Bees Affected by Cell Phones Radiation Essay

Bees are vanishing and cell phones are everywhere†¦there definitely could be a link. The Institute of Science in Society delivered a press release in April 2007 saying â€Å"one likely culprit of [CCD] is a new class of systemic pesticides, which are not only sprayed on crops, but also used universally to dress seeds in conventional agriculture, and can confuse and disorientate bees at very low concentrations† although â€Å"another candidate is a radiation from mobile phone base stations that has become nearly ubiquitous in Europe and North America where the bees are vanishing; this possibility is considerably strengthened by preliminary findings that bees fail to return to the hives if cordless phone base stations are placed in them.† The following experiment may prove that it is all about the wireless phones: Researchers at Landau University in Germany designed a simple experiment for students on the Environmental Science course. Eight mini-hives, each with approximately 8 000 bees were set up for the experiment. Four of them were equipped with a DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunication)-station at the bottom of the hive, and the other four without the DECT-station served as controls. At the entrance of each hive, a transparent plastic tube enabled the experimenters to watch the marked bees entering and leaving the hive, so they can be counted and their time of return after release recorded for a period of 45 minutes. The experimenters also studied building behavior by measuring the area of the honeycomb and its weight. In the course of the experiment, three colonies exposed to mobile phone radiation and one non-exposed control colony broke down. The total weights of the honeycombs in all colonies, including those at the time of breakdown were compared. The controls weighed 1 326g, while those exposed to the DECT-stations weighed only 1 045g, a difference of 21 percent. The total area of the honeycomb in the controls was 2 500, compared to just 2050 in the exposed hives. But it was the number of returning bees and their returning times that were vastly different. For two control hives, 16 out of 25 bees returned in 45 minutes. For the two microwave-exposed hives, however, no bees at all returned to one hive, and only six returned to the other. The article continues, saying: Clearly the present findings need to be taken much further, but their significance should not be downplayed for a number of reasons. The findings are compatible with evidence accumulating from investigations on many other species including humans, showing that mobile phone radiation is associated with a range of health hazards including cancers. Furthermore, bees are known to be extremely sensitive to magnetic and electromagnetic fields, and there have been many suggestions that they could be used as an indicator species for electromagnetic pollution.

Restrictive health, safety and technical standards Essay

Technical Standards: Standards and standards-related technical regulations are pervasive features of global commerce, affecting an estimated 80 percent of world commodity trade. These technical specifications make up much of the vocabulary in the exacting language of industry, consumer protection, and government regulation. As such, foreign standards and methods used to assess conformity to standards can either facilitate efficient international trade and its resultant benefits, or they can impede access to export markets. Divergent standards peculiar to a nation or region, redundant testing and compliance procedures, unilateral and non-transparent standard setting exercises, and a confusing thicket of other standards-related problems are now recognized as major impediments to free trade. For example: Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology publishes a list of imports and exports requiring mandatory quality inspection. Importers and exporters of the products on the list must subject their products to inspection and obtain a permit from the relevant government agencies (such as the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Fishery, and the Ministry of Science and Technology) at the time they go through customs. In the inspection, some products are subject to national standards, some are subject to regulations of the functional agencies, and some are subject to both. China is very concerned with the transparency of Vietnam’s mandatory quality inspection system. Language Barrier: Communication is the key to building successful business relationships. However, communication becomes complex when more than one language is involved. Interpreters and translators can play a critical role assisting exporters with the delivery of key information to prospective customers and clients. Interpreters and translators fulfill different roles in different cultures. For example, an interpreter in North America or Europe is expected to relay an unbiased account of the information to the audience. In Japan, however, an interpreter will translate the language and quite likely interpret gestures, context and meanings for those in attendance. Exporters should enlist the services of an experienced, fluent translator or interpreter who is also immersed in the culture of the target market. Working as a team, the exporter and the interpreter can review the text, presentation or other materials together to ensure that there will be no difficulties with background information, technical terms or potentially ambiguous messages. Non-tariff Barriers. Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) refer to the wide range of policy interventions other than border tariffs that affect trade of goods, services, and factors of production. Most taxonomies of NTBs include market-specific trade and domestic policies affecting trade in that market. Extended taxonomies include macro-economic policies affecting trade. NTBs have gained importance as tariff levels have been reduced worldwide. Common measures of NTBs include tariff-equivalents of the NTB policy or policies and count and frequency measures of NTBs. These NTB measures are subsequently used in various trade models, including gravity equations, to assess trade and/or welfare effects of the measured NTBs. Conclusion The world has a long history of international trade. In fact, trading among nations can be traced back to the earliest civilizations. Trading activities are directly related to an improved quality of life for the citizens of nations involved in international trade. It is safe to say that nearly every person on earth has benefited from international trading activities. This may be a good time to reinforce the idea that trade barriers are designed to protect some industries but, in fact they may hurt other industries or even consumers. Economists have found that sanctions don’t often reach their political objectives and they come with high costs. A good example is the steel tariff imposed by the Bush administration, on foreign-made steel. President Bush imposed the tariffs, ranging from 8 percent to 30 percent, on some kinds of foreign steel in March 2002, in order to help the U. S. steel industry compete with foreign steel producers. Many U. S. manufacturing companies that use steel, including manufacturers of auto parts and appliances, say that the steel tariffs have raised costs for manufacturers and caused thousands of manufacturing losses. Also, people who buy cars or appliances may have to pay higher prices because of the steel tariffs. The U. S. International Trade Commission recently concluded that the tariffs have caused a $30 million net loss to the U. S. economy. In addition, the European Union is considering retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. TBR (Trade Barrier Regulation) is Europe’s way of removing obstacles to trade, ensuring that countries abide by the rules of international trade, and providing procedures for resolving international trade disputes. Through the European Commission, its procedures interface directly with WTO dispute resolution procedures, affecting all countries subject to WTO rules and agreements notably the United States and Japan and whose industries have been the subject of recent international decisions. Free trade is usually most strongly supported by the most economically powerful nations in the world, though they often engage in selective protectionism for those industries which are politically important domestically, such as the protective tariffs applied to agriculture and textiles by the United States and Europe. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom were both strong advocates of free trade when they were economically dominant, today the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan are its greatest proponents. However, many other countries (such as India, China and Russia) are increasingly becoming advocates of free trade as they become more economically powerful themselves. As tariff levels fall there is also an increasing willingness to negotiate non tariff measures, including foreign direct investment, procurement and trade facilitation. The latter looks at the transaction cost associated with meeting trade and customs procedures. Traditionally agricultural interests are usually in favour of free trade while manufacturing sectors often support protectionism. This has changed somewhat in recent years, however. In fact, agricultural lobbies, particularly in the United States, Europe and Japan, are chiefly responsible for particular rules in the major international trade treaties which allow for more protectionist measures in agriculture than for most other goods and services. During recessions there is often strong domestic pressure to increase tariffs to protect domestic industries. This occurred around the world during the Great Depression leading to a collapse in world trade that many believe seriously deepened the depression. The regulation of international trade is done through the World Trade Organization at the global level, and through several other regional arrangements such as MERCOSUR in South America, NAFTA between the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the European Union between 27 independent states. The 2005 Buenos Aires talks on the planned establishment of the FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas) failed largely due to opposition from the populations of Latin American nations. Similar agreements such as the MAI (Multilateral Agreement on Investment) have also failed in recent years. Bibliography 1. Barriers to entry: Coping with protectionism. UK Investment. 18 April 2007 2. Boone, L. , and Kurtz, D. Contemporary Marketing. New York: Dryden Press. 2003 3. Brue, S. , and McConnell, C. Economics. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2003 4. Churchill, G. , and Peter, P. Marketing: Creating Value for Customers. Austen Press. 2004 5. Czinkota, M. R. , and Ronkainen, I. A. International Marketing. New York: Dryden Press. 2005 6. Competition and Market Power. Econoclass – Sources for Economics Teachers. 18 April 2007 7. Deardorff, Alan V. , and Robert M. Stern. Measurement of Nontariff Barriers: Studies in International Economics. 2005 8. Debra Ann Skaradzinski. Testing chaotic dynamics via Lyapunov exponents. Journal of Applied Econometrics 20:7, (2003): 911. 9. Fisher, Ronald, and Pablo Serra. â€Å"Standards and Protection. † Journal of International Economics 52 (2004): 377-400. 10. Farese, L. , Kimbrell, G. , and Woloszyk, C. Marketing Essentials. Mission Hills, CA: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. 2003 11. Henson, Spencer, and John S. Wilson, eds. The WTO and Technical Barriers toTrade, in the Critical Perspectives on the Global Trading System and the WTO series, Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. 2005 12. Impact of Standards and Technical Regulations on Trade. Press Release from Commerce Ministry (2003). 18 April 2007 13. Journal of Behavioral Finance, Vol. 4, No. 2, (2003): Pages 65-70 14. Kee, Hiau Looi, Alessandro Nicita, and Marcelo Olarreaga. Estimating Trade Restrictiveness Indices, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper # 3840.2006 15. Kotler, P. , and Armstrong, G. Marketing: An Introduction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. 2004 16. â€Å"Methodologies, Classifications, Quantification and Development Impacts of Non-Tariff Barriers: Note by the UNCTAD Secretariat,† Document TD/B/COM. 1/EM. 27/2. (2004). 18 April 2007 17. Non-tariff Barriers Centre for Rural & Agricultural Development (2003). 18 April 2007 18. RSIE Working Papers. University of Michigan.(2005). 18 April 2007 < http://www. fordschool. umich. edu/rsie/workingpapers/wp. html> 19. The Impact of Regulations on Agricultural Trade. Working Paper, Centre d’Etudes Prospectives et d’Informations Internationales, Paris. (2003). 18 April 2007 20. Trade, Environment and Development. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). (2005). 18 April 2007 21. Vousden, Neil. The Economics of Trade Protection. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 2005.

Power Struggles in Society

Mills, Schudson, and Gitlin show different approaches to society and the role of mass media. Each approach helps illustrate a different focus on society. They each hold special relevance in a discussion of the history of societal beliefs. The Mass Society refers to the overall belief C. Wright Mills held in relation to the type of society he believed we live in.Mills began The Power Elite with a bold statement saying, â€Å"The powers of ordinary men are circumscribed by the everyday words in which they live, yet even in these rounds of job, family, and neighborhood they often seem driven by forces they can neither understand nor govern† (Mills, 1956, p. 3). This opening sentence helps describe the attitude and beliefs of the entire book. A â€Å"power elite† exists in a society that is made up of three spheres. They are divided into economy, political, and military, with the same group of people interchanging between the three.This large group of elite is at the top ma king all the decisions, while the masses are at the bottom, unaware of the process that molds public opinion. Masses within this view of society are irrelevant and do not have any type of influence. The media functions as an entertainment source, keeping the masses entertained while the elite is taking care of all the important matters. It helps keep the reality and truth of the world obscured from the masses.Mills explained what the media does for the masses as â€Å"they distract him and obscure his chance to understand himself or his world, by fastening his attention upon artificial frenzies that are revolved within the program framework, usually by violent action or by what is called humor† (Mills, p. 315). This helps illuminate how the mass media guides, tries to control, and manipulates the masses. Mills describes the effect of mass media as â€Å"a sort of psychological illiteracy† to the extent that we â€Å"often do not believe what we see before us until we read about it in the paper or hear about it on the radio† (Mills, p. 311).The masses â€Å"standards of credulity, standards of reality, tend to be set by these media rather than by ‘the masses' own fragmentary experience† (Mills p. 311). Mass media's role helps prevent the questioning of the elite. â€Å"Families and churches and schools adapt to modern life; governments and armies and corporations shape it; and, as they do so, they turn these lesser institutions into means for their ends† (Mills, p. 6). The family into which someone was born or marries into helps improve or decrease their social status. The school where one is educated or the church where one worships also plays a major role in the social standing.Schools teach skills to the masses that enable them to function in society. Institutions shape life and the masses adapt to what institutions create. The masses in the theory are very disorganized and not connected to others. An excellent way to describe to masses can be shown by watching The Twilight Zone movie. It is a state of total confusion for everyone, with each doing their own thing. The elite enjoy the state of confusion with the masses, because they are able to control the major decisions that must be made. They determine the policies and the people enlist in them.In the mass society, the elite control the policies and ways of thinking for the confused masses. Schudson approaches the nature of society in a much different way, through the idea of the democratic society. In Discovering the News, he discussed â€Å"an even distribution of income† and described the 1800's as â€Å"more people acquired wealth and political power ‘bringing' with them a zeal for equal opportunity that led to the expansion of public education† (Schudson, 1978, p. 44). When looking at society as a whole, you have them socially, economically, and politically integrated. Economic development was promoted and shared by ma ny rather than few† (Schudson, p. 45). The press does not cause, but picks up elements, reflects, and builds from a democratic society. â€Å"The democratization of economic life brought with it attitudes that stressed economic gain to the exclusion of social aims; business practice more regularly began to reward strictly economic ties over broader ones† (Schudson, p. 46). Schudson believed that society was grounded in the perception of society, with the middle class dominating and developing.Media's relationship with its audience helped sustain them, but it did not create the worldview. The media cannot be proven to have many effects on society, and the ones that exist have to do with advertising as a cultural institution. Advertising functions more as a way of celebrating products and buying. It functions to remind and refocus as it orients people to the world and let them know that others share the same views. Advertising reminds us of things in society and reinforce s some social trends. The trends and cultural symbols make us aware while reminding us of what we already know.Objectivity occurred in writings as a response to a problem, not as a correct way to see the world. â€Å"As our minds become deeply aware of their own subjectivism, we find a zest in objective method that is not otherwise there† (Schudson, p. 151). Objectivity developed in response to crisis, when journalism became so overwhelmed with subjectivity. There are three views in reference to objectivity. â€Å"The first view, then, holds that form conceals content in the news story. A second position is that form constitutes content, that the form of the news story incorporates its own bias.A third sees the form of a news story, not as a literacy form, but as a social form tightly constrained by the routines of new gathering† (Schudson, pp. 184-185). The â€Å"moral wars† in journalism showed each class held differing beliefs on what was acceptable. The Time s wrote a speech by Reverend Dr. W. H. P. Faunce saying: â€Å"The press engages in a fearful struggle, one class against another. On one side stands the reputable papers and on the other, is what calls itself the new journalism, but which is in reality as old as sin itself† (Schudson, p. 114).Class conflict was the main reason for problems inside the newspaper industry. Different societal classes produced different types of newspapers. Schudson tracks the middle class because he fells it is the most important. He said the press emerged to serve the middle class audience. Schudson said the political aspects of society went from public to private. Reality was public, but became more concerned with what the individual was thinking instead of what everyone was thinking. Voting was one area effected by this new political and reality change.People began to vote in secrecy, such as in the separate voting booth presently used. This new secrecy allowed people to make decisions on the ir own instead of relying on others. Gitlin discusses how many aspects of society are the result of hegemony, defined as â€Å"the name given to a ruling class's domination through ideology, through the shaping of popular consent† (Gitlin, 1980, p. 9). â€Å"Hegemony is a historical process in which one picture of the world is systematically prefered over others, usually through practical routines and at times through extraordinary measures† (Gitlin, p. 57). Society is maintained by hegemony instead of class structure. This type of society is possible because it has a common reality, shared language, common cultural forms like mass media, shared government, common education and religion, and common transportation. Hegemony says we live in a society where all ideas are not treated equally. As a result, we are predisposed to accept some views and slower to accept others. It is not a conspiracy theory but it holds that everyone is doing their job. The ideas of the dominan t in society are being told.If someone outside the dominate group feels their idea is right, they must do something out of the ordinary to get attention. The dominate class is not particularly the elite or the middle class, but it is the group whose ideas are most important to be heard in society. We grow up in a world that already has meaning; we must therefore decide where we belong. In return, society produces the kind of people it needs. Many people spend their lives trying to figure out where to belong. The routines of journalists are the main way standardized frames are put into reporting. These routines are structured in the ways journalists are socialized from childhood, and then trained, recruited, assigned, edited, rewarded, and promoted on the job; they decisively shape the ways in which news is defined, events are considered newsworthy, and ‘objectivity' is secured† (Gitlin, pp. 11-12). People think the world is being reported, but it is actually being create d. Mills, Schudson, and Gitlin share few beliefs in relation to the nature of society. Each believes that separate social classes exist and that each class relates to society in a much different way.They also agree that problems do occur within society and its current division, but at that point their beliefs begin to diverge. Mills and Gitlin are the most similar among the three. They both believe there is a separation between one dominate class and the masses. Mills believes the one dominate is the elite and Gitlin does not feel it is any particular social class. Schudson, on the other hand, believes there are separate classes with the middle the most important. The most persuasive is a combination of Schudson and Gitlin. Different times make the separation on which is most important.Schudson is correct in saying the media and society play off each other. Things which occur in society would not be made as important without the media stressing its importance and society tuning in t o hear the details. Gitlin is also very true in his beliefs of hegemony with a ruling class being dominate over society. The world in which we live is very centered around the fact that one group's ideas are heard through the media more often than that of others. The nature of society is explained differently when looking at Mills, Schudson, and Gitlin. Each person is very persuasive in the views they express.There are also weaknesses that exist in some of the views. Gitlin's hegemony comes across as the most persuasive of the ideas. It can explain most things in society that the other two cannot. Society is complex in every way, but hegemony helps make it more simple to understand. References Gitlin, Todd. (1980). The Whole World Is Watching. Berkeley: University of California Press. Mills, C. Wright. (1956). The Power Elite. London: Oxford University Press. Schudson, Micheal. (1978). Discovering the News: A Social History of American Newspapers. USA: Basic Books.

Mass Media's Negative Impact on American Society Essay

Mass Media's Negative Impact on American Society - Essay Example A major role in the impeachment of President Clinton was played by the media of the country as well. But today, the unconcealed public anxiety, which concerns functioning, tasks, content of the media, sounds louder. Many prominent figures of our society, as well as many ordinary people, express dissatisfaction concerning an increasingly negative impact of mass media not only on journalism itself, but on society as a whole. This primarily concerns the quality of today’s American journalism within a moral and ethical point of view. Most of the public is deeply concerned also, that the media tries to teach us morality, â€Å"passing some inherited moral norms from generation to generation†. However, the very essence of this social heritage has been vigorously debated. In spite of the fact that in very few media reports and television broadcasts morality is perceptible and obvious, hints at some or other moral values are always present, especially on TV. At the same time th e media is flooded with scenes of violence in action and horror films and cartoons even, endless shootings, crime reports, aggressive music and games that, so some extend, popularize the criminal culture. In many cases the media does not consciously want to provoke violence in society – it just covers over a weak storyline of a picture or lack of really important news with scenes of violence, which surely attract attention of common people. Such scenes have a direct impact on subconsciousness, because they influence on the feelings rather than senses. The media forms in teenagers’ heads some stable mechanism, according to which they will act in this or that reality situation (Moy and... This essay stresses that sex in mass media is not limited to explicit images of copulation or nudity; it may include any model implying sexual behavior, interest or motivation. The most alarming in the behavioral effects of viewing erotic materials is that there is a traced direct connection between it and commission of sexual assaults. There were a lot of studies conducted, which considered the ratings of such crimes as rapes, exhibitionism, sexual abuse of minors, depending on changes in availability of sexually explicit materials. This report makes a conclusion that the last decades witnessed the rapid development of new communication technologies. E-mail, Internet, digital television, have become a part of our lives, often pushing to the sidelines the traditional media. Communication ceases to be one-way, there appear elements of interactivity. The question of the influence of the media appears in a new perspective. The amount of information available to each member of society increases many times; the process of news diffusion becomes swift and varied. At the same time the content quality of mass media lives much to be desired. It’s full to the brim with violence, advertising, false ideals and tons of shallow information a normal man will never need. Everyday impact of the media on society leads to creation of stereotypes, simplification of thinking and psychological patterns, as information is presented in ready-made form with a certain emotional coloring, which leaves no space for creative conceptua lization.

Followership Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Followership - Research Paper Example They eagerly take up extra work but at first they perform an extraordinary work in their core responsibilities. They prove themselves to be good judges of their own powers and flaws and are able to contribute well to the team (Johnson, 2009). If they know that they can succeed well they don’t mind coming across failures. They keep on searching for problems that remained unnoticed. They tend to see their coworkers as colleagues instead of thinking them to be entrants. An effective follower must possess certain qualities such as; they are capable of managing themselves well, they tend to be courageous, innovative and honest and dedicated towards organization (Kupers, 2007). Self management is another ability of an effective follower – the ability to work efficiently without being under any supervision. Good followers are those people to whom the leaders can entrust responsibilities. Good followers possess quality to see themselves as equals of the leaders they follow. They are liable to disagree unapologetically with leadership and are not likely to be overawed by the organizational structure. Ineffective followers on the other hand are prepared to obey others unquestioningly, dither between distresses over their powerlessness and make an attempt to juggle leaders to fulfill their own purposes (Yung, 2013). Their fear of powerlessness becomes a self fulfilling prognosis for the individual as well as the work group. Or their hostility drags them to undermine the goals of an organization. A significant cost advantage is received by an organization where there exists a self managed manager. There is a major role of followers towards organizational prosperity. Followers are believed to be furnished with complex thinking and innovative skills which if contributed to an organization can drive it towards success. People initiate in an organization as a follower. Followers tend to process good ideas and vision which they need to sell to

Evolution of Stable Angina into Acute Myocardial Infarction Essay

Evolution of Stable Angina into Acute Myocardial Infarction - Essay Example It is a very variable symptom that varies when is described by different patients, and this makes it one of the most controversial symptoms in the medicine (Melvyn et al. 2010). Stabile angina pectoris is usually first recognized during a general practice (GP) doctor visit or is noticed by a nurse during a home visit or other occasion. GP doctors often must decide if the acute symptoms described by the patient are due to heart problems or some other less acute condition and have limited resources in GP ambulance to do complete more detailed diagnostic tests like a stress test, laboratory findings, angiography or other procedures that are less often found in GP office. Initial recognition of this symptom but also the future monitoring and treatment of these patients is important for the preventing progression of evolution of the coronary artery disease and progression of stable angina pectoris into unstable angina or myocardial infarction (Adam et al. 2007). In this essay, we will con duct a critical review of several studies in order to assess factors that influence the recognition and progression of stable angina pectoris into a more serious condition. Review of studies in relevance to stable angina pectoris in primary care As we mentioned above angina pectoris is a symptom defined by the patient in his own words. This condition can often cause changes like ST depression on EKG strip but very often angina pectoris can occur without any changes on the ECG strip (Hausmann et al. 1991). Because more accurate methods for confirmation of angina pectoris are often unavailable in pre-hospital or pre-clinical settings, anamnesis has an important function as a factor for initial recognition of this disease. But as we mentioned above angina pectoris is a subjective symptom and description of the patients often vary significantly. This condition was researched by Melvyn et al. 2010 who tried to recognize the variations of presentation of these symptoms. For this task, the y recruited patients from two general practice institutions and only included patients that had a diagnosis of angina pectoris or other ischemic cardiovascular (CV) condition or patients that were taking some form of nitrates. All of the participants were subjected to interview conducted by medical professionals and all of the participants were asked the same questions: did they have any chest, jaw or neck discomfort in the last year and how would they describe this discomfort. A total of 64 patients were interviewed. There are a set of widely accepted individual interpretations of angina pectoris that are called angina â€Å"canon†. These symptoms are (Somerville et al. 2008): - association of the symptoms with physical exercise. - positive reaction after administration of medication, - general duration of symptoms during a single attack.

HealthCare IT Executive Interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HealthCare IT Executive Interview - Essay Example In order to develop comprehensive understanding of healthcare informatics and the role that the field plays in the health sector, I took time to interact with and interview a professional in the field. I carried out an interview with one hospital based healthcare (IT) information technology executive from Baylor University Medical Centre-Jason Baron. Interview Specifics Interviewer: As an IT Executive in this hospital could you briefly describe your role and job description? IT Executive: My role specifically entails liaising with the house staff, medical staff and different patient care departments with an aim of designing, developing, planning, implementing, maintaining, evaluating and upgrading clinical systems, which mainly include medical records. I coordinate my teams’ analysis of clinical operations and structural processes so as to facilitate decision-making in clinical operations. As a team, we also determine clinical functions, which need incorporation into computer systems. Interviewer: Your description is a little skewed and greatly highlights the technical aspect, but I would like to know whether you have any legal or clinical research role mandated by the description of your job? IT Executive: Yes, in addition to the more technical roles, I also have to ensure that the developed system is consistent with legal regulations and professional standards of accreditation and practice. The legal aspect is important in systems security, especially; with the development of HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Additionally, researchers often seek information from our team for research purposes, and the collected information serves as an important base for building evidence-based clinical practice. Interviewer: Therefore, it could be said that your role entails more than just computers? IT Executive: Yes, of course. Informatics within the health sector entails more than just dealing with computers, but also medical technical la nguage, clinical guidelines, laws, regulations and IT communication systems as well. Interviewer: The medical field is wide, and I would like to know whether there are specific areas or departments, where your services are necessary than others? IT Executive: Healthcare is pervaded with information use and creation. As such, it would not be appropriate to say that there are departments that need our services more than others. In actual sense, all departments require our services be it for billing purposes, prescription, and research or policy formulation. In fact, be sure to find an element of informatics in any health department. Interviewer: What would you say is the importance of healthcare informatics for the future of the health sector? IT Executive: Firstly, instituting appropriate information systems facilitates faster coordination, decision-making and smooth service delivery. Secondly, it presents significant optimism with regard to service delivery in the health sector, esp ecially; in relation to error reduction. The World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine have both expressed concern about the significant harm caused by different medication errors including treatment and diagnostic errors (WHO, 2012; IOM, 2006). The use of computers and information systems has shown that they can bring about significant reduction in errors and improve care. Additionally, Rothschild (2011), states that computers and

Strategic management accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Strategic management accounting - Essay Example The company provides total technical support for the installation of the machinery sold to the global customers to gain their confidence and long-term relation (Funding Universe, n.d.). Renishaw is well recognized for its manufacturing of complex machineries that could help the customers to improve their efficiencies and their potential capacities along with greater quality of the products and improving of operational performance. Renishaw has always aimed to meet the unending needs of the customers by offering them technology beyond their reach and capability. The products offered by the company assures enhancement of quality and productivity along with superior customer service (Renishaw, 2012c). Renishaw was a private company in 1982 but in the year 1983 the company went public and offered stocks in the London’s Stock Exchange Market. Renishaw is quite hierarchical which indicates that the company is centralized and the decisions are made at the top management and then comm unicated to the other levels of management in the company (Renishaw, 2012a). This report would highlight the competitive strategy and strategic position of the Renishaw Company. This strategic analysis would be regarding the market sector, employment of appropriate strategic management and management accounting tools. The internal analysis of the company would be analysed using the SW of SWOT analysis (Strenghts, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis and the external environment of the company would be analysed using the OT of SWOT analysis as well as the PESTLE (Political, Economical, Socio-cultural, Technological, Legal and Environmental factor ) analysis. The competitive strategy would be analyzed with the BCG matrix. In the end, recommendations would be provided to protect the company from new entrant’s adopted strategy and to help the company grow further in the years to come. Analysis of Strategic Position – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Thre ats (SWOT) The strategic position of the company is based on combination of internal analysis and external analysis. The strategic position of the company has been analyzed with the help of SWOT and PESTLE analysis and these two analytical tools are applied on Renishaw. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis is used to analyse both the internal as well as the external environment of the company (Barney, & Hesterly, 2008). SWOT analysis would be helpful to identify the major internal strengths as well as the major internal weaknesses of the company along with external opportunities and threats that can influence the performance (Cravens, and Piercy, 2008). Strengths The foremost strength of the company is its technological advancement in terms of machinery and products. The company is also known for its innovation and superior quality. Due to constant innovation the company is able to provide the customers with high quality products to satisfy the customer’s needs and to meet the custome r’s expectation (Renishaw, 2012b). The company’s workforce consists of young and energetic individuals that are constantly encouraged to make their way forward with the help and guidance from their seniors (Renishaw, 2012c). The company also focuses on the training and development programmes each year to enhance the productivity and knowledge of its workforce. This training and development programmes have provided the company with significant benefits due to which the company is ab

What is Socrates' argument against Crito in the argument of the same Essay

What is Socrates' argument against Crito in the argument of the same name Is it persuasive why or why not - Essay Example Crito gets to the prison where Socrates was serving time with a plan hatched to break Socrates out of prison. It is after learning about this that a debate ensues on the justification of Socrates escape (Anton 73) In his argument, Socrates fronts that while the sentencing he received was wrong to begin with, it got reached through a legitimate process. In his thinking, Socrates was of the idea that the trial he got subjected to got done according to the law, he had the chance to defend himself against the allegations, and the verdict got passed by citizens. The matter at hand in this argument was whether content justice, which refers to getting the best result, overrules procedural justice that is following the laid down procedure, or vice versa (Anton 74). Socrates states in his argument that we have to pick whether the law enabled social peace is more vital than an innocent man’s life. Socrates is of the idea that social peace, which gets enabled by the law, is superior to his innocence. In building his case, Socrates puts forward a paternalistic claim stating that since the laws enabled his dad to marry his mother, he considered the law as his parents. He also states that the laws ordered his parents to take him to school. As such, he is both a slave and offspring of law. Socrates feels that he owes the law similar unconditional obedience that slaves owe to their owners and children owe to their parents (Anton 75). Socrates conclusion is that an injustice cannot be made right by another injustice. In this effect, the wrong conviction he had been given would not be made right by escaping prison. Socrates chooses to remain in the confines of his cell as a result of his unwavering belief and faith in Greek law, which he acknowledges awarded him the opportunity to lead a fulfilling life, and attain extensive knowledge (Anton 75). In his thinking, without

Communication knowdgen Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Communication knowdgen - Assignment Example Workplace communication for the 21st century: Tools and strategies that impact the bottom line: V.1: Internal workplace communication; v.2: External workplace communication. 2010. Choice Reviews Online, 50-6291. 18 The company maintains an efficient and continuous communication with the city inhabitants and its clients. It issues news releases  to the local media with significant information on the city issues and services. The news releases are posted here at the exact time when they are passed to reports (Hamilton City Improvement Society, organized 2004, p.88). Persons interested in knowing more about Hamilton can contact the company’s communication officers. 22 Employees and clients are often invited to attend the Public meetings and consultation sessions. These are usually hosted in the city of Hamilton and comprise a many public consultations on a varied series of local and city-wide subjects (Hamilton City Improvement Society, organized 2004, p.88). The company values the publics view and hopes to get informative debates with inhabitants, companies, and other major stakeholders from allover of the City. 23 There are many forms of print communication, involve all forms of printed literature with relevant business information (Curtis 2009, p.11). They range from newsletters, microfiche, books, microfilm to periodicals.   24 Perrigot, R., Kacker, M., Basset, G., & Cliquet, G. (2012) Antecedents of Early Adoption and Use of Social Media Networks for Stakeholder Communications: Evidence from Franchising*. Journal of Small Business Management, 539-565. 36 Workplace communication for the 21st century: Tools and strategies that impact the bottom line: V.1: Internal workplace communication; v.2: External workplace communication. 2010. Choice Reviews Online, 50-6291. 36 When starting any business organization, it is crucial to assess the most relevant methods of managing information and knowledge requirements. It is also important to define the

Simon Schama&apos;s Jacques-Louis David and Delacroix&apos;s Coursework

Simon Schama's Jacques-Louis David and Delacroix's "Liberty Leading the People" - Coursework Example The presenter pointed out that in the later historical events political and social life in France really resembled one in Ancient Rome so life really caught up with art of Jacques-Louis David. The second video clip presented the viewers with interesting facts about Delacroix’s â€Å"Liberty Leading the People†. It was pointed out that this picture is not only valuable from aesthetic point of view, but is historically important as well. There are numerous symbols that are depicted in the painting such as the allegorical figure of the liberty, the intense violence that happened on the streets. Some details are too small to be recognized at once. For example, one of the people who are killed is in his night gown, suggesting that the government oppressed the opposition in order to make sure that people will not riot, this way reinforcing the

History of Childcare Essay Example for Free

History of Childcare Essay History of Childcare Institutions and Qualifications During this essay I will be outlining the history of childcare institutions and qualifications and how they have developed in relation to the needs of the country, family needs and society. I will be looking at the following occupations wet nurses, governesses, nannies and nursery nurses and how qualifications have developed within these roles. I shall them to the qualifications of the present day and how gender and social class have impacted on these professions. Also I shall consider how the curriculum content has changed to meet the demands of the ever changing role of the childcare worker and how it relates to my teaching practice currently and in the future. When focusing on childcare a fundamental starting point is considering the role of the wet nurse and why she was popular and in demand. Wet nursing can date back as far as Moses. When the princess found baby Moses floating down the Nile she asked Miriam to find a wet nurse. In Ancient Egypt poor women used to supplement their income by becoming wet nurses for the upper class citizens or mothers who could not produce enough milk. Contracts were drawn up between them to â€Å"ensure the wet nurse provided good milk; preventing the wet nurse from nursing other children, having sex, or becoming pregnant† (history-wet-nursing, 2011). In many cultures wet nurses were an ancient tradition, for example within the Chinese culture, before the Second World War, wet nursing was common practice. The Communists tried to outlaw the practice but in the 21st century it has become a status symbol and due to the melamine milk scandal this ancient profession has seen a revival. Wet nurses in China today must leave their own children, maintain a special diet, and undergo training in certain cases. Furthermore, if the babies that they nurse do not grow 20 grams each day, the wet nurses are fined by their employers. † (history-wet-nursing, 2011) During the Victorian era it was common place for the upper classes to employ a wet nurse as once more this was seen as a status symbol. Other reasons were that women of this era were usually married to authoritarian husbands who believed that breast feeding interfered with sex and the women themselves assumed that it would disfigure their breasts. Furthermore, during this time infant mortality was high and upper class families were encouraged to have large families to ensure the survival of an heir. Breast feeding provided a form of contraception and prevented ovulation thus, spacing out pregnancies. It wasn’t uncommon for babies to be sent to a wet nurse’s home for 18 to 24 months in order for the mother to become pregnant again. Often a wet nurse could be feeding many children including their own (sometimes to their detriment) and was either paid as well as a labourer or received nothing at all. Morisot, The Wet Nurse (1880) According to Valerie Fildes there were three types of wet nurses â€Å"the parish nurse who took in parish infants and was usually receiving poor relief herself; the nurses of the London Foundling Hospital who worked under the supervision of inspectors; the privately employed nurse, for whom wet-nursing was a significant and continuing occupation for which she received a good wage both in money and in kind: often she was cared for by her nurse-children in later life and received the occasional bequest from them. † (Fildes, 1988, p. 43) The qualities required for a wet nurse by the Victorians were worked out in enormous detail. She should have an attractive face, clear eyes, well made nose, red mouth, white teeth and a deep chest. The shape of her breasts was very important and their size shape and colour were all taken into account. She should also have a good personality, speak well, not be pregnant or desire the company of her husband. The reasons for these specific qualities were that it was thought that they would be transferred through the breast milk to the child (Fildes, 1988). By the middle of the 19th century wet nurses had virtually disappeared although isolated examples still existed (Churchill had a wet nurse). Surprisingly, wet nursing is making a reappearance in society today, there are wet nursing agencies where mothers can employ a wet nurse. Within society today, a woman may choose this option due to health reasons for example extreme illness or disease such as AIDS, an inability to produce breast milk or multiple births. What is more, this privilege is still confined to the upper and middle classes of society who have the means to pay. However, during the Victorian era this may have been seen as common practice but during this century it is quite often seen as a taboo subject,as pregnant mothers are given information about the benefits of breastfeeding from health professionals who actively encourage new mothers to conform with this practice. Alongside this there is the pressure from government initiative and more detailed research, that are changing the ideology of society thinking dismissing the Victorian idea of wet nursing as a status symbol. When comparing the person specification of the wet nurse in the 19th century to today’s wet nurses, it appears that there are some similarities such as being in good health, not smoking or consuming alcohol. Today, they are also vetted and tested for transferable diseases due to the fact more is understood about these by society and health professionals. Furthermore, wet nurses need to have a baby of a similar age in order for the milk to be of the right constitution and they would usually live or work in the employer’s home whereas previously they would have been taken to the wet nurses home. Following on from the wet nurse there is the emergence of nannies. The history of nannies can be traced back as far as the seventeenth century. The English nanny was an institution and was most popular during the 18th century. She is often portrayed in books and films as a kind, gentle woman who children adored; in fiction such as Jayne Eyre, Mary Poppins and more recently Nanny McFee. Before training developed nannies were often what were known as â€Å"gentlewomen† who had fallen on hard time and had to support themselves. They saw being a nanny as a solution to their predicament. Not all nannies were kind, some were extremely cruel. The nanny usually had a great deal of power and responsibility within the home; she had her own quarters to look after the children usually at the top of the house. The upper classes, employed nannies in order for them to continue their leisurely life style. Children at the time were also viewed as they should be â€Å"seen and not heard† and parents left it to the nanny to have total care and responsibility for their upbringing. Parents only spent a short time in the day with them accompanied by the nanny. The nanny would usually have a nursery maid to assist her who would do the menial tasks such as preparing meals and laundry. On the whole, nannies learned from other nannies and progression was usually nursery – maid, nursemaid or under nurse, sometimes a period of working as a second nanny, and then finally a nanny in her own right. In 1892 the first training college was set up by Emily Ward. She ran a school for young children in Norland Place and recognised the need for training. She was one of the earliest advocates of the Froebel system of teaching which was based on the approach â€Å"that all children are born good, and that to help them develop, adults need to provide the right environment and activities. These protect the child from learning bad habits of â€Å"evil tendencies†(Tassoni, 2006, p19). Emily Ward found that many of the students who went to her for training were not academic and found the Froebel examination too difficult despite her students being very practical and having a great love of children. Emily Ward recognised that if the students could be trained, not only would it benefit the children but would provide a new profession for girls of the educated classes. Students were charged a fee of thirty six pounds which covered six months training. The students were also expected to wear a uniform which Emily Ward thought would identify them as professionals and not have them mistaken for housemaids. This leads me to believe that originally the role the nanny was seen for women to earn a respectable living when they found themselves to be in a financial predicament rather than needing a formal qualification. However, during the latter stage of the 19th century the introduction of a formal qualification and fee for training transformed nanning into a profession, but still only allowed educated middle class, girls the opportunity. The students training was broken down into the following:- â€Å"Three fortnights for cooking, laundry, and domestic work, and six weeks spent in the Norland Place School, looking on at lessons, and giving help to the teachers. † (Gibbs, 1960, pg 178) Lectures given in the morning and the afternoons were spent exercising (walks in the fresh air), the evenings were for learning needlework. The second three months were spent in hospital training and the students were then given one month’s holiday before taking a post in a private family as a children’s nurse. If the employer was happy with the student she would continue for another three months and only then would the Norland Certificate be awarded. By today’s standards training was centred around domestic science rather than understanding the child and how they develop, which would confer with the ideology of woman’s role within society at that time as the traditional housewife. However, at a glance nanny’s of today are still required to fulfil domestic duties such as cooking and laundry but this is not curricular based but, has more emphasis on the development of the child. By 1904 the training changed slightly as it was realized that students needed to gain practical experience to do their job and a small nursery was set up overseen by experienced children’s nurses with the students acting as under-nurses. This practice was highly regarded by employers when the students obtained posts, and is seen favourably and useful by employers today. By 1924 fees had risen to eighty pounds and the college expanded. During the Second World War the college and nursery evacuated to Devon, but many of the students gave up their training and joined the women’s services. After the war the college relocated to Chislehurst and students began training again. The course itself was extended from six months to twenty one months and included â€Å"domestic science, educations training, residential nursery training and a hospital nurse course. Students were also taught story-telling and games for the under-fives. (Gibbs, 1960, pg 180) Great emphasis was placed within the training on the needs of the small child, students gained experience of this from working in the nursery attached to the college and nursery schools and infant welfare centres outside of the college. An examination was also introduced at the end of the twenty one month’s the National Nursery Examination Board qualification or NNEB. However, the Norland Certific ate was only awarded to students who had completed one year’s satisfactory work in post which had been agreed by the Principal. Only two years were allowed from the end of training to obtain the full certificate. The college also encouraged students to stay in touch with them for at least three years after completing their certificate. They did this to ensure they could follow the career of each student and ensure that the standard of the college could be maintained. Norland nannies were well respected and there was a constant demand in private posts, nurseries and for posts as school matrons. Norland College was the first training college to open in 1892 and later other colleges began to appear. The Princess Christian Training College for Nursery Nurses opened in Manchester in 1901 under the direct patronage of the Princess Christian (third daughter of Queen Victoria). She suggested that instead of hospital training, a course of home nursing should be introduced. She also felt very strongly that a nurse should be forbidden to punish children herself. The need for training colleges was recognised by the Gentlewomen’s Employment Association (1891), Princess Christian was one of its patrons. Like the Norland College it provided employment for gentlewomen who needed to earn a living at a time when it was not generally acceptable. The Princess Christian College’s training duration was nine months unlike Norland’s six months and was hard and rigorous. Students had to be on duty at six and complete washing and cleaning before breakfast at seven. They had evening lectures and sewing after supper, no holidays and half a day off each week. The college also had testimonial books which recorded each nurse’s career, including a principal’s report and at the end of her training and a reference from her last employer. There is a stark contrast to the training that was provided in 1904 to the qualification we see today. Although there is still a strong emphasis on work based training the standard of the qualification is not as robust as in the 19th and early 20th century and this could be because students are being accepted onto courses with a required level of education and the demands of the role have changed. During the First World War The Princess Christian College ran into financial difficulties and in May 1918 closed. The college reopened again in 1919 in new premises but closed again at outbreak of the Second World War in order for children to be evacuated. After the war the college reopened and reorganised its syllabus and training to cover the changes in social conditions. Training was extended to eighteen months and covered the NNEB requirements (Gibbs, 1960). At the time Mary Ann Gibbs wrote her book â€Å"The Years of the Nannies† (1960) the fees for the eighteen month course at Princess Christian College was ? 270 for a resident student and ? 140 for a non-resident student. Bursaries and local authority grants were available for less well off students. The syllabus in 1960 included:- daily nursery work with babies and small children, instruction in the planning and preparation of infant diets, training in the milk kitchen, general cookery and nutrition, laundry and housewifery, needlework with design and care of children’s clothes, hygiene and physiology and the model nursery. † (Gibbs, 1960, Pg 190) The college awarded three certificates to students the first being a Probationers Certificate on completion of satisfactory training and a Nurse’s Certificate for two years satisfactory work, dating from the ranting of the Probationers Certificate. Finally, the student would be awarded The Special Certificate with Badge for three year’s satisfactory work, dating from the granting of the Nurse’s Certificate. After a student had completed her training she had quite a wide range of employment opportunities such as working as a nanny, working in day and residential nurseries, working with disabled children, school matron, nursery nurses on maternity wards and in passenger liner nurseries. A Night Nurse at The Princess Christian Training College Students who completed their training at the training colleges usually found employment through the college or through advertisements in women’s journals, or professional journals. One of those journals was â€Å"Nursery World† which was first launched in 1925 and is still used by our students today. The other was â€Å"The Lady† first published in 1885 which advertised many employment opportunities for nannies. Nannies are still very much in demand today, their role has changed in that they work closely with parents respecting their views and wishes and are more usually employed by working parents. They are required to be trained to Level 3 and most will have had experience with babies. In contrast, nannies back in the eighteenth century would always live with the family, whereas nannies now can live out. They also have the opportunity to work for families abroad and can command high salaries and additional benefits such as holidays and use of a car. [pic] Advertisements’ from Careers and Vocational Training 10th Edition The role of the nanny was important but you cannot overlook the role of the governess in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. She is portrayed in fiction as a lonely, somewhat stern figure yet many women entered this profession. She would have been a well educated middle-class woman who like the nanny had to provide a living for herself. In Victorian times women were seen as the responsibility of men her husband, father or brother. When they were unable to provide financially for her, working as a governess was seen as socially acceptable. There was a high demand for governesses in he Victorian era (despite the expansion of public school education for boys and public school for the masses) especially if they were competent in teaching math’s and science. â€Å"The census of 1851 showed that there were 24,770 governesses in England and Wales. † (Hudson, 1970, p45) The greatest qualification of the governess was having a good background fitting in with the correct social class. She was required to write a letter of application in order for the family to consider her suitability. Many families l isted subjects they required their governess to teach. â€Å"Wanted, a Governess, on Handsome Terms. Governess – a comfortable home, but without salary, is offered to any lady wishing for a situation as governess in a gentleman’s family, residing in the country, to instruct two little girls in music, drawing, and English; a thorough knowledge of the French language is required. †( Advertisement, The Times. (London: 27 June, 1845). The upper class families still continued to educate their children at home and it was down to the family to decide when their children would enter the school room. In order to ensure their employability they sought to improve their education and this lead them gaining a footing in higher education. During the nineteenth century, professional books and journals were printed for governesses to use. These were read among other teachers and concerned parents to share educational practices and lessons, and keep The Governess them informed of the changing educational reform in the Victorian era. In 1843 The Governesses’ Benevolent Institution was formed and it helped educate governesses and provided aid for retired or out of work governesses in and around London. It also provided a registry for governesses and families seeking a governess to place their information. This was similar to an employment agency today. Along with this and pressure from the governesses the institute expanded and included a college for governesses to study and improve their education. A donation from the Prince and Princess of Wales enabled funding for free night classes. The Queens College was founded in 1848 and its goal was to provide qualifications for governesses, it provided â€Å"Lectures for Ladies† from which at the end of study they received a Diploma. Almost all the lectures were given by men from Kings College, and older women known as â€Å"Lady Visitors† attended to act as chaperones to the female students. It is clear that despite considerable changes from the era of the wet nurse there is still a vast divide between what is considered beyond the realms of the woman as it is the man that is considered able to lecture in the core subjects whilst the woman is only expected to understand and deliver to her charges. The Queens college was seen as an institution offering higher education for women. In the last decade of the nineteenth century the Queens College and The House of Education developed a curriculum specifically for the training of governesses and this saw a drastic change in the profession of the governess. Families now wanted to employ governesses with certificates and training in education rather than, be qualified solely by their family background. We must take into account that at this time education for girls was seen as less important and it was not until the 1900 that attitudes changed when girls started to enter public high school and boarding schools and this resulted in the decline of the governess. Governesses are still employed today but their role has changed. Today they need to hold a degree and at least two years experience as an educator. They may live with the family or live out. They usually have sole charge of the children’s education although in some cases they may just supplement the child’s education. This could be coaching a child to obtain their eleven plus, or providing additional help for specific subjects, or in all subjects, with the goal of preparing students to apply to and be accepted into good colleges. They may also be employed if a family moves to another country so that children can learn the language or maintain the education that correlates to their native country. The profession is still largely female orientated despite the pay and conditions being good. This could be due to several factors such as living in the employer’s home and societies view of a male in a governess role. The Second World War saw an increase in day nurseries as men went away and women were called upon to take over the work left to do at home. The Ministry of Health organised and supervised this provision. In view of this more nursery nurses needed to be trained and in January 1944 The National Nursery Examination Board was formed and they established an examination for all nursery nurses. The first examination was taken in 1946. The syllabus and training has changed considerably over the years, notably in 1965, the age range was extended to seven years of age, before this students trained to work with children up to five years. This decision was prompted by the increase use of classroom assistance in primary schools and the Plowden Report’s (1967) recommendation that nursery nurses should be used for this position. â€Å"In 1975 the Bullock Report, A Language for Life made the same recommendation that nursery nurses should be used as trained assistants and work alongside teachers in helping language development in young children. (Herrman, 1979, p. 21). After the Second World War provision that was put in place for childcare was not expanded further. This was partly due to men needing jobs that women had done in the war, and society’s view that women should be in the home looking after their children. The 1950’s saw the beginning of Playgroups, these were parent co-operatives formed in private homes or community halls. They started in order to fill the gap in nursery provision for three and four year olds. â€Å"In 1961 Belle Tutaev wrote to the Guardian offering help to anybody who wanted to start up a playgroup. She received letters from all over the country and playgroups burgeoned and grew. † (Dean, 2005, Pg 13) The Pre-School Playgroup Association (PPA) was set up in 1962, â€Å"the aims of the organisation at first were two-fold: mutual support for those running groups and also the lobbying of government to emphasise the importance of pre-school provision and to seek the withdrawal of Circular 8/60 which prevented state nursery expansion. † (PLA Factsheet) Playgroups relied heavily on voluntary staff and on mothers to provide play activities for the children. Many of these volunteers were untrained due to lack of funding. This restricted their work opportunities and workers were given little recognition. An additional reason for unqualified staff was that until the Children’s Act 1989 playgroups had little statutory guidance or regulation. Those playgroups that were affiliated with the PPA did have access to training (short courses in play work) if they were able to fund it. The PPA in 1991 established themselves as training providers under the National Council for Vocational Qualifications. Other childcare provision between 1946 and 1990 such as private nurseries and local authority nurseries continued to employ NNEB qualified staff or equivalent. In 1990 there were various childcare qualifications that students were able to study. The main qualifications for nursery nursing were the NNEB, BTEC National Diploma and the Certificate in Post-Qualifying Studies (CPQS). The NNEB being the longest established and well known was still a requirement for some posts but it did not give a valid entry into higher education. However, the BTEC National Diploma was thought to be more academic and allowed students to progress onto more advanced education and training being the equivalent of â€Å"A† Levels. When you look back at the history of the NNEB it was not set out to be a qualification that would allow progress to higher education although comparing it to today’s CACHE Level 3 Diploma it was a lot more rigorous. The selections of qualifications were many and in 1991 a system of National Accreditation was introduced to link qualifications. NVQ’s were introduced in 1991 in attempt to give experienced staff without a qualification a chance to achieve a Level 2 and 3. The NVQ syllabus involved students showing competence in the workplace through assessment whilst building a portfolio of knowledge evidence. This qualification in theory did fill a training gap but funding still remained an issue along with adults having to study around family commitments and also if they had the academic confidence to study. Due to the Start Right Report of 1991 by Bell in which he identified numerous routes into teaching, this was an attempt to provide a standardized route into comprehensive training and also of helping workers to progress through the qualification system. Up until 1999 qualifications remained unchanged in what were available and it left employers and students confused as to what qualification was at what level. In 1999 a new training framework was introduced (QCF) and this mapped out the levels of each qualification. This gave clear guidance for students, employers and training establishments to assess their current qualifications. In 2002 the new NVQ Level 4 was introduced *they were to provide a route for those working in senior management level or advanced practitioners† (Pugh,2001, P. 190) they were academically and practically demanding qualifications and carried 120 CATs points. This was a way of gaining entry to the Early Years Foundation Degree. In 1994 CACHE was established and merged with The National Nursery Education Board and The Council for Early Years Awards. In 2001 the National Association for Maternal and Child Welfare (NAMCW) merged with CACHE, and Her Majesty the Queen became the patron. CACHE at this point became the awarding body and offered various Childcare qualifications from Entry Level to NVQ 4. Since joining Canterbury College in February 2006 the qualifications have changed twice, with a third change is about to take place. The delivery of the courses has not changed in that students still attend placements and have to show competence. The only difference to the NNEB is that the students don’t work with children attached to the college. We have placement visitors that visit the student in their placement who assess their competence and report back to their course tutor. Level 3 students up until 2007 still had to sit an end of course exam in order to qualify as well as passing unit assignments. The qualification carried UCAS points to allow entry to university depending on the overall grade achieved. It was quite clear at the time that the grades students achieved were quite low and very few went onto university. I believe this to be for the following reasons (a) students were not properly assessed at interview and were on the wrong level of course, (b) there was a high level of turnover of staff which affected the teaching of the students and causing disaffection. There was also a big drop out rate. I remember well, my first day in the classroom, being bombarded with complaints. In 2007 CACHE reviewed the content of the syllabus as the previous syllabus was quite dated and childcare practice had changed considerably. The new syllabus carries the same format of placement and academic work and still continued to carry UCAS points. The grading of the assignments changed into a point system instead of the previous system of pass or refer. The students also have to complete a research task and a short seen scenario exam. This I feel has led to students achieving higher grades and more have gone onto university. The department has been running this Level 3 Diploma for the past three years but last year we were advised that the qualification would hange along with NVQ’s being discontinue. This has had a big impact on the department as a whole. The introduction of the Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young Peoples Workforce will be the only qualification available for students to study to become childcare workers. The delivery of the course is very much based on the NVQ delivery of observed assessment and a knowledge portfolio. We have started to run a pilot group for this new qualification an d it has involved various changes in the department and in the teaching. Students now have to be allocated an assessor who has an A1 qualification and students only attend three days a week every other week. Already, this has posed problems in that the course is designed to be taught holistically and not unit led as the previous qualifications. It is designed so that the assessor and tutor work closely together. This does not work in our department as assessors are constantly out observing students leaving little time for feedback to the tutor. This makes it very difficult to support students and ensure that they are progressing. However, we have recently been informed that due to the qualification not meeting the needs of the employers and students the previous qualification will continue running for at least another year while they review the course. In conclusion, childcare and qualification has developed in line with the needs of the family and society starting with the wet nurse through to nannies and governess. It has also developed in line with government policy and the social and economic needs of the country along with current thinking of child development at the time. Childcare roles have not disappeared but still exist in a modernised way as can be seen in the reappearance of the wet nurse. The status of childcare however still remains low and this is reflected in pay and conditions. Many nurseries still don’t pay above minimum wage or provide sick pay, and often only the minimum holiday requirement. Until this is addressed the status and moral of childcare workers will not rise. There is still a culture of thinking that â€Å"anyone can look after children† and it is still a predominantly female role despite campaigns to attract male candidates. The calibre of students that is seen during interviews are on the whole, students from lower class backgrounds which could have contributed to the introduction of EMA. The fact that students don’t have to pay fees for childcare courses and its workplace element, adds to the perception that they are easy courses. The college funding system makes it very difficult to decline students who we feel not appropriate to the course, and the system makes it difficult to withdraw students who prove to be unsuitable. This does not lead to providing the best possible care for young children. Significantly and in contrast to this is that to train as a Norland Nanny today requires a student to pay full fees and this only attracts the more affluent students who want to train in the profession. Also, to employ a Norland Nanny, is seen as a status symbol by families, thus highlighting social status despite it’s qualification being the same as achieved at college. The only difference being that the Norland Certificate is achieved at the end of the course on top of the qualification and seen as a â€Å"stamp of excellence† The old range of qualifications enabled students to access the qualification that best suited their learning and training needs such as on the job training or a full time college course. The new qualification does not take these needs into account. The new qualification does not fit with young students who have no experience. This is one of the issues that has been highlighted along with the course only being a year in duration. It is quite worrying that a sixteen year old could become a fully qualified level 3 in a supervisory position with only one year of training. There are also wider issues in that the government has reduced funding, (currently there is no funding for over nineteen’s) along with the demise of EMA, making access to college less accessible for less well off students which causes a social divide. The next year will provide interesting times in childcare qualifications and a review in our own department in the teaching and delivery will provide its own challenges in that e-learning is being introduced along with apprentiships. This will mean training in the use to technology as well as new assessment methods. Staff will have to adapt their delivery of lessons as well as developing a closer working partnership with assessors, which at the current time is fragmented. There will need to be changes in the current systems in place and this will no doubt cause frustration to some staff who find adapting to change difficult. On a more positive note the updating of skills for staff will only improve the range of teaching techniques available to them, hopefully providing better outcomes for students.

E Commerce Advantages and Disadvantages

E Commerce Advantages and Disadvantages Electronic commerce comprises of the selling and buying of the items, products and services through internet or intranet medium. Internet is most helpful and reliable medium to generate revenue and to attract potential customers. E-Commerce is a greatest invention in the field of trade as it has made the trade easy and customer friendly. E-Commerce is mostly depends upon virtual items to access websites. A huge proportion of E-commerce is carry out totally automatically for virtual items such as admission to finest satisfied on a website, but the majority electronic commerce involves the carrying of substantial items in some means. Almost all large retailers have E-commerce occurrence on the website. Electronic business that is carried out among selling is referred to as business-to-business or B2B. B2B can be unlocked to all concerned parties (e.g. commodity exchange) or incomplete to exact, pre-determined contributors. Electronic trade that is conducted among trade and customers, on the other hand, is referred to as business-to-consumer or B2C. This kind of E-Commerce is carried out through internet and other electronic medium. Online shopping is a shape of electronic trade where the purchaser is straight online to the sellers computer usually via the internet. E-Commerce is providing the business and the owners more benefits because it is the easiest and cheaper way to promote and boost up the products. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE: ADVANTAGES OF E- COMMERCE: E-Commerce is the easiest and the quickest way to boost up the business. E-commerce is gratifying the just alternative and electronic mail is a computer application which transmits the messages to the email boxes of other people using data communication which is called as email. There are a lot of internet sites which provide free email services related to the E-Commerce and business to the internet users and the customers. Computer softwares are used to promote the Electronic business. The computer softwares refer to the collective set of instructions called programs that can be interpreted by the business computers and cannot be touched by the humanà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s The program causes the computer to perform desired functions such as flight simulation, the generation of business graphics or word processing. Following re the basic types of business software: System Software Application Software Utility Programs Whereas an operating system is an integrated set of programs that is used to manage the various resources and overall operations of a business. T s designed to support the activities of a computer installation. Its primary objective is to improve the performance and efficiency of a computer system and increase facility and ease with a system can be used. It also makes computer system user friendly. Business operating systems are used by many of business computers at this era. Operating systems include the disk operating system, windows, macintosh system from apple computer and Warp of IBM, and UNIX and Linux are using in the Electronic Business now a days. Business computer can only understand the machine or hardware language. It is necessary to convert the instructions of a program written in high level language to machine instructions before the program can be executed by the computer. A complier carries out this business job. Thus a complier is a translating program that translate s the instructions of a high level language into machine language. A complier is called as business complier because the complier a set of business activities for every program instruction of a high level instruction. Complier can translate only those sources program which have been written in the language for which the computer is meant. For example, FORTAN complier is only capable of translating source programs which have been written in FORTAN, and therefore each requires a separate complier for each high level language. While interpreter is another type of business high level languages into machine codes. It takes one statement of a high level language and translates it into a machine instruction which is a useful technique for the business. DISADVANTAGES: E-Business is only dependent to the internet based advertisement and business which is a big drawback for the specific company in those cities where the people are not too much educated and then those people cannot access the internet and computer media. This factor can be a big loss for the company and its business. Some of the internet sites are charging too much from the customers and therefore customers and clients feel hesitation to go and view for those sites and this creates a major hindrance to enhance and boost up the business and the trade of the company. E-Business s not too much useful for the illiterate people and thus those people remain unaware by the policies and strategies of the big and well named companies. No doubt, E-Business has many advantages for the company and the trade for the company but we cannot neglect the disadvantages of the E-Business. MEANING OF SOME E-BUSINESS TERMS AUTHENTICATION: Authentication is a phenomenon to declare the surety and validity of the things to be occurred. Authentication is occurred due to the logon of the password. While that Knowledge of the code word or password describes the validity and authentication of the user. Every user has its own and unique password. It is essential that the user must know the previous password to create the new password. The flaw in this system for transactions that are important (such as the swap of cash) is so as to passwords can often be stolen, by chance exposed, or elapsed. ACCESS CONTROL: It I the scheme or system through which one can control and access the specific and desired task. Admittance systematize system, inside the pasture of the code word, is more often than not seen as the subsequently coat in the sanctuary of a bodily arrangement. Access control is a real and daily process and phenomenon. A bolt on a car access is really a form of access control. A PIN on an ATM scheme at a bank is another means of access control. Bouncers standing in front of a night club is perhaps a more primitive mode of access control (given the evident lack of information technology involved). The control of access manage is of major significance when persons seek to secure significant, confidential, or responsive in sequence and gear. Item manage or electronic key management is an area inside (and possibly integrated with) an access manage system which concerns the managing of control and position of small assets or bodily (mechanical) keys. (Sometimes known as Conditional Access System) A safety system assuring that only those who have paid for the services will get those services. The scheme is often made up of 3 parts: (1) signal scrambling, (2) encryption of electronic keys which the viewer will need, and (3) the Subscriber Management System. DATA INTEGRITY: Integrity, in terms of data and network security, is the assurance that information can only be accessed or modified by those authorized to do so. Measures taken to ensure integrity include controlling the physical environment of networked terminals and servers, restricting access to data, and maintaining rigorous authentication practices. Data integrity can also be threatened by environmental hazards, such as heat, dust, and electrical surges. Practices followed to protect data integrity in the physical environment include: making servers accessible only to network administrators, keeping transmission media (such as cables and connectors) covered and protected to ensure that they cannot be tapped, and protecting hardware and storage media from power surges, electrostatic discharges, and magnetism. Network administration measures to ensure data integrity include: maintaining current authorization levels for all users, documenting system administration procedures, parameters, and main tenance activities, and creating disaster recovery plans for occurrences such as power outages, server failure, and virus attacks.

Effect of WWII and Pearl Harbor on the US

Effect of WWII and Pearl Harbor on the US In David Halberstam’s book, The Powers that Be, he states the following quote about World War II and Edward R. Murrow: â€Å"WWII was special and he was special.† World War II was special because it established the United States of America as one of the world’s superpowers, while the events at Pearl Harbor provided an example of how isolationism and detachment can lead to ignorance and subsequently, vulnerability. Murrow was also special, as he united the nation by detailing his experiences in the war front and setting forth a shift towards public transparency and enlightenment. The significance of the World War II and Murrow was their inspiration to achieve a level of awareness of foreign affairs in order to avoid a repeat of the events at Pearl Harbor and the wars influence on the rise of the United States. The hope for the United States to not get involved with World War II was never a realistic option. The conflict between the Axis Powers (Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, and Fascist Italy) and the Allied Powers (Great Britain and France) were as much ideological as it was territorial. While the ultimate goals of each of the Axis Powers were different, they agreed on the desire to expand and to stop capitalism and democracy. When the United States signed the Lend-Lease bill in 1941, this brought more motivation for the Axis Powers to attack the United States. Later that year, Imperial Japan conducted a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, leading to the United States’ entry into World War II and ending American Isolationism. Not only was the idea of isolationism foolish, but it left the United States unprepared and unwary of an attack by Imperial Japan. The surprise attack on Pearl Harbor highlighted the importance of maintaining a strong military whether or not the United States were in war. The significance of the attack on Pearl Harbor is not the attack itself but that it was such a shock and that we were unprepared for it. â€Å"The Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor decisively shattered the illusion of invulnerability that Americans had enjoyed ever since the end of the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century.† (Chafe et al, A History of our Time, page 9). Two lessons military strategists took from this experience was that â€Å"the nation’s military power must never again be allowed to atrophy† and that â€Å"technology and air power had so contracted the globe that America’s vaunted two-ocean barrier no longer afforded sufficient protection from external assault.† (Chafe et al, A History of our Time, pages 9-10). This episode of World War II not only drew the United States into the war but al so serves as a reminder of how past impartiality and ignorance left the United States vulnerable. While World War II left all the other participating countries devastated financially, territorially and militarily, the United States emerged relatively unscathed and actually stronger. â€Å"Of the major wartime combatants, only the United States emerged from the war stronger than when it began. The United States was the most powerful nation in the world.† (Chafe et al, A History of our Time, page 1). The total war nature of the war had brought together the people and citizens of the United States for the sole goal of victory. There was no separation between men, women, and children. Preparation of war helped boost the economy and eventually lead us out of the Great Depression. â€Å"The nation’s gross domestic product doubled between 1941 and 1945, bestowing the wonders of a highly productive, full-employment economy on a citizenry that had become accustomed to the deprivations imposed by a decade-long depression.† (Chafe et al, A History of our Time, page 8-9) . World War II had caused a breakdown of the European Empires and had established the United States as one of the new superpowers of the world. During World War II, a reporter by the name of Edward R. Murrow was broadcasting his first-hand experiences to the people of the United States. Unprecedented in broadcast journalism, Murrow put him and his team on the front line and in the action of the war. When Murrow caught wind that Adolf Hitler was going to Vienna to proclaim Anschluss with Austria, he flew to Vienna personally to cover the reaction of the people of Vienna in a March 13th 1938 broadcast. Murrow was also right there in the action during the dangerous times, such as the London Blitz. â€Å"I’m standing on a rooftop looking out over London For reason of national as well as personal security, I’m unable to tell you the exact location from which I’m speaking. Off to my left†¦ I can see just the faint red angry snap of antiaircraft bursts against the steel-blue sky†¦ Now you’ll hear two bursts a little nearer in a moment. There they are! That hard, stony sound.† (Murrow | M atusow, The Evening Stars, page 53). Murrow’s innovative broadcasts allowed the people of the United States to become aware of what was going on in the war, such as the London Blitz in the United Kingdoms, while America continued to exercise isolationism. Murrow’s ability to captivate the attention of and unify the American people stems from his mastery with words and his keen eye for talent. Murrow prepared his scripts by dictating them, as opposed to writing them, which made listeners feel like he was having a conversation and not just reading something. The details in his reports were stunning and provided listeners with strong visual images. â€Å"He had a flair for those small details that make a scene come alive; once he illustrated the eerie silence between air raids by putting his microphone next a pierced can of peaches, catching the sound of the syrup falling drop by drop.† (Matusow, The Evening Stars, page 52). Murrow connected to the American people by talking about the people they can relate to, the little people. â€Å"But I found that one bombed house looks pretty much like another bombed house. It’s about the people I’d like to talk, the little people who live in those little houses, who ha ve uniforms and get no decorations for bravery.† (Murrow, August 18th 1940). In addition to his prowess as a reporter, Murrow was also an excellent scout who surrounded himself with a strong staff. â€Å"Besides his gifts as a writer, reporter, and dramatist, Murrow was a superb judge of talent in others†¦ He looked for university graduates with a good, solid, print background. He didn’t care much what his recruits sounded like; they had to be able to think, and they had to be able to write.† (Matusow, The Evening Stars, page 53). Through his reporting, the people of America were able to become aware of the events of World War II despite the United States’ initial lack of participation. Murrow understood that the role of the press was to raise the level of awareness in the United States. He believed that news broadcasting was supposed to inform, not to just entertain. â€Å"This instrument can teach, it can illuminate; yes, and it can even inspire. But it can do so only to the extent that humans are determined to use it to those ends. Otherwise its nothing but wires and lights in a box. There is a great and perhaps decisive battle to be fought against ignorance, intolerance and indifference. This weapon of television could be useful.† (Murrow, RTNDA Speech, 1985). Murrow was special because he knew the importance of being well informed and he made sure to do that throughout his career as a reporter. World War II and Edward R. Murrow were significant because they helped contribute to the rise of the United States while highlighting the need for awareness of foreign affairs. While the United States ended up benefiting the most and losing the least from the war, the surprise attack by Imperial Japan on Pearl Harbor is still disturbing. American insistence on isolationism should not have left the United States so vulnerable to the surprise military strike. However, this event will go on to remind us never to allow ourselves be that ignorant again and to always be aware of foreign affairs. Murrow’s role in reporting also inspired America to be more aware of foreign affairs. His ability to captivate his American audience and articulate the details of the war front allowed the people of the United States to know what was going on in the war and how brutal it was. Had it not been for Murrow’s radio reporting, the United States may have not understood how important it was f or the United States to enter the war and put an end to Imperial Japan, Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany and continue to exercise isolationism despite the attack on Pearl Harbor. Through World War II and Murrow, the United States not only established itself as a world’s superpower, but also provided the blueprint to maintaining this power.

An Overview of Artificial Intelligence Essay -- Technology Artificial

An Overview of Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence, a concept that would make possible our most remote dreams, specially for housewives. Would not it be interesting to know what is this marvelous thing that is going to make our dreams come true? I think it is. AI(Artificial Intelligence) is a fairly new field in Computer Science, my subject, which I found very interesting. AI it is not a well defined concept yet, which it is not a surprise for me, considering that is a very new term and that it contains a word that is has not been well defined either. Through the years, psychologist have come up with many different concept for what intelligence is; some of them have become obsolete with the years, but there are a few that have transcend. Therefore, now a days we have various theories, and choosing one is a matter of opinion. This is one of the major reasons why scientific in the computer field have not been able to agree in a common concept for AI because each of then comes up with a theory based on the concept of intelligence they believe in, creating a dilemma similar to the one psychologist have with intelligence. Any way, here is the concept of intelligence that we will assume in this case: "One faction within the AI community defines intelligence as the ability to cope with change and to incorporate new information in order to improve performance"(Wash 1). This definition may not be the most popular one when we are talking about intelligence in human beings, but in my opinion it is the best one to use when defining AI. So using the previous definition of intelligence, Darrel Patrick Wash said that "Artificial Intelligence is that which mimics humans reasoning or sensing"(1). Where did it come from? Is i... ...nology like this in a very civilized way. I guess it a feeling similar to the one that the creator of dynamite had. He knew he had created a marvelous product but what he did not imaging was the kind of destruction that this will bring. With equipment like the ones Artificial Intelligence can provide, we may be able to blow, not only the earth like it would happened if an atomic war occurs, but also a great part of the universe because these machines will be able to travel everywhere and may be also through time. I can only hope that when the moment comes to use it, we will be able to control our destructive nature and to concentrate in the great positives thing we can do with equipment like this. Like for example visit and exploring other planets. Work Cited Page Wash, Darrel Patrick. "Artificial Intelligence." Occupational Outlook Quarterly Summer 1989: 2.

Our Town Analysis Essays -- essays research papers

Our Town is a play that takes place near the turn of the century in the small rural town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. The playwright, Thornton Wilder is trying to convey the importance of the little, often unnoticed things in life. Throughout the first two acts he builds a scenario, which allows the third act to show that we as humans often run through life oblivious to what is actually happening. Wilder attempts to show life as something that we take for granted. We do not realize the true value of living until we are dead and gone. The through-line of the action seems to be attention to the details of life. Wilder builds up a plot that pays attention to great details of living. In the first act when Mrs. Gibbs and Mrs. Webb are stringing beans and passing the time, the reader continues on, not thinking that importance lies in the scene. As the play comes to an end, the reason for that scene becomes evident: the most trivial occurrence can be the most meaningful moment. We as humans, however, do not realize the greatness of these little points until it is too late. Near the end of the story, the deceased townspeople are stationed on chairs downstage, to imitate graves. They are still able to talk, yet only in a lackadaisical tone. They provide the audience, at the end, with a sense of guilt or loss. The fact that the people of Grover’s Corners did not realize the importance of life until it was gone, makes the audience feel as if they should be...