect the ability to learn English. Through teaching special needs Latin Males, I have been able to use the skills learned in the course. I have, therefore, been able to learn that I need to handle my emotions more carefully in order to ensure that they do not affect my teaching practice. Through interacting with Walden colleagues, families and other education professionals, I have been able to learn that educating the students to need a holistic approach. This is through involving all people who interact with the students. Furthermore, teaching students is a learning process; therefore, I need to be open-minded in order to learn from other people including students’ parents (Cooper, Shohamy, Walters, & Cooper, 2001).

Core values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Core values - Essay Example According to Brown (2004), leadership is a core value because it inspires greater levels of teamwork, as there are certain things that others do not know how to do, but a leader can assist them. Leadership enables me to lead others in the correct path of life as I can influence others correctly. The term work has numerous meanings with regards to the field that uses the word such as physics. However, work, in the field of core values, is carrying out a task successfully (Brown, 2004). I consider working an extremely essential value as it is even quoted in the bible "man should not eat before they work". Therefore, people should work to get want they want in life as this applies to me. People around me do not see me as a lazy person as I like getting everything successfully completed. Faith, on the other hand, refers to the things the belief in God and the things, which He has given up to bring hope in life (Brown, 2004). Everybody, in this world, has faith in something, but, for Christians, faith is to believe in their sole creator. It offers people perseverance, and; therefore, should be regarded as a core value. Faith has made me a patient person, in life, knowing that, even through the thickest of times, my future will still be okay. Prayer refers to an invocation, which seeks to arouse a rapport between people and God. Prayers, to God, are done in plentiful ways, but the essence of the act is to bring people closer to their creator (Brown, 2004). Prayers, just like faith, teach people to be patient, and know the right ways of asking for things. Prayers have enabled me to grow closer to my creator. Knowing the essence of praying, I have been able to encourage a lot of people to pray when they are facing challenging times. They return to me, in the future to say that God has answered their prayers. Loyalty refers to the devotion or faithfulness, which a person

Does Complimentary and Alternative medicine provide adequit pain Term Paper

Does Complimentary and Alternative medicine provide adequit pain relief compared to pharmacological means - Term Paper Example For temporary pain relief, I positioned the patient with pillows in the way she preferred, massaged the patient’s legs, and encouraged her to go through deep breathing exercises to make her less focused on her pain. After informing the doctor that the patient is complaining of irretractable pain and a history of osteoarthritis, the doctor changed her pain regime to include muscle relaxant and physical therapy to improve her range-of-motion (ROM). After a short period of time, the patient was able to get up and walk. Pain management is common health care practices that most primary nurses failed to master. Since it is common for primary nurses to deal with patients who are suffering from chronic pain, it is essential for nurses to increase their knowledge on how to effectively manage the patients’ pain. Based on the fact that nurses are not permitted to prescribe pharmacological drugs such as opioids in managing the patient’s pain, I find it very interesting to se arch for alternative ways that can effectively minimize the patients’ pain. ... As compared to the use of pharmacological means, this study will focus on discussing whether or not CAM can provide adequate pain relief to patients with chronic pain. After discussing the differences between CAM and pharmacological-based drugs, this report will conduct a literature review in determining the health care benefits of incorporating the use of CAM in pain management. Eventually, the proposed change in the plan of care and how these changes can be initiated will be tackled in details. Differences between Complimentary and Alternative Medicine and Pharmacological-based Drugs Complimentary and alternative medicine is â€Å"a form of healing arts that is not taught in a traditional Western medical schools that could promote options to the use of conventional medicine† (MedicineNet.com, 2007). It is basically â€Å"a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not currently considered to be a part of a conventional medicine† (Garrow & Egede, 2006). In most cases, the research study of Barnes, Powell-Griner, McFann & Nahin (2004) revealed that the commonly used CAM therapies includes: prayer for self (43%), natural products like herbal medicines, teas, and vitamins (18.9%), deep breathing exercises (11.6%), meditation (7.6%), chiropractic (7.5%), yoga (5.1%), massage (5.0%), diet-based therapies (3.5%), and acupuncture (1.1%). Pharmacological medicines are mostly chemical-based drugs. Often times, these drugs should be prescribed by the doctors. When treating pain, common drugs use includes opioids class drugs (i.e. morphine, hydromorphone, fentanyl, and oxycodone among others) which could provide the patients with analgesic effects to minimize the patient’s perceived pain (Mercadante et al., 2010; Murray & Hagen,

Oppression and Slavery Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Oppression and Slavery - Coursework Example Mental abilities of slaves are thought to be unequal to those of their white masters. What is worse, methods of dealing with them could sometimes resemble animal training ‘They are very grateful for good treatment if proper discipline and authority are kept up over them’ (The Farmers’ Register, 1837). Cruel punishments were regarded one of the most effective methods to maintain obedience ‘A powerful blacksmith named Hewes laid on the stripes. Fifty were given, during which the cries of my father might be heard a mile’ (Henson, 1877). As it is stated in the documents, slaves should be properly clothed, fed, and housed. Thus, slaves were not considered to be human beings. These were working units which required proper treatment and usage. What is more, slave-trade used to be a common thing in the Antebellum South. It could be used as an instrument of discipline which enabled slaveholders to manipulate Afro-Americans. ‘There was the fear that I mig ht be sold from those who were dear to me’, writes Lunsford Lane, a former slave (Lane, 1842). The main principle of attitude towards Afro-Americans may be summarized within the next sentence ‘the negro race is inferior to the white race’ (Fishel et al, 1976, 1970). What is more, the institution of slavery is posed as a remedy for black people. As stated by Fitzhugh, Christians are supposed to protect, support, and civilize black population. The author insists that to be a slave in the South is much better than to be a free laborer in the North. Finally, one of his statements seems to be a quintessence of cynicism and absurdity ‘The negro slaves of the South are the happiest, and, in some sense, the freest people in the world’. These words illustrate how wild and inhuman customs of the southern slaveholders were. Remarks on Overseers, and the Proper Treatment of Slaves.

Contemporary Art Form Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Contemporary Art Form - Essay Example The essay "Contemporary Art Form" discovers the form of contemporary art. Our society today affects each one of us in different ways, while we can’t tackle all the problems our worlds face head on; we may use our art to defuse one problem at a time in our own introspective personal way. Used as a solution, contemporary art gives an issue the identity of the artist. On a personal level I have always had an aversion to any form of racism. With education and the spread of knowledge many great minds once thought discriminatory behavior could be diminished to a small quantity, if not ceased completely. However, this was not the case, as even in the age of information our societies continue to evolve into new avenues for hate and prejudice, and this trend will seemingly continue. What I’ve realized over the course of time studying different people is that the underlying reason for such attitudes is people’s inability to listen to another and accept differences. People seem to have this innate need to fit their lives into a neat little box where everything is categorically arranged, and when they come across people who do have ideas different than their own, their box is disturbed and ergo begins a process of problems. For any artist who has chosen to make contemporary art his own, his work will always exist on a plane of freedom which conforms to nothing but his own perception of the world at large. It’s a simple thing to tell people to open their minds and open their hearts; this piece of advice is not practical.

Cost Accounting and Management Decisions Essay Example for Free

Cost Accounting and Management Decisions Essay If you are using the Blackboard Mobile Learn iOS App, please click View in Browser† Click the link above to submit your assignment. Students, please view the Submit a Clickable Rubric Assignment in the Student Center. Instructors, training on how to grade is within the Instructor Center. Assignment 1: Cost Accounting and Management Decisions Due Week 8 and worth 240 points Conduct research on a U.S. manufacturing company that produces two (2) or more products. Write a five to six (5-6) page paper in which you: 1. Describe the company researched, indicating the primary products manufactured. 2. Examine the effect of changes in the variable cost / fixed cost structure of the company on cost- volume analysis decisions by managers. 3. Analyze the current cost system used by the company to determine manufacturing costs and examine the benefits of using an activity-based cost system over the traditional system for management decisions. 4. Compare the company’s sales and cost of sales forecast to the actual sales and costs of sales in the current financial statement. Evaluate strategies management can implement in response to changing conditions affecting budgetary planning and forecasting. 5. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources. Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements: 1. Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. 2. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the  required assignment page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: 3. Examine the assumptions of cost-volume-profit analysis. 4. Discuss the allocation of costs to divisions, plants, departments, contracts, and products. 5. Analyze activity-based costing and activity-based management. 6. Analyze the advantage of budgeting, the preparation of a master budget, and other forms of planning. 7. Use technology and information resources to research issues in cost accounting. 8. Write clearly and concisely about cost accounting using proper writing mechanics. Click here to view the grading rubric.

Causes of Racial Discrimination in Australia

Causes of Racial Discrimination in Australia Introduction Background Racial discrimination is any conduct based on a distinction, which have no relation either to individual capacities or to the concrete behavior of the individual person (Brodersen,1999).The issue is extremely significant as it involves the rights of people. This report aims to outline the issue of racial discrimination in Australia by providing background information and explaining its significance to society. This report discusses the main reason of which cause racial discrimination in Australia, what social issues will arise if racial discrimination is not addressed properly and how to address racial discrimination. Questions What is the main cause of racial discrimination in Australia? What issues will arise in society if racial discrimination is not addressed? How can racial discrimination been eliminated? Analysis of Findings Question 1 What is the main cause of racial discrimination in Australia? Racial discrimination has always been a serious issue in Australia, since more and more immigrants poured into Australia, the migration of Australia grows rapidly. Figure 1(Dixon, 2013) presents the number of immigrants into Australia from 2005 to 2006. It is clearly shows that approximately half of the immigrants are Asian, followed by European and Africa. Figure1: The nationality of immigration into Australia in 2005-2006 (Dixon, 2013) There are reasons for racial discrimination still happening in a modern country like Australia. Firstly, it is the history of Australia that causes the racial discrimination. It stretches back to the 19th century, with the increasing of gold prospectors, causing Australia ethnic contradictions tend to deepen. Therefore, the immigration policy limit non-white immigrations to Australia, particularly Asian immigrations, this is the white Australia policy(Dixon,2013). On the other hand, the indigenous people also played an important role in racial discrimination. Since 1788, Captain Phillip led the first European whites began to come to Australia. At the same time, different color, different beliefs of immigration continuously come to this remote continent (Mukherjee 2014).However, many indigenous people were living in the Australian mainland and they had clan groups. The whites broke the quiet life of the indigenous people by thinking that the territory was free for them to use. The whites even took the land that the aboriginal live on, which completely ignored the existence of the indigenous people and their needs. Even when Australia federated in 1901, the Constitution did not classify Aboriginal people as Australian citizens. Since 1788, captain Phillip led the first European whites began to come to Australia. At the same time, different color, different beliefs of immigration continuously come to this remote continent. After the Second World War, many new countries appeared in Asia. It was going to be bad for Australia if it continues to enforce the white Australia policy. â€Å"In 1958, the federal government abolished the white Australia policy. Then the Australian immigration will proceed without discrimination of race, color, religion policy† (Chingaipe, 2014).This policy is a great progress, liberate the limitation of people who are likely to immigrate to Australia. Furthermore, â€Å"For many white-Australians, there was a fear of loss and displacement† (The Guardian,2014). Fear is one of the biggest contributors of racism especially because the whites are worried that the foreign populations would replace them. Figure 2 represents the population increasing in Australia in 2001-2006, it can be seen that Chinese is the mainstream country of migration (Hong,2007).Many Australian felt threatened by the Chinese, who were known to be hard workers and to be accustomed to working long hours. They think those cheap labors would take the jobs of the white-Australian workers. Therefore, it would lower the working standards for white-Australian workers. It was these racist beliefs which formed the basis of a growing notion to keep non-whites out of Australia. Figure2: Increase in Population in 2001 to 2006 by state in Australia (Hong,2007) In conclusion, the existence of racial discrimination is due to numerous factors. Both historical root and more and more immigrants are the most important reasons why racism can not disappear. In addition, due to racism does alive in Australia, different kinds of social issues become to arise. Question 2 What issues will arise in society if racial discrimination is not addressed? It probably will become a negative impact on people’s mental and physical health if racism still exists. The research to date shows that racism makes a significant contribution to these health outcomes. For instance, it would cause diabetes and other external diseases, which can be seen in figure 3 (humanrights,2012). Its well known that Indigenous Australians have a far lower life expectancy than other Australians and have exceedingly high rates of diseases and other health problems preciselyas aresultofracism. Figure 3: Selected underlying causes of death as proportion of total deaths, by Indigenous status 2009 (humanrights, 2012) A report shows that more than 27% of Aboriginal people had experienced discrimination in 2012-2013. Also, 75% of Aboriginal people frequently experiences race discrimination when using primary health care services(Szoke,2012) .According to this, it is evident to say that not only racial discrimination is still alive in Australia, but has also caused numerous grim tribulations to the Aboriginal peoples, who are the majority of the victims. Despite being part of society, they still can not use the public facilities or welfare services successfully, and endures the injustice caused by the native people. Secondly, racial discrimination might tend to cause people to do unhealthy activities such as smoking, alcohol and drug taking. It even contributes to people committing suicide. Recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that Indigenous Australians are twice as likely to die by suicide, and three times more likely to experience psychological distress (The Guardian, 2014).Due to those unjust treatments, the stress that the aboriginal person suffer from is far more than the whites. When they are in a public place, people will tell a joke behind their backs. When the indigenous children study at school, they would be isolated by other non-indigenous children. All of these situations appear very often during their whole life, and the consequences of these are participating in unhealthy activities. Furthermore, racism also affects people’s employment opportunities. The unemployment of Indigenous people far exceeds the non-indigenous people. According to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), â€Å"only 55.8 per cent of working age Indigenous Australians are actively participating in the labor force, compared to 76.4 per cent of the non-Indigenous population†(Busyatwork, 2013). Also, from figure 4, it states that the employment outcomes for the Indigenous population are mostly in a negative growth. In contrast, employment outcomes for the non-Indigenous population stayed relatively stable. The gap in outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians becomes widened .In fact, there is no doubt that the employer would rather to employ a non-indigenous person than an indigenous person, which is theirinherent cognition. However, such a behavior ignores the feeling of the indigenous people and also plunders their job opportunities wi thout a reason. Figure 4: Change in Indigenous employment outcomes by state – 2006 to 2011 (The conversation, 2012) In conclusion, it is obvious that racism has become a significant influence among the indigenous people. They suffer from a variety of harms without a reason, even violence. All of these stresses will cause health problems to them. Consequences are racial discrimination causes them to never be same as other local people, who are treated more fairly. Question3 How can racial discrimination be eliminated? In actual fact, there is no specific way to solve racial discrimination at all. However, it can be diminished a little through some solutions. For example, education that insists on racial equality can decrease racial discrimination. Also, both government and the media power would play a significant role. Firstly, the easiest and effective solution here is education. Parents and teachers should not tell any racist jokes to the children as by these jokes, children might consider racism as a correct thing. Furthermore, they should teach children racial equality and there are no superior races or anything (Szoke,2012). As they learn from young that racism is criminal and a serious thing, they are not going to do it again when they grow up. Therefore, racial discrimination will be improved bit by bit from a generation to the next generation. On the other hand, the law that relates to eliminating racism should be promulgated by the government, which can restrict some extreme behaviors. The Racial Discrimination Act was enacted in 1975. â€Å"The Act prohibits race discrimination and gives people who have been discriminated against, whether in the workplace, education or in accessing goods and services, the opportunity to obtain redress by apply for complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission†(Thomson,2012). The Act is such an effective in eradicating discriminations such as people not being hired or could not get access to services because of their race. This act protects people who experience direct or indirect discrimination and they cancomplainto the Commission which also creates a chance to protect their rights(Sweet,2014).The act gives effect to Australia’sinternational human rights commitment. Once when someone gets unfair treatment from others, the act allows him or her to complain. Although the act does not work well, it does minimize the racial discrimination. It is impossible to get rid of racial discrimination completely in Australia, which is a deep existence in the culture more than numbers of years. Everyone has their own human right and they should protect and insist to their own right. Racism is an unrealistic thought and also could not be solved effortlessly at this moment. However, some organizations and institutions, including government and the media, can implement some measures to achieve denial of racism ultimately. Conclusion Recommendation Albeit racial discrimination does live in Australia due to many reasons, it does not mean that people have to adapt it or endure it without any reactions. In the evidence being shown here in the report, the government does do some helpful implements to minimize racism. Therefore, it can be said that as long as the government, the media powers and the individual person who are willing to contribute, it would make a bright future to the next generation. Evaluation Research The biggest problem was finding a relevant table or figure and that took me the longest time. Therefore, I need to search for them through other ways. In addition, I have to search the information that relevant to Australia only and more recent ones. Thus, it makes it more difficult to find. I did find out other resources- the e-book, which is a good reference for my report. All information in e-book is good to be used. However, it is hard to paraphrase some words. Moreover, it is best that the reference link is done with each question, otherwise it would be quite wasting time to do that later. Oral Presentation A clear point in the presentation is that not only you can hint the audience what you are talking about, but you also can summarize briefly the point. Making a good example relating to the topic can impress the audience. Also, showing a video can attract the attention of the audience so it would not let the presentation be boring. In a presentation, a simplified analysis is good for the audience to know the idea. And through the analysis, the audience can comprehend better what you said. Last but not least, practice is quite important. Through the repetitious practice, it will be the best way to feel confident. Organisation Keeping each question separately is a good idea which does save much time. When you want to do some changes, it is easier just to look for the file you saved, and correct it. After each part is finished and all of them have been checked correctly and then combined together, it makes it more efficient and also it would help to form a good structure. Areas for Improvement It is necessary to search information from different areas, rather than only from websites. Moreover, when the graph or table has been used in the report, it had better be saved in a separate file, as it would easier to correct. Once each question is finished, the reference list had better be finished as well. It will be difficult to go back to write the reference after the whole report has been done.It really wastes time. This time, I am not good at linking some relevant tables or graphs, as it is just a few there, and I need large amount of time to do that. Thus, I will definitely do that in future to make sure my report include as much information as possible. Reference List Busy At work 2013, high unemployment among Indigenous Australians, viewed 11 August 2014, http://www.busyatwork.com.au/news/800520116/High-unemployment-among-Indigenous-Australians Dixon,R 2013 â€Å"Immigration and the â€Å"White Australia Policy† viewed 30 July 2014 https://www.marxists.org/history/international/comintern/sections/australia/1945/white-australia.htm Humanrights, 2012 â€Å"Questions and Answers about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples† viewed 11 August 2014 https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/face-facts-2012/2012-face-facts-chapter-1 â€Å"John Howard the false nationalist: Just another traitor in patriot clothing†,2008, destinymagazine,14 February, viewed 30 July 2014 http://www.destinymagazine.info/2008/02/14/3-john-howard-the-false-nationalist/ McCarthy.M 2008, Racism and Structural Solutions, viewed 26 August 2014 http://www.solidarity-us.org/site/node/1609 Mukherjee,R 2014,â€Å"Top 10 Reasons Why Racism still exists† Istcrux, viewed 30 July 2014 http://listcrux.com/top-10-reasons-why-racism-still-exists/ Personally-selected-aboriginal-art,2010 â€Å"A Short Aboriginal History †viewed 30 July 2014 http://www.personally-selected-aboriginal-art.com/aboriginal-history.html Sweet.M 2014, The Racial Discrimination Act needs strengthening – not weakening: a public health perspective, viewed 27 August 2014 http://blogs.crikey.com.au/croakey/2014/03/24/the-racial-discrimination-act-needs-strengthening-not-weakening-a-public-health-perspective/ Szoke, H 2012 â€Å"Racism exists in Australia – are we doing enough to address it?†, human rights, viewed 11 August,2014 https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches/racism-exists-australia-are-we-doing-enough-address-it The conversation,2012, â€Å"Closing the gap on Indigenous employment? Notquite† 31 October,viewed 11 August 2014 http://theconversation.com/closing-the-gap-on-indigenous-employment-not-quite-10426 The Guardian 2014, Racism causing mental health issues in Indigenous communities, survey shows, viewed 11 August 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/29/racism-mental-health-indigenous-communities Thomson, N 2010, review of indigenous male health, viewed 11 August 2014, http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/population-groups/men/reviews/our-review

The Globalization of Anime Essay -- The Merging of Cultures

Anime is an art form as it expresses cultural phenomena about Japan and its people. Like most other countries, cartoon has existed in Japan throughout the 20th century and onward, which began with traditional drawings and comics that dealt with political, social, and historical themes. However, what separates anime from the rest is that the anime included a huge portion of Japanese culture within it. In every series that aired, they include special holidays like Natsu Matsuri—summer festival, tea ceremony, traditional clothing such as kimono, etc. One could, from watching anime, notice the characters’ behavior are different and food and customs are different from American or western cartoon. Strangely, these differences in the anime, eastern media features, appeared in the philosophy of Confucius. Confucianism has played an important role in creating and maintaining the social values and order such as forgiveness, manner, respect, loyalty, and honesty since the sixth century. While Japanese society has become so much different since the early postwar era, these same principles are still highly valued as they are in some other forms. Recent shà ´nen anime, anime for pre-teen and teen-age boys like Naruto and Bleach, is hooking their viewer with interesting storylines and action scenes while Confucian values spread. As this culture value mixed in, anime became interesting and seem to attract a wider audience every day because of its ability to make its audiences to see themselves in the show. The success of anime began with the famous Japanese artist Osamu Tezuka, one of the founding fathers of Japanese anime and manga. In the 1960s, Tezuka became a famous manga artist and was given the credit of creating Japan's modern anime i... ...r. Ed. Frank J. Lechner and John Boli. 4th ed. New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 88-94. Print. Focus on the idea of both the global and the local are affecting the world at the same time while globalization process keep spreading. Sen, Amartya. "How to Judge Globalism." The Globalization Reader. Ed. Frank J. Lechner and John Boli. 4th ed. New York: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. 17-21. Print. Analyze more a better way to understand what actually globalization is while making a point that globalization is also beneficial to the whole world. Wang, Georgette and Yeh, Emilie Yueh-yu. Globalization and Hybridization in Cultural Production: A Tale of Two Films. Hong Kong: David C. Lam Institute for East-West Studies, 2005. LEWI Working Paper Series no 36. Illustrate the processes of hybridization, and the conclusion on the debate on the globalization of culture.

How the Treaty of Versailles Effected Germany :: World War I History

How the Treaty of Versailles Effected Germany When World War I ended on November 11, 1918, peace talks went on for months due to the Allied leaders wanting to punish the enemy and "dividing the spoils of war." A formal agreement to end the war was made and called the Treaty of Versailles. The issue that took the most time were the territorial issues because the empires of Russia, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman, and Germany had collapsed. These fallen empires had to be divided up and America's President Woodrow Wilson, Georges Clemenceau of France, Vittorio Orlando of Italy, and David Lloyd George of Great Britain, were the main deciders of this deal. During 1918, Russia was knocked out of the war due to military defeats and the Bolshevik Revolution. Even though Russia had not been part of the Central Powers, Germany seized much of western Russia. After many months of arguing, the four men had made western Russia into the nations of Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland. The Treaty of Versailles was either a treaty of peace or a vengeance for the Germans. In April of 1919, Germany was previously captured and made to wait in a small house that was surrounded with barbed wire. The Allied, who captured Germany, wanted to make a peace treaty to end the fighting. The Germans agreed, but they wanted a treaty that was based on the Fourteen Points but obviously they were not going to get it because of the way they were treated; the barbed wire was unnecessary and "should have tipped them off to what lay ahead." When the treaty was first introduced to the Germans, they declined to sign it. It forced the Germans to accept full responsibility for the war and strip themselves of its colonies, coal fields, and the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine. It also made them pay outrageous reparations to the Allies. Nevertheless, on June 28, 1919, the Germans reluctantly signed the treaty because the Allies refused to change one word. Out of the $33 billion dollars the Germans had to pay for damages, the country was only able to pay $4.5 billion of it. The terms of the Treaty of Versailles helped set the stage for another world war less than 20 years later because the Allied wanted to stop Germany from ever becoming imperialistic again and still have them pay the war reparations.

Farming In Denmark :: essays research papers

Denmark is located in the Central Northern part of Europe. It is part of the Scandinavian countries, thus it has a relatively cold weather all year long. 75% of Denmark’s land is used for farming. Because of it’s export of agricultural and industrial produce, it enjoys one of the highest standard of living in the world. This case study is meant to study the farming in Denmark. Types of Farming: Denmark is divided into 3 areas: Jutland, Fyn, and Zealand. Farming is found in all of those areas. Denmark’s types of farming are: Dairy farming, Crop farming, Animal farming, and Mixed farming In Jutland, the least intensive farming is found. There they mainly grow rye, oats, and potatoes. Pasture land is also found there. In Fyn and Zealand, the most Intensive farming is found. There they grow cereals with root crops, and pigs. Some areas in Jutland and Fyn are also used for mixed farming. Is the Land Suitable for Farming?: Denmark’s land wasn’t very fertile in the Nineteenth century. It had Sandy soils in the West and Clay land in the East. The government invested a lot of money into making those lands fertile. The low lying and relatively flat land in Denmark added to the existing fertile soils, and partially favorable climate (Winter frosts + Warm and sunny summer with rainfall over the average) makes Denmark ideal for cereal farming. Up till the 1870’s, Denmark was a major exporter of wheat and barley. But eventually, it had to diversify due to hard competition. That was when it realized the high demand for dairy products in foreign countries (mainly Britain), thus it started to export dairy products along with cereals. This meant it had to rely on pasture land for rearing animals Today, Denmark’s land is typical for the types of farming found there. The land remains ideal for cereal farming. Pasture land is also found for cattle. Pigs and poultry remain inside a barn all year long. The land is also ideal for growing potatoes and other root crops. Stalinization isn’t a problem in Denmark due to a high annual rainfall. Where in the World can Similar Farming be Found?: Mixed farming: Mixed farming can be found in North America (i.e. USA), in Asia (i.e. Russia), and in Europe (i.e. France and Spain). Mixed farming can be also be found in the rest of the continents. Dairy farming: Dairy farming is found world wide. It is found in Israel, Italy, USA, France, Britain, and many more.

Elemica Case Study

1. Why is Elemica described as an example of an industry consortia net marketplace? How does it differ from other types of net marketplaces like ChemConnect? Elemica is described as a consortia net marketplace because Elemica is owned by particular members of the industry and not third parties. Their goal is intended to provide long-term market place relationships to supply direct inputs to the manufacturing process. ChemConnect on the other hand is privately owned by a person. They have a third-party firm which offers a bidding platform for chemical firms, and provides software to coordinate communications among participants in the platform. . If you were the owner of a small chemical company, what concerns would you have about joining Elemica? Some of the concerns about joining Elemica if I were a small business owner would be being concerned that their ability to be able to respond to requests for large quantities of commodities that might be requested by partners. Being with Elem ica do require some level of knowledge to use their system. However, Elemica offers a Web portal for companies that haven’t fully transitioned as like the larger global chemical companies. Overall, Elemica reduces the burden of having IT employees on hand. 3.Elemica claims to provide a community for participants in which they can transact, coordinate, and cooperate to produce products for less. Yet these firms also compete with one another when they sell chemicals to end-user firms in the automobile, airline, and manufacturing industries. How is this possible? The chemical industry has a history of working with companies both buying and selling items. The Elemica hub is perceived as a neutral trading platform where all can benefit from lower cost to serve, greater efficiencies, and overall more efficient operations that can serve customers better.By keeping bids and quotations unknown to potential buyers, and the community pool large, members can get a sense of market price a nd available quantities quite easily without revealing their names. 4. Review the concept of an industry wide private industrial network and describe how Elemica illustrates many of the features of such a network. Elemica as a whole is focused on building long term relationships with partners in order to reduce costs for the firm overall. While with a private industrial network, they have just a single firm that usually controls their network, although it may be owned by some members.

Hamas, hezbolla and islamic jihad Essay

Hamas is an Islamic resistance movement formed in 1987 to fight for Palestinian occupied land of Gaza strip, West bank and east Jerusalem. However, its initial creation was to destroy Israel and form a Palestinian Islamic state. It is highly known for its suicide bombings and other violence against Israeli military facilities and civilians. Despite these, Hamas has performed various social, military and political activities having provided social and welfare services, such as schools and hospital facilities to Palestinians. It dedicates much of its funds to the welfare, cultural and educational services, which are meant to influence Palestinians so as get their support in their military actions against Israeli. Most of these funds originated from OPEC countries such as Kuwait, Iran, and Saudi Arabia etc. Hezbollah or party of God is a political and paramilitary organization found in Lebanon. It was formed during the Lebanese civil war as the army of Shia followers and they were trained, organized and financed by Revolutionary Guards of Iran. Its main aim of creation was to put to an end Western colonialism, punish the phalaghists and develop a political Islamic nation in Lebanon. To many Western countries, it is considered a terrorist group after being connected to Beirut bombing in 1983, but to Arabian and Islamic countries it is viewed as an organization opposed to Western ideologies and policies. More so, it is highly popular in Lebanese and of them in support of its activities as to them it is legitimate organization. It receives its training, financial and military support from Iran. The organization has its leaders in Lebanese Government, a radio station and a satellites television as well as social and welfare programs such as provision of health and educational facilities. In addition, it is believed to be one of the first Islamic groups to use suicide bombing, assassination and kidnapping of foreigners so that they grievances could be attended to; but later on, they turned to military actions such as firing of missiles etc. Islamic Jihad refers to religious wars, which are declared by Muslims whenever they feel like their Islamic religion is being attacked or threatened. The Islamic groups or organizations have no big difference between them, as they were created to fight for certain grievances or policy changes those they felt inappropriate to the Islamic society. In most cases, they wage terrorist attacks and wars against their opponent without regard for the innocent citizens. They actions are out of desperation and bitterness, given the fact they have to rely on other Arabic and Islamic nations for military and financial support. Without these aid, they have no other way to let world know their grievances and that is why they have to use each and every opportunity to ensure that they point is home, even if its suicide bombing. They differ in terms of their location, financial and military powers, and possibly, their grievances. For instance, Hezbollah is more powerful in terms of its political, economic and social influence than Hamas, this can be attributed to the fact that it is highly effective in its tactics and its policies. The radical groups pose a very big danger to the United States, due to the fact they have a well trained and organized network of their dedicated army strategically positioned waiting for any chance to hit the Americans. These has been portrayed clearly in their current effort to bomb United Kingdom, though one may believe that they are enmity is focused towards Israel. Nevertheless, the fact remains that U. S. support is biased towards the Israelites hence the enmity. At the same time, Muslims believe in religious wars so to them war is part of their religion, hence when they kill a person in the name of protecting their religion they believe there is a reward. Lastly, the fact they are financed by other Islamic and Arabian countries implies that they have the means and the capabilities of attacking the U. S. For instance, Hezbollah was able to defeat Israel with the help of Iran out of Lebanon, and considering that, there is Muslim unity that it is just a matter of what believes. These forms their network which highly in detectable even with the most accurate detecting gadget. Before any negotiations are made, there are several factors, which should be considered: the inducement to commit a terrorist attack is highly determined by the result of a certain terrorist operation, hence the attack that has notably positive impact for the groups are highly and that is the only time when a negotiation is initiated. The Kurdish occupied territories of the Middle East came under the governance of indigenous Kurdish chiefs during the middle era, though they never formed a unified government. However, from 14th century the territories were incorporated to the Ottoman Empire. The incorporation of the Kurdish occupied regions of turkey of eastern Anatolia into turkey angered many Kurds and ended up in a long running war where many people lost their lives. There were major Kurdish conflict in the territory and it was declared a no go zone for foreigners by Turkish authorities for its military use in the year 1925 and 1965. However, turkey first president undertook serious actions to curb the Kurdish cultural and political activities, and this trend followed closely under his successors. For instance, a number of regions were put under martial law to curb the activities of Kurdistan workers party (PKK), and this resulted to severe violent guerilla warfare. This caused much of the country be evacuated and a number of Kurdish inhabited villages destroyed and various judicial execution carried out by both turkey and Kurdish. Since 1999, the state of affairs has cooled down with the abduction other PKK leader Abdullah Ocala, and with the European Union encouragement for official tolerance of Kurdish cultural actions. There are countries that have stake in the Kurdish, turkey and Iraq conflict. These include members of European Union and the western states like U. S, U. K. etc.

Happiness Essay

What makes a person happy? Happiness is an endless path in life. Everyone has a different opinion about what makes them happy. People have always been attentive to the issue of what makes humans happy. However, getting a large amount of money is a pursuit for many people, especially the young generation around the world. In the article, â€Å"Get Happy† by Walter Mosley, he states how, â€Å"Happiness is considered by most to be a subset of wealth† (87). Quote above explains how money is the first thing that comes in person’s mind that make them happy because with the money one can buy anything he wants.Money is one of the most important things in over lives because we need it to have a home to live in, food to eat, clothes to wear, and to get from here to there. That’s where the â€Å"money can buy happiness† phrase comes in because people believe that since money can buy everything it can buy happiness too. However, I disagree and believe that hap piness primarily comes from relationships. First of all, money cannot buy relationships in a person’s life. Family and friends are one of the most important sources of happiness for most people.It doesn’t matter how much money a person has, if he doesn’t have any family or friends that he can share with, then it doesn’t bring very much happiness. As Mosley stated in his article, â€Å"It [Money] can only buy bigger TVs and comelier sex partners.. † (87). above quote explains money can only buy stuff that can make a person temporary happy. For instance, some people are really rich but lonely because they have no one by their side, while others are poor but happy with their close friends and family.In my personal experience, I have a friend back in India who was very rich and his parents got everything he wanted. When my parents bought me a bicycle, his parents bought him a bike. It looked like he had a perfect life, but once I got to know him better ; I got to realize that the life I thought that was perfect because of money was actually not perfect. Whenever his parents came home they always fought about little things, they never eat dinner together and they don’t even care about their son. They didn’t have any connections between them.So it’s true doesn’t matter how much wealth one have but one can never buy happiness that comes from one’s family. Secondly, Money is limited, it cannot last forever. Money can end easily and it cannot be obtained easily either. Even if money could buy happiness, it would only be for a little because things tend to disappear at some point. On the other hand, strong family bonds will never disappear but will be always by one’s side, continuing to bring one happiness. In addition, Mosley states, â€Å"how most of those people [wealthy people] will lose that wealth before they die† (87).No matter how rich a person is but there always will be a time w here all the money from the person will be gone. For example, my dad told me a story about this guy who was very wealthy in India but because of too much money he was too proud of himself and started breaking relationships with other people. He got caught in fraud for his business and everything was taken by the government. And just like that all the money was gone and there was no one by his side. In the article, â€Å"If You’re happy and you know it, You’re in Third† by Adriana Barton, she states about athlete names Ms.Bahrke who got a third number in Olympic game and still says â€Å" I’m going to be ‘Mrs. Happy. [Getting married]’† (84). She wasn’t sad that she couldn’t get a first place but she was happy that she is getting married; it shows how relationships can bring happiness. Thus, money cannot buy happiness. Lastly, money can negatively consume in one’s life. Wealth is a good thing but it also can ruin a person’s life instead of giving someone happiness. Money is very addictive; even if person has a lot of money he will often never be satisfied with what he has.For example, instead, he will try to become wealthier and because of that he may not have time for his family or friends and will start losing relationships. It will have an effect on their children, and at the end, all he will have is money but no one else at his side. In the article, â€Å"What you don’t know makes you nervous,† by Daniel Gilbert, he states, â€Å"psychologists and economists now know that although the very rich are no happier than the merely rich†¦ † (80). the above quote states how most of the time people who has a lot money are the one that are not happy.If money makes a one happy then why wealthy people are are not happier than the poor people? The main reason is relationships. Wealthy people are so into making money that it makes them so blind that they cannot see the h appiness that their family can bring to them. And at the end they have all the money but they don’t have any shoulders to cry on or to share the money, happiness with. While poor people might don’t have money but they have the family that takes care of each other which is most important happiness a person can have. Thus, relationships can bring a person long lasting happiness but money won’t.Too much money can make person’s life depressed instead of giving happiness. But family will always be there by one’s side. In conclusion, I don’t think that it? s somehow possible to â€Å"buy happiness†. Thus, we should be aware that it is friendships and family that truly bring us the happiness to which we aspire. Money might be able to make people temporarily happy but that’s not the point, the point is that it can’t buy anyone long lasting happiness. Being happy is an emotion it is something you sense, not something you buy. Tha t is why happiness is priceless. Works CitedBarton Adriana. â€Å" If You’re Happy and You Know It, You’re in Third. † America Now: Short Readings from Recent Periodicals. 9th ed. Ed. Robert Atwan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s,2011. 79-81. Print. Gilbert, Daniel. â€Å"What You Don’t Know Makes You Nervous. † America Now: Short Readings from Recent Periodicals. 9th ed. Ed. Robert Atwan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 79- 81. Print. Mosley Walter. â€Å"Get Happy. † America now: Short Readings From Recent Periodicals. 9th Ed. Ed. Robert Atwan. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 79-81. Print.

Project planning and evaluation Essay

Before anyone is going to do something, there is nothing as sensible as planning. A plan as we know is something thought about and chalked out in advance before the real action takes place and is actually a recipe for success. But then, the word ‘plan’ does not need much of a definition. It has been used so much that it has become quite hackneyed. So, we all know what it means, but how many of us really resort to planning before we start a course of action. I’m not referring to a mental picture that we chart out in our minds that is in one word, vague. I mean a real plan in black and white, that is, put down on a piece of paper. It is so important because once we write down something, it clears up a lot of hazy areas and opens aspects that we probably overlooked. As the saying goes, â€Å"Trying to manage a project without project management is like trying to play a football game without a game plan†. In my M.A. class with our professor, Dr. Cirineo, I have learned so much about the significance of planning a project and of course, evaluation with the help of my classmates who have exerted their efforts in reporting the assigned topics. I have also done my part when I have reported about the Economic Analysis and I have learned so much from this, too. These are my views as I have studied and listened to the reports: II. INPUT: 1. PLANNING, APPRAISAL AND DESIGN (reported by: Ms. Jelly Rose S. Victor) The first phase of the Process of Project Management Cycle taught me that planning should begin with the end in sight. Good project plans begins with good implementation, methodologies and best practices that are consistent,  controlled and deliverables that meet expectations. If advanced preparation has been made, by the end of the meeting, the implementation is defined, the activities surrounding the project plan are established, the administrative procedures are implemented and the project monitoring and control processes are developed. In designing a project, I have learned that it should always be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bounded) so that it would become valid and easy to realize. Project appraisal is also an important part of this phase because through this, you will be able to ensure that the expectations you have of your team members match the expectations that each individual has for themselves. As part of this process, it is important to schedule regular reviews throughout the year to suit the needs of your team. Thus, we need to appreciate the benefits we can gain from an effective appraisal process to monitor your team’s performance more than make up for the time invested. It will help increase the individual effectiveness of your team members. 2. SELECTION, APPROVAL AND ACTIVATION (reported by: Ms. Lorelyn A. Ignacio) In a project plan, it is good to know and understand that not all of the suggestions made in the plan would be approved and utilized. We still have to decide fully on what part of the plan should be selected, what should not be selected, what to approve and what to disapprove before we activate or execute our project. Why? Because there are things that we have to consider, knowing that not all things are suitable to implement based on the different situations and problems that may arise. The second phase of the Project Management Cycle made me realize that the process strives to increase productivity of the team and quality of deliverable. It enables quality control by measuring performance and comparing the same against what is planned. The simplest stage and perhaps the most complicated in practice is the execution stage which involves the integration of all inputs identified in the planning and design stage to construct the actual end product. On this part, the project manager should monitor the work of the team members on a daily basis. 3. OPERATION, CONTROL AND HANDOVER (reported by: Mrs. Marissa P. Agdong) This could be thought of as the perfecting phase, where analyzing the efficiency and quality of the project cycle from a strategic perspective allows for the optimization of the operational processes. This step-by-step process highlights each feasible step in the project management cycle. By appropriately incorporating each step of the model into the planning stage, managers can effectively forecast the deliverables and avoid losing value through accurately assessing the margins that will be produced in a given strategic initiative. The control cycle is an important part of quality control, and it not only verifies the delivery of good quality but also identifies gaps and failures that need to be addressed. Ultimately, it is a process that continuously evolves within the production process. In this phase, which is the third, I’ve learned four important steps: PLAN, DO, CHECK and ACT. 4. EVALUATION AND REFINEMENT (reported by: Ms. Bernarda T. Cudal) After listening to the reporter, I have realized that in the Process of Project Management Cycle, we should not set aside this very important stage: Evaluation and Refinement. It is a major part of learning, and can provide a wealth of useful information on the outcomes of a project or action, and the dynamics of those who undertook the work. Through the identification of the highlights and lowlights of the project, evaluation draws conclusions which can inform future decision making, and assist to define future projects and policies. Evaluation and Refinement are undertaken for a number of reasons such as to reflect on how you are developing, to see whether you need to improve the way things are being done, to be accountable to those who are funding the project, to review and adjust the methods and techniques used and how effective they are, to determine whether you have met your objectives or not and to provide information for planning future projects. 5. PROJECT IDENTIFICATION: DEFINING AND SPECIFYING THE PROJECT (reported by: Ms. Riza T. De Guzman) As I am writing this reaction paper, I have thought of imagining the different products we have worldwide. Every product has a name, unique and advertised. Why? because owners of those products want to be identified, and recognized. Same with making our own project, it should be born with a need to be identified by several customers who will be willing to provide funds as their needs would be satisfied in return. The key feature of this activity is to recognize that identifying candidate projects is something that an organization should do not just once a year but on a regular basis. To define a project, we must first identify the objectives, scope and sequence, and the resources of the project. The main purpose of specifying the project scope is to ensure a clear understanding of the business problem and the proposed solution. It is must to give a clear understanding about the project and provide a direction. Its intention is to state what is going to be in the project and what is not going to be part of the project out of scope. It must clearly define a project boundary to minimize the expectation gap between the client and the team. 6. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS (reported by: Ms. Diana T. Rabaca) Before we start implementing and executing our projects or before we build it somewhere, it is very important to analyze the present situation that is being encountered in a certain area. In this way, our project would become successful, just because it becomes an answer to the problems arose in a certain area. For example, there are so many stores that are selling food in that place, but no one sells drinks yet, and customers need it, then you are the one to serve it! Situational Analysis is the first step in formulating a plan. It identifies and prioritizes problem situations affecting the target population or specific segments of the population, providing possible solutions and actions needed to solve a problem. It seeks to answer several questions such as : What is the problem?; Why is there a problem?; Who are affected by the problem?; and What has been done to solve the problem?. The information needed to answer these questions are both quantitative and qualitative such as the outcomes, the resources, the services and the facilities, the acess and utilization of services and facilities and the environment of course. 7. MARKET ANALYSIS (reported by: Ms. Jeanaline A. Ajel) I have learned that the goal of Market Analysis is to determine the attractiveness of a market, both now and in the future. It is part of the industry analysis and this in turn of the global environmental analysis. Through this analysis, the opportunities, strengths, weaknesses and threats of a company can be identified. Market Segmentation is the basis for a differentiated market analysis. Differentiation is important because the saturation of consumption, which exists due to the increasing competition in offered products. Consumers ask for more individual products and services and are better informed about the range of products than before. As a consequence, Market Segmentation is indispensable. To identify and classify the relevant market, a market classification or segmentation has to be done. 8. TECHNICAL ANALYSIS (reported by: Mr. Leonardo Diez, Jr.) Our reporter in technical analysis had explained this report comprehensively by using different concrete examples based on real life situations. Accordingly, Technical Analysis is a method of evaluating securities by analyzing statistics generated by market activity, such as past prices and volume. Technical analysts do not attempt to measure a security’s intrinsic value, but instead use charts and other tools to identify patterns that can suggest future activity. The reporter was fair enough that he decided to discuss both the positive and the negative side of Technical Analysis. These are the strengths: If the objective is to predict the future price, then it makes sense to focus on price movements. Price movements usually precede fundamental developments. By focusing on price action, technicians are automatically focusing on the future. These are the weaknesses: Argument is the fact that technical analysis is open to interpretation. It is in the eye of the beholder. It is subjective and our personal biases can be reflected in the analysis. In conclusion, Technical Analysis in terms of security is somehow, debatable. 9. ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS (reported by: Mr. Danny Cruz) In project planning, it is important to identify the constraints that may affect the natural environment. We should always consider how our projects would affect other people, communities, and the environment like road construction, logging, and tree clearing and building a hydroelectric dam. Remember that Environmental Analysis is often required by law, but the process is intended to be a very useful planning tool to help make good decisions and improve projects. So we should consider this not just because it is a must but because it is systematic, interdisciplinary, and develop practical alternatives to the proposed action. The reporter gave the following recommended practices: Open project information to public scrutiny; Involve all parties affected by the project and learn to communicate. 10. OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS (reported by: Ms. Racquel R. Santos) I have realized that operational analysis is an excellent method of assessing the financial performance of the business, determining whether the cost of production is compatible with performance numbers and strategic goals. It looks closely at financial and resource investments, and determines whether adjustments must be made so that the company’s strategic goals may be met in an efficient, cost effective manner. Thorough operational analysis ought to address a few principal questions in its effort to ascertain if operations are efficiently meeting strategic planning. The first key area to be considered is whether financial and resource investment is delivering planned output to the optimum consumer base. It can also determine if there is any existing need for additional investment and recommend areas where investment could be reallocated or streamlined. Thus, in conducting an Operational Analysis, we have to observe, interview, report and conclude so that a gap analysis can be conducted and adjustments may be made. 11. ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYSIS (reported by: Ms. Joe – Ann C. Magno) Aside from understanding the significance of administrative analysis in project planning, I have also realized that there are differences between the word â€Å"Administration† and â€Å"Management† in its role to project planning and implementation. The difference between the two can be summarized under 2 categories: Functions and Usage. On the basis of functions, Administration is a thinking function because it is a decision – making function while Management is a doing function because it is an executing function. On the basis of usage, however, Administration is applicable to non – business concerns such as club, schools, hospitals and the like, while Management is applicable to business concerns such as profit-making organizations. Administration represents owners of the enterprise who earn return on their capital invested & profits in the form of dividend. Management constitutes the employees of the organization who are paid remuneration (in the form of salaries & wages). 12. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS (reported by Mr. Joseph P. Mendoza) Is the project cost reasonable? Can it be done? How long will it take to design? How much will each one cost to make? How much will it cost to bring the product to market? These are the questions arise as I listened to the report on Financial Analysis. For investors, to engage in a new investment project, the project has to be financially viable. Invested capital must show the potential to generate an economic return to investors at least equal to that available from other similarly risky investments. For me, I agree with that because I think, no one would engage himself into business without money and interest involved in return. A number of reasons why to conduct a financial analysis are: first, it provides quality information for decision-making, it helps attract equity investments and securing funding from lending institutions and other monetary sources and lastly, it identifies reasons whether to proceed or not to proceed with the project. 13. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS (reported by me: Ms. Analyn M. Cruz) Wow! This is my report! I am so glad that Dr. Cirineo gave me the opportunity to discuss this over the class for it became my favorite subject way back 2005 when I was a senior highschool. It gave me a room to reopen my notes and study the lesson which my favorite teacher used to discuss in our class with excellence, clarity and comprehension. As we all know, Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek ÃŽ ¿Ã¡ ¼ °ÃŽ ºÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ½ÃŽ ¿ÃŽ ¼ÃŽ ¯ÃŽ ± (oikonomia, â€Å"management of a household, administration†) from ÃŽ ¿Ã¡ ¼ ¶ÃŽ ºÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š (oikos, â€Å"house†) + ÃŽ ½ÃÅ'ÃŽ ¼ÃŽ ¿Ãâ€š (nomos, â€Å"custom† or â€Å"law†), hence â€Å"rules of the house(hold)† Economic Analysis is a process whereby the strengths and weaknesses of an economy are analyzed. Economic analysis is important in order to understand the exact condition of an economy. – The purpose of the economic feasibility assessment is to determine the positive economic benefits to the organization that the proposed system will provide. Now that we have temporal project plan to answer to: What will be done?, Who will do it?, When will it be done? What are the necessary resources? We still have to answer: How much will it cost? and How will the resource  capital be applied? Why? because Money is important in the enterprise world. Our projects live in this context. Enterprises have a lot of projects, and the cost is an important criteria. ACCORDING TO THE HANDBOOK ON ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF INVESTMENT OPERATIONS (WB, 1998) – we have to consider the following: What is the objective of the project? What will happen if it implemented, and what if it is not? Is the project the best alternative? Are there any separable components and how good are they separately? Who are the gainers and losers? Is the project financially sustainable? What are the fiscal and environmental impacts? Is the project worthwhile? What is the risk of the project not achieving its objectives? Economic analysis of sector investment programs should include a clear rationale for the expenditure, motivated by a desire to correct market failure or alleviate poverty, otherwise public spending simply crowds out private supply, resulting in few net benefits to the economy. I have ended my report by letting the whole class reflect on the EXCELLENT TIPS given by WARREN BUFFET, a business man. And it goes like this†¦ On Earning: â€Å"Never depend on single income. Make investment to create a second source.† On Spending: â€Å"If you buy things you do not need, soon you will have to sell things you need.† On Savings: â€Å"Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.† On Taking Risk: â€Å"Never test the depth of river with both the feet.† On Investment: â€Å"Do not put all your eggs in one basket.† On Expectations: â€Å"Honesty is very expensive gift. Do not expect it from cheap people.† 14. SOCIAL ANALYSIS (reported by: Ms. Sherilyn P. Navat) I have understood the report through the help of illustrations shown by the presentor. When we say social, it involves to public, the community or the society. Thus, in Social Analysis, we have to consider the social characteristics of an area, including its demographic structure, general quality of life, social services and social justice. The framework for Social Entry Points includes five entry points such as Social Diversity and Gender, Institution, Rules and Behavior, Stakeholders, Participation and Social Risk. Five entry points, one result because team will have a clear  map of the socio-cultural barriers and bridges to project goals, a good sense of the institutional arrangements and resources they will need and a set of indicators which to measure their success in meeting the project’s development objective. Through this, I have realized that BETTER DATA + BETTER ANALYSIS = BETTER PROJECT. 15. POLITICAL ANALYSIS (reported by: Mrs. Ma. Socorro L. Dayao) At first, there was a big question mark and a lot of questions that came in my mind not knowing that there could also be a so – called Political Analysis involved in Project Planning and Evaluation. But later on, after the report has been made, I have now realized that the Political Analysis, which is the last of all the analyses discussed, plays an important role in project planning, designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluation. Political Analysis is a one way to develop strategic approach to external players. It is a process of disaggregating the key players in a community or policy environment, identifying how they influence progress toward your goals, and developing strategies to interact with them to advance your goals. There are seven key elements involved in the political analysis framework: the Actors, Motivations/Interests, Participation, Resources, Strategies, Tactics, Influence and Action Channel. Individuals who have the same interest or motivation might not necessarily be involved or active in a particular issue or project. In addition to their level of interest or motivation, each party’s ability to participate will depend on: their likelihood of success, visibility of the issue, costs of participating, and What opportunities they have to participate. The extent and nature of each actor’s participation will also depend on the resources that favor their objectives/interests. So, we must not be negatively too much affected by them. Let’s take them as â€Å"mixed blessings†. 16. PROJECT APPRAISAL AND PROJECT SELECTION (reported by: Ms. Rodelyn G. Pidoc) Project Appraisal provides a comprehensive and systematic review of all aspects of the project. After the preparation and design, it is being done for the development and successful completion of projects. To determine whether a project proposal is adopted or rejected, there should be appropriateness of project objectives, size, scope, implementation methods, modalities, time scale, and the project technical, financial, economic, institutional, environmental, social and distributional justification of the project. Thus, good appraisal systems should ensure that: project application, appraisal and approval functions are separate, all the necessary information is gathered for appraisal, Race/tribal equality and other equality issues are given proper consideration, those involved in appraisal have appropriate technical expertise and there are realistic allowances for time involved. Appraisal is an important decision making tool. Need, targeting and objectives. Context and connections, Consultation, Option, Inputs, Value for money, Implementation, and Risk Uncertainty are the key issues discussed in appraising one’s project. On the other hand, Project Selection is a process to assess each project idea and select the project with the highest priority. We do it when one has more ideas than the number of projects one can undertake and need to select the project that should be given priority. We do it because oftentimes, one will have a number of suggested projects but not enough resources, money or time to undertake all of the projects. So, if the organization in question has limited experience then it is recommended to concentrate on a small number of projects, ideally one project at a time, until the people in the organization have developed the skills and experience. One should do the easy projects first and, only then, work towards the most difficult and rewarding projects. One should use the easy projects to help answer questions/solve issues for the more difficult projects. Also, one should use the best opportunities to learn. Involving the Project Manager in the Project Selection process will help build ownership in the project and support a successful project in the long run. All the project selection processes and methods emphasized and described along the presentation are absolutely essential for an efficient business planning. It is always best to have a good plan from the inception, with a list of criteria to be considered and goals to be achieved. This will guide one through the entire selection process, and will also ensure that one does makes the right choice. 17. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION (reported by: Mrs. Kathyrine A. Placido) This is a very awakening topic for all of us. Yes, it is true, and I have realized – that a project, no matter how nice it is planned, if it cannot be implemented, is nothing at all because the highlight of every project and main reason why we planned is this – the implementation. Project Implementation is a process whereby â€Å"project inputs are converted to project outputs†. It may be looked at as: putting into action the activities of the project or putting into practice what was proposed in the project document (i.e. transforming the project proposal into the actual project.). In simplest term, it is the so – called Project Execution. Time taken to implement project activities is one measure of successfulness of supervision or monitoring of project implementation. Supervisor pays particular attention to time control measures, time scheduling and its supervision, time extension and postponement, damages for non-completion and defect or warranty period. Factors affecting project implementation are: Poor scheduling of projects leading to delays in implementation; Misallocation of funds; Delay and sometimes lack of counterpart funding; Lack of accountability and transparency; Bureaucracy in decision-making and Selfishness/ nepotism/ favoritism by some project managers. Thus, to better implement the project, a good project manager should: have working knowledge in several fields, be able to understand general managerial problems, have active interest in training and developing subordinates, and be able to delegate some tasks to subordinates. He should know the project and understand its objectives as well as the systematic process for managing projects. 18. PROJECT MONITORING AND MONITORING TOOLS (reported by: Mr. Rodelio D. Pantaleon) This is an unforgettable report that we have listened to in our class with Dr. Cirineo. Why?, because the reporter used a motivational activity before proceeding to the discussion of his topic. He classified us into 5 groups: The medicines, the nurses, the doctors, the patients, hospital and ambulance for the over-all. The rule of the game is that we have to rise and shout whenever we hear him say our group’s name. So along his story-telling, we did our part actively as he kept on mentioning our group’s name. In that case, he was able to monitor the success of the plan and in the end, was able to recognize the excellent team! As a reward, he gave a prize to the winners! In the discussion process, the project management cycle was again presented: the Plan, Do, Check and Act, together with the Triple Constraint which affects the quality of a product: the Scope, the Time and the Cost. He presented a GANTT CHART as an example of a monitoring tool. Why do we monitor? Simply because we know that things don’t always go according to plan (no matter how much we prepare). We have to detect and react appropriately to deviations and changes to plans. At the execution stage when the actual tasks of the project are in progress, it is vital to monitor information in order to keep track of what is being accomplished. The project manager can facilitate the project by communicating with team members and clients. Through hands-on monitoring, the team leader can make sure that individual participants stay with the original plan for the project and remain focused on predetermined goals. The project manager takes careful notes to follow all aspects of the project and address any problems that come up. Time management monitoring is executed by the project manager to make sure deadlines are being met as the project moves forward. Time sheets are used to monitor the time individual team members spend on tasks within the project. The team leader can identify and resolve any time management issues that arise. Projects can become disorganized and difficult to manage without some sort of monitoring and tracking of the progress. It is important to monitor the progress based on the goals for both timeliness and finished tasks. Budget and quality monitoring are included. If you don’t do it, you won’t know if you have succeeded. Without a well thought out Monitoring and Evaluation Plan project managers will not be able to tell whether the project has achieved its objectives. This significantly undermines the value of the project. and, as perception becomes reality, a project that cannot clearly demonstrate success will always be in danger of being seen as a failure. 19. COMPLETION AND ASSIMILATION (reported by: Ms. Marilyn B. Britanico) This is the phase that requires the highest level of coordination. The purpose of project completion is to assess the project, ensure completion, and derive any lessons. Project completion should be anticipated and planned as early as possible in the project lifecycle even though it is often the last major process of a project’s life. To avoid problems, project managers must plan for this stage of the integrated project cycle in a systematic way, with the goal of smooth and efficient handover of authority, assimilation. III. INSIGHTS: Planning helps us to have a better idea about the course of action that we propose to take. Planning better defines the course of action that we propose to undertake. Planning gives a rough estimate of the time required for a project. Planning gives us a fairly good idea about the expenses involved in the project. Planning helps us to get prepared for emergencies that may arise during the course of the project. A well thought about plan gives us a clear idea about what is to be done every day, every week and every month. Planning helps avoid duplication of labor. If a plan is followed, everyone will have a clear idea about his or her role. IV. IMPLICATIONS: Whatever be the plan, I want to stress the point that a plan should always be time bound. Plans should always be time bound and there we get the relation between time management and planning. In fact, planning is as fundamental to time management as organizing and prioritizing. We should have both short term plans as well as long term strategy plans. To ensure that the time schedule is being adhered to, the project activity time listing can be of great importance. At the same time we should also try to draft out contingency plans to deal with a crisis if it arises. As the project moves along, the plan should be flexible in the sense that it should incorporate any changes that might prove necessary once the project is put into action. View as multi-pages