Monday, September 30, 2019

Food and Beverage Control System

LABORATORY MANUAL Food and Beverage Control System Laboratory Activity No. ___ MAKING A SALES FORECAST Objectives: * To be able to know the future sales of the restaurant * | Materials to be used: Paper Pen Calculator Procedures: 1. Read and analyze the stated assumptions. 2. Supply the data needed for the percentage increase for the forecast 2013. 3. To get the forecasted actual covers, multiply the total covers for each month of 2012 to the assumed percentage increase. 4.To get the forecasted average check, multiply the average check for each month of 2012 to the assumed percentage increase. 5. Then, get the sales forecast for 2013 by multiplying the forecasted total covers to the forecasted average check. Instructions: Make a 2013 sales forecast for KSP Bar and Grill using the following data and assumptions. KSP Bar and Grill, a food outlet with 200 seating capacity, generated the following revenue in the year 2012. Make a sales forecast for year 2013, working on the following ass umptions: 1.There is an expected fifty percent (50%) increase of patronage in the month of February because the food outlet will come out with special promotions on Valentine’s Day (February 14) and Chinese Year (also in the month of February). For November 2013, the projected increase in covers is 40% and 50% by the month of December. 2. With better products, intensive promotions and improved services, 20% increase in covers for 2013 is expected. 3. Because of the upgraded menus, prices will increase by 18% for 2013. | SALES 2012|Months| Total Covers| Average Check| Total F&B Revenue| January| 13,020| P 247. 25| P 3,219,195| February| 19,500| P 253| P 4,933,500| March| 17,250| P 250. 70| P 4,324,575| April| 12,840| P 258. 75| P 3,322,350| May| 12,000| P 255. 30| P 3,063,600| June| 9,600| P 224. 25| P 2,152,800| July| 9,000| P 227. 70| P 2,049,300| August| 7,200| P 224. 25| P 1,614,600| September| 12,960| P 232. 30| P 3,010,608| October| 13,440| P 242. 20| P 3,523,968| Novemb er| 14,640| P 270. 25| P 3,956,460| December| 20,250| P 276| P 5,589,000| | | | P 40,759,956| SALES 2013| Covers| Average Check| Sales in Pesos| Month| % increase| Quantity| % increase| Amount in pesos| | January| | | | | | February| | | | | | March| | | | | | April| | | | | | May| | | | | | June| | | | | | July| | | | | | August| | | | | | September| | | | | | October| | | | | | November| | | | | | December| | | | | | | | | | | | Laboratory Activity No. _______ PREPARING A BUDGET WORKSHEET Objectives:| Materials to be used: Pen Paper Calculator Procedures: 1. Read and analyze the problem. 2. Supply the data needed on revenue for the sales distribution. 3.Divide the revenue of food sales and beverage sales by the total sales to get the ratio of sales over gross sales. 4. Supply the data needed on cost ratio to sales on budget distribution. 5. Multiply the revenue of food sales and beverage sales by the cost ratio to sales to get the budget needed. 6. Supply the data needed on cost r atio to sales on budget allocation from the given data. 7. Multiply the total sales by the cost ratio to sales to get the budget needed for the breakdown of budget allocation. Prepare a budget worksheet for KSP Coffee Shop for the month of August.Assume a sales forecast of P2,890,000 with P890,000 beverage sales and P2,000,000 food sales. Use 38% cost ratio to sales for food cost and 20% cost ratio to sales for beverage cost. Use the following budget allocation: Food/Beverage cost (Cost of Sales) ——————————— 35% Labor cost and employee benefits ———————————– 20% Direct operating expenses ——————————————– 4 % Utilities —————————————â⠂¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€ 5% Rental/Amortization ————————————————— % Advertising ————————————————————- 1 % Repairs and Maintenance ——————————————– 1% Taxes ——————————————————————— 1% Insurance —————————————————————- 2% Depreciation cost —————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€ 2% Administrative/General expenses ———————————— 3 % Profit ——————————————————————— 18% Total ——————————————————-100%BUDGET WORKSHEET SALES DISTRIBUTION| Source| Revenue| Ratio of Sales Over Gross Sales| Food Sales| | | Beverage Sales| | | Total Sales| | | BUDGET DISTRIBUTION| Budget Items| Budget in Pesos| (Cost Ratio to Sales)| A. Food Cost| | | B. Beverage Cost| | | BREAKDOWN OF BUDGET ALLOCATION| 1. Cost of sales (combined food and beverage)| | | 2. Labor cost and employee benefits| | | 3. Direct Operating Expenses ( supplies, materials, etc. )| | | 4. Rental| | | 5. Administrative expenses| | | 6. Amortization for loan| | | 7. Utilities| | | . Repairs and Maintenance| | | 9. Insurance| | | 10. Depreciation| | | 11. Others – ads, etc| | | Total Budget for Expenses| | | Profit| | | Total| | | Laboratory Activity No. ________ RECIPE COSTING AND PRICE DETERMINATION Objectives:| Materials to be used: Pen Paper Calculator Procedures: The recipe indicates the following ingredients for the preparation of the dish RIB ROAST ROYALEYield: 4 portions Ingredients: 450 grams trimmed US prime rib2 pieces baked potatoes 200 grams fresh butter (1 block)2 pieces dinner rolls 0 grams chives2 portions butter 15 grams tarragon leaves2 portions bottled 40 grams parsley40 grams salt Price list: US prime ribP460. 00 Magnolia fresh butter (1 block)P 24. 00 Refined salt (kilo)P 30. 00 Buttered vegetables (portion)P 4. 00 Chives(kilo)P 30. 00 Portion butter (piece)P 5. 90 Tarragon leaves (bottle of 10 grams)P 25. 00 Parsley (kilo)P 85. 00 Recipe cost: Baked potatoesP 5. 00 Rolls (piece)P 2. 00 Total cost and selling price after getting saleable weight | | Standard Yield| Adjusted Yield| Items| Unit/Size (UOM)| Portion/Size| Unit Cost| Cost| Portion/Size| Cost| US prime rib| | | | | | | fresh butter| | | | | | | chives| | | | | | | tarragon leaves| | | | | | | parsley| | | | | | | baked potatoes| | | | | | | dinner rolls| | | | | | | butter| | | | | | | Buttered vegetables| | | | | | | salt| | | | | | | Total| | | | | | | Buffer margin (10%)| | | | | | | Cost/serving| | | | | | | Selling price| | | | | | | Food Cost %| | | | | | |

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Morality and Immorality: Actions vs Results Essay

Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Niccolo’ Machiavelli had their own perspectives on what was moral and immoral. King and Machiavelli view what was morality right and how they would use this judgment in government and how it affected people in everyday life. King fought a moral fight against what was described as immoral laws to oppress blacks during an era of segregation in the United States. He believes that sometime it is moral to take action against immoral laws to get the results he and others that fought alongside him desired. Machiavelli as a Ruler, during a time when his country was unstable and constant political in-fighting, believed it was better to be feared than loved, and he took the immoral action of oppression to gain respect morally from his followers as a result. Machiavelli was a believer of the art of war to gain power, while King believed power was achieved in non-violence. In â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail†, King came to Birmingham for what he believed to be crimes against a race of people as injustice. â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere† (482). Practicing what he preached, King nonviolent action still landed him in jail. King’s nonviolent campaigns consist of four basic steps to accomplish sometime unachievable goals. â€Å"Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue† (483). Protesting and marches was organized because the people that were subject to unjust laws knew that taking their fight before a judge in a court room did not stand a chance. These were the very people that want to keep blacks oppressed. â€Å"We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed† (484). King had specific actions for desired results against immoral unjust laws, but fought back morally by obeying lawful constitution rights. My findings from â€Å"The Prince†, Machiavelli can be described as cunning, evil, and violent. Heavily influenced by pre-Christian political hilosophy, Machiavelli believes violence could gain him respect through fear and intimidation which a leader need to have what he called virtue and prudence. Machiavelli claims Moses killed his own people to enforce his will and would have not been unable to do so if he was not armed. â€Å"The chief foundations of all states, new as well as old or composite, are good laws and good arms; and as there cannot be good laws where the state is not well armed, it follows that where they are well armed they have good laws† (Machiavelli). Machiavelli was cleaver in that he understood the art of providing for his people to ensure they are protect and content, in returning he demand honor and respect from them. He believe, â€Å"A wise prince should follow similar methods and never remain idle in peaceful times, but industriously make good use of them, so that when fortune changes she may find him prepared to resist her blows, and to prevail in adversity† (523). Machiavelli actions to use violence as a power of persuading results to how one want to appear to be seen, â€Å"whether it be better to be loved more than feared, or feared more than loved† (526). Inaction can be just as dangerous as taking action, when the results are just as detrimental. Action in the moral sense will reveal results with promises of hope. King led by example, stressed nonviolence through his call for sit-ins and marches. He wanted to end segregation in public life and in job discrimination. Machiavelli dictated his ideas and how a leader should guide. He believe to protect yourself from an attack is to attack others. King and Machiavelli had different opinions on how to take action on issues. Their philosophy was similar but their thought process was different in that, King’s theory was to accomplish change through nonviolence and Machiavelli thoughts was to use deception and second guessing to his advantage. Although both men differ in practices their action was to establish security, love, and honor among men.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Submit a Personal Statement of 150500 words (maximum) that highlights Essay

Submit a Personal Statement of 150500 words (maximum) that highlights your leadership achievements or significant service contributions to your high school o - Essay Example This aided people to find books of interest and informed them of activities that occurred in the library. Teaching young people to read opened the joy of reading to them, as well as contributing to their overall learning process. . In helping children find the joy of reading, I was able to introduce them to a hobby that can last a lifetime and enrich a person immeasurably. Another contribution to my community involved helping to clean up the roads. By participating in the road cleanup, I was able to help maintain a safe environment that people in our community have been able to enjoy. Put simply, a clean environment is one that is easier to enjoy. As an active member of my church community, I help in maintaining the physical beauty as well as trying to nurture the religious aspects of the congregation. When I helped to restore my church, I was not only doing so out of the good will of my heart, but I also had in mind the many people who will be able to experience the same joy that I do when I attend my church. Not only did I help in renovating the building, but I was also able to teach young children about the church's founding as well as the biblical history of my religion. By participating in such service contributions, I was not only able to retain the faith in my religion for many people, but also bring new people into my faith. Community Service is not only

Cephas Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cephas - Assignment Example After the man has shown his truck full of food for donation, workers became even more perplexed. The man has decided to help in the way he could, but lack of relevant controls and human factor have caused huge problems. If I were the worker of this centre I would deal with Cephas differently. Probably, I would try to explain to him that his donation was not a good idea because of the gaps in the system and bureaucracy heavily integrated into this system. I would explain to him that the welfare system doesn’t work as it is expected to work and nobody cares about those who are in need. While this behavior would not be appropriate, and the risk of my dismissal would be high, it could serve as an effective trigger for change of the social welfare system. I would do this in order to make the system work how it should be. If there are people who are needy, and there are people who are willing to help and have some capabilities to help, why should the bureaucratic machine and laziness of people prevent this? Nobody knows how many people such as Cephas were willing to help to low-income families, and nobody cares really. The story shows that even though there are welfare programs, they do not work h ow they should. I would recommend to Cephas to declare somehow officially the contribution he has made and ask for some public report about how and to whom the products were distributed. Thus, the head of the department of the welfare centre and other employees would not take part of the products to their homes and would be responsible to plan thoroughly how to distribute the products equally among low-income families and disabled people. This would be a very problematic thing to do; however, it would serve as the first step towards changing the social welfare system. The more people will bring help and donation, the greater control over it will be required. It will be impossible to hide or take to home

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 91

Summary - Essay Example Whenever there is social prevention, children feel that they are being heard and taken care of through attention and supervision by their parents. This will reduce criminal activities for children who engage in criminal activities do not get attention and supervision from their parents. Social approach also effective to practice than punitive approach. The approach involves activities such as sports, arts, music and dance which are important in keeping children’s minds at work and prevent them from doing other things. It also reduces the desire to commit other crimes than punishments. When children are punished they get rude and they become more susceptible to mistakes. In addition, punishments instill fear in children . Thus, they are more likely to commit a crime. Furthermore, most children are no longer scared of punishments. Rewarding them with things they like to do will help them avoid crimes rather than punishments (Rosenbaum, 1998). Finally, social prevention is more effective than punishments. The use of training, guiding and counseling, foster care can work effectively in the society. This is based on the fact that the child understands to distinguish between good and bad things in the society. Hence, it becomes easy for the child to implement the values in daily lives. When these activities are implemented in the society, adults can also benefit from the same. The â€Å"strengthening the family† approach aims to achieve effective parenting in order to prevent problems such as child abuse, neglect among many others. With the implementation of the â€Å"strengthening the family† approach, kids have found themselves growing in the most positive way possible. Thus, leading to better families and conducive societies. This approach reverses the need to have other interventions since it can solve most of the social ills in the society. This is because strengthening the family has made

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Stylistic analysis and history in art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Stylistic analysis and history in art - Essay Example Legon claims, â€Å"The Egyptian canon of art was metrological founded through the system of horizontal guidelines that established the canonical forms† (Legon Web). The most appealing nature of the image that looks Egyptian to me is the choice of colour. The colours used in the image are a true reflection of Egyptian artwork. â€Å"Cannon of art† refers to classification of art by early historians. This early classification still has its influence in the naming of today’s art. In the topic "Discrimination in the Arts in America," â€Å"Cannon of art† is present. The early historians in America supported hierarchies of race due to the alleged evidence from the book of Genesis chapter nine in the bible. Noah blessed his son, Shem who covered him of his nakedness when he was drunk and cursed Canaan, Japheth was blessed to expand. Christian fundamentalists believed in the three races, White representing Japheth who was to expand to other nations. They justified slavery of Africans on this and believed that the whites should take the highest positions that existed. The cannon of art for Americans had a background of racism, which many art historians represented in their work. They did this via colour since the three different races had three distinct colours; white, yellow, and black. My choice of a retablo is the painting of Virgin Mary by Frida Kahlo made in Mexico. Like most of the retablos made during the 18th century, the Virgin Mary retablo was made in honour of the Catholic saints (Castro-Sethness 21-23). Virgin Mary is one of the most honoured spiritual personalities in the Catholic Church in prehistoric times and even at present. The most important learning from the Virgin Mary retablo is that the people who existed in the period in which the retablo was made had a significant connection to the church (Nolan 15-20). Most notably, they valued the saints and therefore, preferred preserving their images in form

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Resolving democratic deficiencies in British parliament Essay

Resolving democratic deficiencies in British parliament - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that undeniably, many countries have adopted the British parliamentary system of government and modified it over time to suit their needs. British parliament system is a supreme legislative body with crown dependencies and located in Westminster in London. Queen Elizabeth, the British monarch is the sovereign head and the chief of state of the United Kingdom. The parliament has legislative supremacy and hence ultimate power over all political bodies in the UK. In addition, the parliament has two divisions including the upper house or the house of lords and the lower house or the house of the Commons. The House of Commons includes government ministers, elected to the chambers every five years in accordance with the constitution. The Monarch chooses the prime minister who works together with the government through accounting to the parliament and public on the usage of public finances. British parliament suffers from serious democratic defici encies partly because of its organization. In normal circumstances, a parliament as an institution of democracy needs to embrace a government that works towards fulfilling people’s expectations and solving problems they encounter in their daily lives. In this regard, it is important that the people they represent from diverse communities elect members of the parliament. Failure to this causes bias since parliamentary members will act in favor of a small group with personal interests.... What is Democracy? In 2005, UN World Summit declared democracy as a universal value, which does not belong to any region or country. In fact, it is based on freely expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social, and cultural systems (UN, 2005, p.31). Different democracies share different features in that the government puts people’s interests as a first priority but there is no single model of democracy. Every parliament should be a democratic institution because it is an elected body. Therefore, parliamentarians should endeavor to represents the society and its interests as much as possible. Democracy calls parliamentarians to reconcile conflicting interests of different groups in the diverse communities they represent through dialogue and compromise. In addition, they have the task of adapting society laws to changing needs and circumstances, accounting their actions in full to the public (Beetham, 2006, p. 2). Democracy also entails an inclusion of women, disabled and other minority groups interests that the parliament represents. The fact that only a certain percentage of the British Parliament members are elected in office by the public lessens democracy. Ways of Solving Democratic problems in the UK Change the Electoral Process Elections are held every five years after parliament is dissolved through Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011. Elections vote in 650 members of the House of Commons who oversee the actions of the government. â€Å"First past the post† used to vote in the House of Common members denies citizens the basic democratic rights of votes of equal value. In this system, votes do not carry the same value (â€Å"UK Parliament,† N.d,

Monday, September 23, 2019

The Effect of Ingestion of Beverages or Meal That Contains Research Paper

The Effect of Ingestion of Beverages or Meal That Contains Electrolytes Prior to Exercise - Research Paper Example Commercially available carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage and chicken noodle soup were used in the study. The purpose of the article is well defined and the study population includes both men and women as the participant’s hence eliminating gender bias and the response of both men and women towards intake of electrolytes prior to exercise would be determined. The introduction explains the importance of pre-exercise hydration status and states that this aspect is mostly neglected in the guidelines set by the American College of Sports Medicine. The authors believe that body fluid balance will greatly aid in the performance and endurance levels. It further states that research carried out using consumption of water alone has not yielded any beneficial result and it only increased urine output during exercise. The authors of the present study have ascertained, after conducting laboratory investigation, that intake of high sodium containing beverage or meal before exercise speeds up the recovery of plasma volume and also increase water retention within the body by decreasing urinary output. The article also cites previous research studies in which consumption of electrolyte containing beverages, especially those rich in sodium, both before and after exercising have improved body fluid balance and also aided in preventing excessive water loss through urine. However previous studies had not related water intake with the consumption of sodium-rich beverages. The present study proposed to determine that fluid balance could be maintained by increasing the ad libitum water intake and reducing water loss through urine upon consumption of sodium-rich beverages and meals before exercise. It hypothesized that consumption of chicken noodle soup 45 minutes before exercise would improve fluid balance by increasing water intake and reducing urine output while no considerable improvement was expected after consumption of water alone and carbohydrate-electrolyte beverages. The authors also expected the responses in both men and women to be similar. The population sampling and methods to be used have not been elaborated in the introduction.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Language in Anthony and Brutus’ Speeches Essay Example for Free

Language in Anthony and Brutus’ Speeches Essay Compare and contrast Henry’s use of rhetoric to affect others in his Harfleur speeches with the effectiveness of the language in Anthony and Brutus’ speeches In Henry V, Henry uses rhetoric very effectively as he persuades the Governor at Harfleur to surrender and encourages his troops onward with his ‘Once more unto the breach’ speech. This is very similar to Anthony and Brutus of Julius Caesar as they use rhetoric to influence the ‘mob’; firstly Brutus wins the crowd over and they believe the death of Caesar is a good thing and then Anthony turns them around and they end up hating Cassius and Brutus. Henry uses rhetoric to create a number of different effects one of them being to persuade the Governor to surrender. Rhoda Koenig suggests that this scene ‘points up the character of this immature and disaffected king’, which I disagree with as I believe that this speech shows just how the King has matured as he is able to bluff his way through as his army is, really, worn and battered. This speech shows how Henry’s words are more powerful than his army, which is similar to Anthony in Julius Caesar who turns the mob into a state of madness just through the use of his oratorical skills. For example, Henry starts his speech with short, sharp sentences: â€Å"How yet resolves the governor of the/ town?† This creates an assertive beginning and one that makes Henry seem powerful and stern. This coupled with the use of a rhetorical question puts the Governor in a situation where the mercy of Henry is in his hands, as if the outcome of his men depends on his decision. This also removes the responsibility from Henry’s shoulders which is a recurring theme throughout the play. Henry also describes what the outcome could look like if the Governor doesn’t surrender: â€Å"The gates of mercy shall be all shut up.† The use of a metaphor here, ‘the gates of mercy’, refers to Henry as if once he starts the battle there’s no goi ng back. This is used to scare the Governor so that he believes Harfleur will be desecrated once the battle has begun. This, of course, is a faà §ade as Henry knows full-well that his army is worn thin and lacking in strength. This demonstrates Henry’s good leadership, as he bluffs his way through with confidence. Also, this quote contains lots of monosyllables which make it very powerful and reinforces the threat which forces the Governor to surrender. Bernard Richards raised an interesting point where he said that Shakespeare ‘wanted to show the full range of war – the glamour as well as the squalid and obscene violence.’ This interested me as throughout this speech there is talk of atrocities of war such as ‘shrieking daughters’ while elsewhere in the play we see the French think of war as glorious. This is very similar to Brutus in Julius Caesar who has to use rhetoric to convince the crowd to surrender, as they are initially angry at the conspirat ors for killing their leader. For example, he uses rhetorical questions to force the crowd to realise that the murder of Caesar will benefit them: â€Å"Who here is so base [†¦] Who here is so rude [†¦] Who is so vile [†¦] for him have I offended.† The crowd are forced to ask themselves if they would want to be slaves, for example, which they of course answer ‘no’. The use of a three-part list also emphasizes this and would allow the crowd to remember this more accurately: â€Å"Let him be Caesar!† This quote shows that Brutus’s rhetoric successfully convinces the crowd, although they appear to have missed the point as they want Brutus to be ‘the new Caesar’ and the sole leader of Rome which is what the conspirators were fighting against. It is also interesting to note that Shakespeare’s main characters usually speak in blank verse, but here Brutus speaks in prose. This is because prose is the perfect way to persuade so has a stronger affect on the crowd. It could also be argued that because he speaks to the low-life characters, they will understand prose better than blank verse. Within his speech Brutus also uses repetition which reinforces his message: â€Å"Hear me for cause [] hear.† The use of framing repetition here grabs the crowd’s attention and makes them listen. He also repeats ‘honour’ throughout his speech: â€Å"Believe me for mine honour, and have respect for mine honour.† This repetition is used to emphasize to the crowd that the conspirator’s cause was honourable and that they have done the right thing while it also serves to remind the crowd how Brutus is an honourable man, which is a similarity with Henry who also takes great care in ensuring the cause for going to war is moral. The repetition would ‘grind’ it into the crowds’ heads so that it’s almost like subliminal messaging. The repetition also shows how Brutus is still unsure himself and that he is trying to convince himself that they have done the right thing. Henry also uses rhetoric to empower his army and urge them on at Harfluer in what Hal Hinson of the Washington Post calls ‘the greatest half-time speech in human historyà ¢â‚¬â„¢. Here, Henry is forced to persuade his army that they should not retreat but attack once again: â€Å"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.† Similarly to Brutus, Henry uses framing repetition to encourage his army to attack Harfleur once more. The repetition helps to reinforce the message and will stick in their minds through the battle. Also in this quote, he uses an endearing pronoun ‘friend’. This affects the army as they will feel that they are all friends of the King and will have a surge of confidence. This will help the army to conquer whatever they face, even though they have had to retreat. Interestingly, this contrast to what the Chorus says in the preceding scene as he states that the great British are invading France when really they are being forced to retreat. Henry also uses alliteration: â€Å"But when the blast of war blows in our ears.† The use of plosive alliteration here creates a powerful sound which suggests that the English army are powerful enough to defeat the French. This also shows Henry’s passion as if it’s bursting out of him as he desperately wants his men to survive as he feels guilty that the war may not have an honourable cause. Also is this speech, sibilance is used: â€Å"Stiffen the sinews.† This also creates quite an aggressive sound which would be passed onto the soldiers and make them feel aggressive and willing to fight. Henry also uses figurative language: â€Å"Let it pry [†¦] like the brass cannon.† This simile likens the mind prying to a cannon – an item associated with war – which would rile up the soldiers and also remind them that they are at war, its kill or be killed. Another simile used refers to Alexander the Great: â€Å"On, on, you noblest English [†¦] like so many Alexanders.† Here, Henry likens his army to a group of Alexander the Greats. Alexander the Great is a figure of Greek legend which states that he conquered the Persian Empire. It also says that he was often reckless with his own life and his soldiers as he believed he was indestructible. This would encourage his men and fill them with confidence as Alexander was a great warrior and Henry’s army will feel equally invincible. Shakespeare’s Elizabethan audience were very interested in Greek culture so the simile would have been more relevant and had more effect than it would on our society who have a lesser interest. Also, in this quote he addresses the ‘noblest English ’while further on he addresses the â€Å"good yeomen.† Henry directly addresses each social class as his army was compiled of a number of different classes, even nationalities. King Henry V was known for uniting people under him as he prevented a civil war between the Church and the Government and th is unity is shown in the scene between Gower, Fluellen, Jamy and MacMorris. This scene also, as James Shapiro suggests, ‘prophetically anticipates the notion of a united kingdom’. Although these nations were far from united in 1599, when the play was written as England and Ireland were at war, and some were very hostile during Henry’s reign. For example, James Shapiro criticizes that Henry says the Scots may attack yet here they are united. This would make each soldier feel important, needed and a friend of the king’s, which would, ultimately, provide the soldiers with confidence to fight, and beat, the French. Likewise, Mark Anthony in Julius Caesar also addresses his crowd individually while manipulating them until they run riot around Rome: â€Å"Friends, Romans, countrymen.† Anthony immediately begins with a three-part list which grabs his audience’s attentions and the first word used is ‘friends’. This instantly makes the crowd warm to him as he is speaking to them as equals. This is similar to Henry who calls his army the ‘noble English’ and ‘good yeomen’, while it contrasts with Brutus who says, â€Å"Romans, countrymen, and lovers†, as if ‘lovers’ is an afterthought. This may hint at why Henry and Anthony were successful at convincing their audience while Brutus failed, because Henry and Anthony allowed the audience to warm to them while Brutus did not. Another way Anthony wins his crowd over is by using repetition: â€Å"And Brutus is an honourable man.† This is repeated at regular intervals throughout his speech and each time it becomes more sarcastic. The sarcastic tone induces the crowd to question whether killing Caesar was an honourable thing. Here, in the same way as Brutus, he uses subliminal messaging; however he uses it against Brutus and to much better effect as the crowd end up rampaging across Rome. In conclusion, Henry and Anthony use rhetoric and their oratorical skills very well combining repetition, friendly language, and other techniques to persuade their respective crowds to see their way of thinking. Brutus, however, fails to convince his crowd (or is unable to deliver a speech worthy of Anthony’s) which goes to show how good Anthony’s speech is. Henry manages to convince the Governor to surrender, and convince his battered army to continue, while Anthony manages to convince an audience who love Brutus, to hunt him down. Brutus, on the other hand, cannot prevent the people of Rome from turning against him as he didn’t endear himself to the crowd.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Biological Effects of Methamphetamines Essay Example for Free

Biological Effects of Methamphetamines Essay Methamphetamines affect the human body in a physical and neurological and psychological way. The use of meth can lead to devastating effects to the nervous system for example leaving the user with nervous ticks and body jerks similar to a person suffering from Parkinson’s disease. On a physical level, the user may show skin sores and tooth decay. Last but the not least, the user may develop psychosis including hallucinations and paranoia. Not limited to the self destruction a user will suffer, the family and/or loved ones will also suffer the effects of methamphetamines. Family will suffer, but mostly the children are the ones who will be left alone to deal with this drug that has swept the nation. I will talk about the devastating effects to the family. Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug that affects the abuser physically, psychologically, and neurologically. The history of methamphetamines dates back to 1887 when it was first developed by the Germans. The abuse of amphetamines can be logged back to when the Germans and Japanese would give their factory workers and their soldiers the drug to keep them alert during WWII. The method they used to produce the drug became known as the Nazi or Birth method†. (Meth Awareness and Prevention Project of South Dakota [MAPP-SD], 2000, para. 1) For many years, it was considered a drug in search of a disease because it was not developed for any one particular cure. It wasn’t until 1920 when it was being researched more seriously and then started being used as medication from antidepressants to anti-congestants. Later in the 1930’s it was being sold as Benzedrine, as a nasal spray for congestion. By 1937 amphetamine began to be sold as medication in a tablet form. It is believed that during the â€Å"Great Depression†, because of all the hardship people were going thru, and the availability and easily prescribed drug helped facilitate and/or encouraged the abuse of amphetamines. By 1919, Japan started producing methamphetamine which was cheaper and more potent than amphetamine. It was produced in a crystalline powder form and was able it to be dissolved in water, making it easier for it to be injected. This form of amphetamine is still legally produced in the US and is being sold under the name of Desoxyn. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, 2010, para. 1-3) The abuse of methamphetamines in the United States seems to have started during the â€Å"Great Depression† and increased during WWI, WWII, and Viet Nam. Many times, amphetamines were prescribed by the government and the military to keep fighting soldiers going. After returning from their tour of duty, many soldiers returned home addicted to the drug. Also during the 5 0’s and 60’s, amphetamines were being used as a weight loss medication. But eventually began to be abused by the users. Today, methamphetamines are abused throughout the US. It has spread like wildfire, starting on the West Coast. Today, meth does not discriminate and will affect every race, culture, age, and socio economic level. Meth users range from the most prestigious political figures, all star athletes, famous celebrities, re-known musicians, honest business men/women, respectable housewives/husbands, honor students, to your street drug dealers and junkies. Many truck drivers and bikers are notorious for abusing meth. They used an old slang term and called them co-pilots because it would keep them up on long road trips. Methamphetamine is taken by snorting it, ingesting it orally, smoking it, or injecting it intravenously. Meth is most commonly found in a crystal form. It’s most common street names are: crystal, speed, ice, and crank. Once taken, meth will give the user a rush or euphoria with the following symptoms; â€Å"†¦increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, increased respiration, rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and hyperthermia†. National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA], n. d. , para. 6). The effects of methamphetamine has on the central nervous system or CNS, will include irritability, insomnia, confusion, paranoia, and aggressiveness. Since it is known that it is difficult for nerve cells to be regenerated after having been damaged, it is a clear indication that use of this drug—in small or large qua ntities—cause irreversible damages in the CNS. In clinical researches, it is found that individuals who have a long history of methamphetamine abuse have reduced levels in dopamine transporters, which are associated with slowed motor skills and weakened memories in the individuals. Abusers who remained abstinent for at least nine months were found to have recovered from damage to their dopamine transporters, but their motor skills and memories were not found to have significantly recovered. Over time abusers of meth appear to cause reduced levels of dopamine, which can result in symptoms like those of Parkinsons disease. They will have uncontrollable jerking and twitching. Asides the harmful damage to the CNS and brain, the abuser may also develop psychotic-like behavior or also known as type-two schizophrenia, which include bizarre behavior and hallucinations, both audible and visual. Anxiety, emotional swings, and paranoia are the most common psychological effects due to chronic use of meth. Symptoms increase with long-term use, and can involve paranoid delusions and hallucinations. Violence and self-destructive behavior are common. Pellowski, 2000) One of the most striking effects of meth is the change in the physical appearance of meth users. The physical effects of meth include skin sores, tooth decay, aging of the skin, and lack of hygiene. Because the use of meth causes the blood vessels to constrict, it cuts off the steady flow of blood to all parts of the body. Heavy usage can weaken and destroy these vessels, causing tissues to become prone to damage and inhibiting the bodys ability to repa ir itself. Acne appears, sores take longer to heal, and the skin loses its luster and elasticity. Some users are covered in small sores, the result of obsessive skin-picking brought on by the hallucination of having bugs crawling beneath the skin, a disorder known as formication. These sores develop as the body is only able to dispose of 10% of the chemicals in meth. The rest of the chemicals are then forced out of your body by its natural defenses and is emitted through the skin. This chemicals form and leave behind small red bumps on the skin and the user will then start picking and scratching these bumps thinking they are small parasites under their skin. This picking will cause open sores, infections, and scarring of the skin. (Sheff, 2008) A common sign of meth abuse is extreme tooth decay, a condition that has become known as meth mouth. . Meth users with â€Å"meth mouth† have blackened, stained, or rotting teeth, which often cant be saved, even among young or short-term users. The exact causes of meth mouth are not fully understood, but it is believed that the chemicals used to produce meth may attribute to the tooth decay. Another possibility is the lack of hygiene. Many meth users will not worry about brushing their teeth or flossing when all their worries are on their next fix. In Arizona alone, meth is the second most abused drug of choice following alcohol. It is rapidly becoming the most devastating drug that is affecting everyone, not only the abusers. Family members suffer financially and emotionally as they see their loved ones being ravaged by the drug. They have to deal with the lies and deceit, and many times the abuse by the users. They are robbed of their securities and their possessions. Many children suffer neglect and abuse due to the parents using meth.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Looking At Theories Of Postmodernism Films Film Studies Essay

Looking At Theories Of Postmodernism Films Film Studies Essay Post-modern film is a term that is used to describe the portrayal of the post-modernist ideas through the medium of cinema. Post-modernism itself can be described as essentially a movement away from the modernist ideas through the use of the universal cultural narrative, the meta- narrative and the notion of the objective truth, and post-modern film only different to post-modern literature in the way that it portrays these themes, it instead displays the aesthetic features that are characteristically associated with post modern cultural practice. Such films like Synecdoche, New York and Inception are seen to exemplify post-modern themes or to offer images of post-modern society. Post-modern film is a self-conscious movement, that is to say that it is a movement that is aware of its limitations through its selected media of cinema, however in saying that post-modernism also attempts to break through this fourth wall as once one becomes aware of their own limitations; only then can they attempt to reach beyond them. As a result, many of the post-modern films become very complex and deep, with many strong themes and motifs running through them. It is for this reason that I consider Charlie Kaufmans work, Synecdoche, New York to be a very compelling asset to the post- modern film genre. Synecdoche, New York plays with the mainstream conventions of modern cinema and instead relies on its subdued logic as its real means of expressing its themes. As an artist, and a man, the main character; Caden (played by Philip Seymour Hoffman), is on what seems at times a never ending search for meaning, but this search keeps him is a suspension between that world of the play and reality and the line between the two becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish. With such a strong refernce to this theme throughout the film, it is hard to ignore the striking similarity between this theme of inability to tell reality from fantasy, and the post-modernist philosophy of hyper reality. Hyper reality is in fact considered to be the post-modern term that describes this inability of the brain to distinguish between authenticity and fantasy. What hyper reality actually shows us how we may confuse what is real in a world that is consumed with how media can alter our perception or experience of an event. Kaufmann achieves this in the film by burying Caden in his masterpiece that is this play, and blurs the line between the reality of the deterioratin g outside world, and the world that is contained n the ever expanding warehouse. Caden even goes as far as to hire doppelgangers as his cast and crew. This complicates the distinction between reality and fantasy as the audience begins to question who is who, for example, the character of Sammy Barnathan is hired by Caden to play Caden, and Sammys look-alike is cast to play Sammy. As a result of this hyper reality that is found throughout the film, Caden is sent on a constant course of self- realization, but not on what seems a regular and conventional method of self- realization within cinema, or for that matter a cultural sense either. Instead Caden only learns of his true personality and becomes more conscious of himself when he hires Sammy to play the character of Caden in the play. This is mainly noted through Cadens revival of his relationship with the character of Hazel as this re-kindling was only triggered by Sammys, while playing the character of Caden, own interest in Hazel. Cadens journey of self realization is progressed further when he replaces himself with Ellen as he becomes more aware of his female counterpart. Cadens ultimate moment of self realization seems to come at the very end of the film, as when the scene fades to white Caden finally reveals that he knows how to do the play but only when the directors voice that is in his ear gives him his final stage direction; Die- ending a long story of attempting to fulfil his life and end to his depressing physical ailments and inevitable bodily deterioration that seem to be constantly reminded to him by the doctors. This can often be seen as one of the most interesting aspects about the film is; that the film is actually a play within a play it is a performance within a performance, and it is strongly related to William Shakespeares quote; All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women are merely players., for example we can see this when Caden populates the cast and crew of his play with doppelgangers- they are merely only players, to be used. This is one of the key points in the film, as the films central concept is that Caden is attempting to re-create his entire existence through the direction of this play on the massive city sized stage. What is even more interesting about Cadens play, is that it is never performed for the public- instead the actors that make up th e cast of the play are the public themselves- reinforcing Shakespeares concept. This raises various themes for the audience to consider, for example the film first tells the audience that our life is merely a performance and we are merely acting out what we are told to do, and just like Caden relinquishes to accepting his destiny that is death, we too must accept ours. Synecdoche, New York essentially goes beyond its medium limitations and makes its audience question their own worth and how much power they have over controlling their lives. Synecdoche, New York is one of many post-modern films that avails of its ability to engage in the audience in such a unique way. Film is a powerful medium that has a very strong influence in our post-modern society. We can see similarities of the post-modern genre within; Christopher Nolans film Inception. Inception has been an extraordinary popular film for the short amount if time since it was first screened in 2010. Since then it has received an enormous amount of positive response, both in the critical sense and with the public, and has many reasons for doing so. Inception is, without a doubt one a film that must be viewed a number of times in order to fully understand its dense philosophy embedded within both the action and the ambiguity of the film itself. Inception leaves the audience unsure of what they saw and, if even just for a moment, makes them also question their own reality. In a sense Inceptions overall mood is that it is questioning our reality and worth. In fact Inception goes one step further and challenges the capitalist culture that we live in, almost to an anti-capitalist point. Boggs and Pollard state that Media culture embraces constituent elements of the liberal-capitali st order (2001. pg 171) as Inception is a film that based around the destruction of a monopoly. It would be fair to say that the entire concept of the film is based on the idea of disillusion, but what Inception shows us is that the power of disillusion is not tied down to the plot of the film, but also extends out to the form of the film, and in turn extends to the audience and a reflection of the post-modern society that we live in. For example, Inception plays with the form of the film and realises that film itself is a sort if disillusion, just like Synecdoche, New York, Inception engages with the audience with reference to hyper reality, however it does this in a very different way. Instead of immersing the audience into hyper reality, Inception instead brings the idea of hyper reality to the audiences attention so that they become aware of it. For example as the audience engross themselves in the film any emotions that we feel during a film; such as joy, sadness or fear, leaves us when the lights come back on in the cinema and return to reality, however Inception lures th e audience in with the stark resemblance to reality, but at every possible moment the film also reminds the audience that the characters are in a dream and that whatever is happening to them is not actually happening to them, and this in turn reminds the audience that none of this is really happening for them either, making the audience aware that none of the emotions that they are feeling or the event that they are witnessing are real. We can also relate this to Inceptions overall idea that our whole life and the world that we live in is nothing but an illusion, and we live in a world globalization- where vast businesses are taking over the cultural world. In short, Inception is a post modern sublime and that it breaks the fourth wall and makes us question whether our life is real and all else is an illusion, or that everything else is real and our life is an illusion. It is a film that connects aesthetics with context. Again what makes Inception a post modern sublime, as it did with Synecdoche, New York is its self awareness and knowledge of the limitations and quirks of its medium- and the power that a film can portray that a book can not achieve. Inception takes place in a labyrinth of dreams within dreams and that simply cannot be described in literature, but the real theme that the film seems to raise is that maybe the entire film is a dream, so that what we cannot distinguish when the characters are in reality or in a dream; again something that cannot be achieved by mere literature. Also it is never discussed how dream extraction was invented in the film, it seems to just exist, in this sense the film is entirely ambiguous and m aybe it is all just a dream, having no real beginning, as the film opens in a dream extraction with almost no background to who the people in the shots are, or doesnt seem to have a real end either, making the audience wonder whether the entire film is a dream. The film brings the notions of hyper reality to the audiences attention, and then the film begins to place the idea that maybe the lives of the audience are insignificant and dreamlike. It is interesting that the name of the film is Inception, and the film itself is planting ideas into the audiences mind. The ending scene is probably the most important scene, as the spinning top spins, and it does so for what seems quite an extraordinary amount of time, it with no doubt wobbles at the end but is cut off in the final shot so that we will never figure out whether he is living in reality anymore or a dream. If it is dream it is extraordinary elaborate dream, but even if it isnt a dream the idea that such an elaborate dream could possibly exist leaves us questioning that maybe we are dreaming our entire lives. According to Stuart Hall the post-modern subject, . . . is conceptualized as having no fixed, essential or permanent identity' (2000. pg 277). As a result what we are left with is the idea of subjective truth. That is to say that the film is completely subjective to the individual watching the film, and they must come to their own conclusion and truth about the film. This is what make post-modern cinema such a phenomenon, as it speaks to each individual on such a high level and raises personal concerns with both themselves and the world that we live in, which is one of the aims of the post-modern film genre. However we must be careful in the progression of the post-modern film genre as it may become a new contemporary way to produce a film and just another way for filmmakers to explore and develop their characters and plots, almost defeating the purpose of the post-modern genre itself.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Depression in Hamlet Essay -- William Shakespeare

In the playwright Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet often shows many signs of depression. It is argued whether he is putting on the act, or if he is actually severely depressed. I believe after the death of his father, Hamlet becomes very emotionally unstable. Three things affect Hamlet, the death of his father, the remarriage of his mother, and Ophelia. Hamlet contemplates death, and becomes prepared to die near the end of the play. When Hamlet Senior dies Hamlet seems lost. Depression commonly follows a loved one’s death. He finds no true meaning in life. He wonders if we are only here to eat and sleep. â€Å"What is a man/If his chief good and market of his time/ Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more./ Sure He that made us with such large discourse,/Looking before and after, gave us not/ That capability and godlike reason/ To fust in us unused. Now whether it be. Bestial oblivion or some craven scruple/ Of thinking too precisely on th’ event† (4.4 35-43). In the following soliloquy Hamlet contemplates suicide. â€Å"To be or not to be- that is the question:/Whether ‘tis nob...

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Meaning and Symbolism of the Hunting Scenes in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight :: Sir Gawain Green Knight Essays

The Meaning and Symbolism of the Hunting Scenes in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight Sir Gawain is a poem of heroism, chivalry, brave knights and even romance. The story itself is so engaging that all too easily the reader may miss many of the symbols present within. Here we will consider the symbolism and importance of the hunting scenes and how they help develop and enhance the plot. The hunting scenes in Sir Gawain are numerous and told in detail. Why did the author spend so much space in what seems to be just action scenes? Unquestionably such a talented author would never carelessly spend time on lines that do not add meaning to the story. One critic's overzealous opinion is: all the hunted animals convey connotations of evil, and this is doubtless the reason why the author of the poem seems so involved in the outcome of the hunts and never tires of triumphantly describing the final slaying of the pursued animals. (Howard 85) This is an interesting interpretation and could possibly serve as a religious meaning in the poem. Nevertheless the animals themselves are never described as evil nor is there any implication of evil animals in the poem. The animals do hold specific meaning though not malevolent like the above quoted critic believes. Medieval people loved stories of animals that assumed human qualities; for example Chantlicleer, the rooster in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Many animals were thought to have qualities of human emotions, spirituality and even intelligent qualities; the three hunted animals in Sir Gawain included. To begin, "Certain facts about the animals which formed the quarry of the medieval huntsman...and certain popular beliefs about their habits and temper" (Savage 32) will allow the reader to draw parallels between the hunt, happening outside the castle; and the "hunt" happening inside the castle between Gawain and the Lady of the house. Insight is provided by understanding the attitude the medieval huntsman would have toward the animals. Hunted animals were classified as either "beasts of venery" or "beasts of chase". Beasts of venery included the male and female red deer, wild boar or the wolf. Beasts of chase were the male or female deer and the fox. Animals of the first class were considered noble to hunt. Animals of the second class do not fair as well, especially poor Reynard. At the time Sir Gawain was written "the fox was regarded as vermin to be hunted out and destroyed" (Savage 33).

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Eating disorders and sexual violence Essay

Many neurotic behaviors are a direct consequence of Trauma. Some of the disorders caused by sexual violence trauma include Rape Trauma Syndrome, (PTSD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), and eating disorders (ED). Developing an eating disorder such as compulsive over-eating, anorexia or bulimia after going through sexual violence trauma is very common. However, not all sexual abuse and violence victims will develop an eating disorder. It is estimated that almost 30% to 40% of eating disorder patients are survivors of sexual trauma. A person already vulnerable to eating disorders or suffering from bad self image can use a devastating incident like rape or incest as a trigger to develop an eating disorder. There are countless reasons why eating disorders are used as a coping mechanism by persons suffering from sexual trauma. Some develop eating disorders to avoid sexuality. In other cases it is seen as a way to hide anger or frustration and seek the approval of other people. Since they cannot show the anger and resentment directly, they find unhealthy ways like starving or overeating to express themselves. Some abused teenagers might start viewing their body as a source of shame. In their opinion, unhealthy eating is a way of fixing the problem. In stressful situations like divorce of parents, car accident, death of a sibling and especially rape or molestation the victim feels utterly powerless. The person going through mental trauma will find new ways to improve his or her sense of control. Our culture and society place great emphasis on body image. Being thin is equated with maximum control. As a result, majority of victims start avoiding food or limiting intake to dangerous levels. In this way, the victim no longer remains powerless in their life. A commercial that shows unrealistic bodies will keep motivating such a person to indulge in unhealthy eating behavior. When a person remembers a stressful situation they can be driven to eat more than a normal person. Overeating or eating comfort foods that are high caloric foods can calm the body and relieve it from chronic stress. Sometimes sexually abused women and men merge physical or emotional pleasures with terrifying events. A woman who was raped repeatedly by her uncle as a child will show effects of depression and stress in her later life. However, if the woman had no affection shown towards her by members of her family she will start associating the sexual violence with great affection. This confusing association of good with bad makes her starve and harm her body. She feels pride and satisfaction from harming her body. For her, she has secretly accomplished something other cant. Bulimic patients often experience pleasure and pain for a short span of time. The binging alleviates the hunger longing but very soon shame and self-hatred takes over and she is forced to purge her system entirely. Without recognizing and dealing with trauma it is impossible to treat an eating disorder. It is important that cognitive awareness of the patient is increased as part of the treatment. He/She needs to understand the things that can or cannot be controlled in their lives. The most difficult part is making the patient realize that pain and pleasure are separate experiences that do not need to be subsequently followed by one or the other.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Effective Communication Essay

Effective Communication Communication, as well as the organizational structure, is imperative for any organization to become successful. Effective communication is one of the main foundations in building a strong relationship between management, staff, patients and their families. Patients depend upon the staff to help them answer and understand questions regarding their health conditions. The organizational structure is one of the most efficient methods for allocation of relevant information within the facility. The appropriate organization structure is vital to authorize alliances of the organization to communicate within the facility and outside the facility. If there is no communication or ineffective communication the facility will fail to meet the needs of staff, patients, families as well as causing the organization to become unsuccessful. Organization Structure The formal structure describes an organization that is typically hierarchical in nature. Formal structures use organization charts that include staff member’s names and their official job titles within the organization. The hierarchical organization begins at the top and flows down to managers then to employees under those managers. When an organization uses a formal structure the lines of authority are clear (Lombardi & Schermerhorn, 2007). Techniques for Sharing Information and Ideas Sharing information and ideas with individuals comes in many forms of communication. Communication in the health care industry can vary depending on the individual one is working with. There is a time when all types of communication has to be in cooperated into the success of an organization and the care of patients. Face-to-face communication is effective as well as verbal communication via telephone is effective when communicating with  doctors, managers, staff, patients and the community. Communicating face-to-face allows one to rely on body language to decipher the effectiveness of the information that is transmitted from one individual to another. Written communication is a technique that is always dependable within the health care industry. The use of e-mails is also a technique of sharing information, but can sometimes leave an individual wandering if the message was received as the sender intended. Communication time out is a technique that is critical, but seldom performed . The road works allowing two-way conversations to be held by deciding the modes of communication preferred by each individual involved. It communication time-out is performed correctly potential risk factors can be identified and untimely minimized (â€Å"Best practices in communication reduce liability, 2011). Techniques Proved to be Ineffective Ineffective communication can affect the successfulness of an organization. The same techniques used for effective communication can lead to ineffectiveness in communication. Using face-to-face communication can show anger and stress through body language and can breakdown as messages are interpreted the wrong way. Messages that are not carefully planned, for example, the time and delivery are not chosen efficiently will result in negative communication. Once communication becomes negative it may be a challenge to regain positive communication methods. Applying Communication Techniques in the Health Care Environment Managers can use face-to-face communication in morning meetings to discuss the problems arising from the day before or the potential problems that will arise. Transmitting information via telephone is vital to nursing staff when communicating with physicians about patient care. Telephone communication allows questions to be answered instantly instead of waiting on a respo nse. When communicating with family member’s verbal communication retrieves the best results as well, the families will be able to receive the information they are seeking. Electronic mailing (email) can be used to transmit information between managers and other employees. It is important to insure the message sent via email is received with the intentions the sender is sending (Writing Effective Emails, 1996-2014). Written communication is a reliable communication used in some facilities. Daily team talks delivered to each  department by the department manager is a method of communicating with staff. Daily team talks can consist of the daily census, potential admits, upcoming discharges as well and safety tips, financial tips, and positive recognition of any staff member. Applying any technique of communication can have its positive or negative effects on communication between individuals. Technology and Communication With the expansion of technology use in healthcare today it can become a challenge to keep up with the growth of technology. With today’s technology computers is a major benefit in the health care industry. Video conferences used in today’s medical fields allowing for face-to-face communication via technology. Technology can be used positively and negative in communication between individuals. The lack of proper English and format can cause for negativity. Technology can also have many benefits with communication, as well. It can make it more convenient for managers to contact other staff and technology can be used in communicating with the community, as well. Conclusion Effective communication is vital in assuring the message is interpreted correctly. Listening openly, understanding the intent of the message and using proper body language in receiving and delivering the message is positive in communication. Preventing negative communication is the ultimate goal for organizations in order for them to succeed. Applying the proper techniques of communicating continues to be a challenge among organizations in today’s world. References Best practices in patient communication reduce liability. (October 2011). Retrieved from http://www.riskandinsurance.com Lombardi, D. N., & Schermerhorn, J. R. (2007). Health care management: Tools and techniques for managing in the health care environment. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Writing Effective Emails. (1996-2014). Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/CommSkll/EmailCommunication.htm

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Luxor Cosmetics Executive Summary Essay

Question 1 2008Variable manufacturing cost as a percentage of selling price Product(Variable manufacturing cost/WSP Production)Mark up Lipstick16.8/2180%(21/16.8)-125% Nail polish10.5/1570%(15/10.5)-143% Creams2.8/5.650%(5.6/2.8)-1100% 2010 Product Lipstick15.3/1885%(18/15.3)-118% Nail polish9.3/11.680%(11.6/9.3)-125% Creams3.3/6.650%(6.6/3.3)+1100% *Note that these calculations are done for goods produced in the year in question Question 2 (cost of goods manufactured in 2008/ sales value for units produced in 2008) * ending inventory 2008 (16.8/21) * 11.5 9.748million Question 3 Luxor uses a FIFO inventory system, so the inventory that is sold first actually may come from prior years. Because of this, goods that are sold in each year need to be separated into goods produced in that year and goods produced in prior years. This is necessary to do because the percentage of the COGS that is variable is slightly different from year to year. 2009 Cost of Goods Sold: 6.3M from inventory on hand at beginning of year (produced in 2008 under FIFO) 2.3M from inventory produced in 2009  2010 Cost of Goods Sold:  8.2M from inventory on hand at beginning of year (produced in 2009 under FIFO) 0.3M from inventory produced in 2010  We now must determine the percentage of COGS that is variable for goods produced in 2008, 2009 and 2010: 2008 10.5M/(10.5M+0.7M) =93.75% 2009 9.8M/(9.8M+0.7M) = 93.333333% 2010 9.3M/(9.3M+0.6M) =93.939393% We now apply these percentages to the COGS for 2009 and 2010 to determine the total variable cost for each year. 2009 Variable COGS = (6.3M * .9375) + (2.3M * .93333333) = $8.0529M 2010 Variable COGS = (8.2M * .93333333) + (0.3M * .9393939393) = $7.9352M Assuming the variable manufacturing cost per unit was the same in 2009 and 2010, a higher variable cost of goods sold means that more units were sold. Since the variable COGS in 2009 is higher in 2009 than it is in 2010, we can conclude that the sales volume of nail polish decreased in 2010. Question 4 Let x = Break Even SalesF = Marketing & Promotion + General Administration + Interest + Fixed Manufacturing Costs Let F = Total Fixed CostsF = 3.4 + 1.3 + 1.8 + 1 Let V = Variable Costs Per Dollar of Sales7.5 V is easily estimated by (COGS-Fixed Costs) /Sales There is a small amount of fixed costs in COGS which means that it is not strictly variable, but for our purposes that makes a very small, immaterial difference and the question only requires an approximation. V = (27.7-1)/33.5 0.7970 x = F + Vx x = 7.5 + 0.7970x 0.2030x = 7.5 x = 36.95 Break even sales are approximately $36.95 Million Question 5 Let x = Break Even SalesF = Marketing & Promotion + General Administration + Interest Let F = Total Fixed CostsF = 3.3 + 1.3 + 1.1 + 1 Let V = COGS Per Dollar of Sales6.7 Again, V is easily estimated by COGS/Sales There is a small amount of fixed costs in COGS which means that it is not strictly variable, but for our purposes that makes a very small, immaterial difference and the question only requires an approximation. V = (27.7-1)/33.5 0.7970 x = 33.00 x = F + Vx x = 6.7 + 0.7970x 0.2030x = 6.7 The new breakeven sales for 2012 would be approximately 33.00, given that 2012 is approximately similar to 2011. The firm is more likely to breakeven than the previous year if they can keep their sales constant and do not produce more than they can sell. Although with current trends of sales over the past few years, it could be estimated that breakeven is not likely. With the current trends sales could be estimated somewhere around 32 million, in which case the firm would not breakeven in 2012. Question 6 Inventory Schedule – 2011 Budget InventoryLipstickNail PolishCreams Inventory (12/31 2010 Actual)15.011.41.2 Planned Production * 19.013.08.0 Goods Available for Sale34.024.49.2 Budgeted Sales19.013.08.0 Ending Inventory (12/31/2011 Budget)15.011.41.2 * Planned production is to produce the same amount as the planned sales, as per sales manager Budgeted Cost of Goods Manufactured and Sold – 2011 Budget Variable Manufacturing Cost (Budget)0.90.90.6 17.911.74.4 Fixed Manufacturing Cost (Budget)0.80.60.6 Cost of Goods Manufactured18.712.35.0 Inventory (12/31/2010 Actual) 13.69.60.7 Goods Available for Sale32.321.95.7 Inventory (12/31/2011 Budget)0.90.90.6 14.110.40.7 Budgeted Cost of Goods Sold 18.211.45.1 MARGINS1.01.11.6 0.00.10.6 Variable Manufacturing Cost – First, find the factor of Variable Manufacturing cost to planned production, less fixed manufacturing cost i.e. – 6.8/(8.0-.0.8) = 0.9 (From Exhibit 2) Inventory – Find the factor of budgeted ending inventory cost to budget inventory value i.e. – 6.6/7.0 = 0.9 (from Exhibit 2) Margins – (Budgeted Sales/Budgeted Cost of Goods Sold) – 1 i.e. – (19.0/18.2) – 1 = 1.0 (rounded) Income Statement – 2011 BudgetCash Flow – 2011 Budget Sales40.0Cash Receipts From Customers40.0 Cost of Goods Sold34.7 Gross Margin5.3Cash disbursements Marketing & Promotion3.6Variable Manufacturing34.1 General Administration1.3Fixed Manufacturing1.0 Interest1.8Marketing and Promotion3.6 Pretax Income-1.4General Administration1.3 Interest1.8 Pro-Forma Year-End Balance Sheet – 2011 BudgetTotal Disbursements41.8 Assets Cash0.0Beginning Cash5.5 Miscellaneous Current Assets3.0+ Receipts40.0 Inventory0.0- Disbursements41.8 Property & Equipment11.2- Loan Repayment10.0 Goodwill9.3Ending Cash (Budgeted)-6.3 Total Assets23.5 Equities Bank Loan16.3 Miscellaneous Current Liabilities4.0 Common Stock12.5 Retained Earnings *9.7 Total Equities42.5 * The Retained Earnings are 9.7 in this budget, which is adjusted from the previous budget to account for an additional $0.7 M loss i.e. – 10.4 – 0.7 = 9.7 Question 7 Through the implementation of the suggested changes in allocation, more of the fixed costs will be allocated to the cream products because this product line has the highest margin (as shown in the budgeted Cost of Goods Manufactured above), even though creams have the lowest total sales value. This will lead to more of the fixed costs being incorporated into the Cost of Goods sold, and not into the ending inventory numbers, therefore decreasing pre-tax income even further. Allocating the fixed costs in this manner would not affect the Cash Flow Statement in any way, as the fixed costs would still lead to a cash disbursement of an equal value regardless of which product line they are allocated to. Question 8 Luxor Cosmetics is a company that is stuck in a dying market because most of their customers that buy the lipstick and nail polish are women aged 45 to 75 who are in the lower income group. As that group gets older and older they have less need for cosmetics so they buy less and less. The sales will continue to drop and we will get less and less profitable. A way to combat this is to reposition ourselves in the market. We need to find a way to get ourselves into a better market that is more eager to buy cosmetics. One way of doing this would be to start targeting a new demographic of women who will buy our products. We could also avoid the non-wholesale market because that way we would get bigger orders and be able to budget better. However if we do this we will have to consider the possibility that we will have to lower our prices and we will have less profits in the end but we will have more sales. We should reinvest in the company that we purchased in the 1990s. We had a product t hat we were going to aim at teenagers but we abandoned the company due to the dotcom crash; we should look at getting that company running. We should reinvest in the company that we abandoned because the market has recovered now. We would get a brand new customer base and we could have increased sales. Plus we already own the company and it does no benefit to us just sitting on the books not generating any profits. It is an environmentally friendly product and environmentally friendly products are becoming more and more popular today. We could make the company seem very socially responsible and that would build us a better reputation and may make our sales in our existing company increase substantially. The goodwill that is on the books today was acquired when we bought the environmentally friendly company in the 1990’s and yet we have not revalued it since then. The asset impairment test should be done on goodwill to see how much of the goodwill exists anymore. It is possible that the asset of goodwill should not exist on the books for Luxor at all anymore. And it is just making our financial statements misleading for investors. If we adjust this properly we will have a more realistic picture of our company as it stands now. This way we will not have misleading financial statements anymore. There are a few ethical issues in the case. The first is that there is pressure for the numbers to be fudged, but as a  professional accountant that cannot be done. We do not want to make the statements misleading so that the bank is coaxed into giving us a loan that we cannot afford. We cannot fudge the statements to meet our needs because someone would figure it out and we would not get away with it and overall it is highly unethical. The other is following the policy that is set in place for how to account for certain things. If our inventory is not usable anymore we should not be keeping it on the books hoping it will make us look better. This is not appropriate and should be written off and adjusted for the fact that it is now obsolete.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Mobile Device Software In Diabetes Health And Social Care Essay

To analyze the salient characteristics and measure grounds scientifically for the effectivity of mHealth engineering and results in diabetes patients self-management around the universe. Methods: A comprehensive electronic reappraisal was done through literature hunts related to diabetes nomadic applications, indexed in digital library, ProQuest, PubMed, Google Scholar, web of scientific discipline, published since 2007. Strategy used in seeking literature will include terms/synonyms: nomadic phone ; SmartPhone ; Apps ; Cellular phone ; and diabetes direction. We surveyed the undermentioned features:1. Behavioral alterations, 2. Management: 2.1 Blood glucose, 2.2 Weight, 2.3 Diet, 2.4 Insulin and medicine, 2.5 Blood force per unit area, 2.6 Physical activity, 3. Education. A Meta-analysis was conducted for surveies with HbA1c steps. Consequences: Around 40 articles identified and screened for retrieval from ISI publication, of which 18 met the choice standards. Sample sizes for this survey ranged from 11 to 37695 patients aged 7 to 70 old ages old. Intervention continuance ranges from 1 to 12months. Significant betterments found in HbA1c and their life style.Decision:We find spreads between the functionality used in survey intercessions and evidence-based recommendations. Monitoring, Health reminders and instruction utilizing nomadic engineering significantly better the diabetes wellness.KeywordsSmartPhone, mHealth, Diabetes Care, Mobile engineering, Blood glucose.IntroductionMobile engineering has been dramatically adopted around the world1,2. Report estimates that â€Å" planetary Mobile informations traffic will increase 18 times between 2011 and 2016 † . By the terminal of that clip period, it is projected that there will be 10billion nomadic devices in usage around the world3. Mobile engineering is t he fastest turning sector of communications industry in low income countries4,5. Electronic medical and personal wellness records grow as nomadic phone engineering continues to spread out ; for chronic disease direction nomadic phones become important1. Although several methods of patient attention have been good established to better clinical profile and complications associated with DM, effectivity of fresh intercessions remains to be evaluated6. The intent of this survey is to place the salient characteristics and measure grounds scientifically for the effectivity of mHealth engineering and results in diabetes patient ‘s self-management around the universe. Diabetess mellitus is a common, chronic upset of insulin metamorphosis, characterized by persistently elevated blood glucose degrees. The microvascular harm that consequences affects neurological map, the kidneys and bosom and via medias peripheral blood supply. Sick persons are at increased hazard of eyesight harm, nephritic failure, shot and bosom onslaught. Two major signifiers of the status are recognized. Type 1 diabetes is caused by autoimmune mediated pancreatic harm and attendant loss of insulin production. In the Type 2 status, insulin production may be unaffected but the endocrine is unable to suitably excite cells to use go arounding glucose, a phenomenon termed insulin opposition. Key intervention ends in diabetes are to normalise blood glucose degrees and cut down modifiable hazard factors for cardiovascular disease. Where insulin production continues ( Type 2 diabetes ) initial therapy may concentrate on behavioural intercessions to modulate diet and promote weight loss. Drug therapy consists of auxiliary insulin ( the pillar for Type 1 diabetes ) and agents that cut down peripheral insulin opposition.MethodsDatas Beginnings Computerized hunts were conducted to place systematic experimental and place randomized controlled clinical tests ( RCTs ) . Searched was done through literature hunts related to diabetes nomadic applications, indexed in digital library, ProQuest, PubMed, Google Scholar, web of scientific discipline, published since 2007. Strategy used in seeking literature will include terms/synonyms: nomadic phone ; SmartPhone ; Apps ; Cellular phone ; and diabetes direction. Study standards We surveyed the undermentioned features:1. Behavioral alterations, 2. Management: 2.1 Blood glucose, 2.2 Weight, 2.3 Diet, 2.4 Insulin and medicine, 2.5 Blood force per unit area, 2.6 Physical activity, 3. Education. A Meta-analysis was conducted for surveies with HbA1c steps. Data extraction To pull out findings require informations extraction in a consistent mode. It enables subsequently data synthesis and interpretation7. Created spreadsheet format to come in relevant informations which was extracted from published paper such as Writers, twelvemonth of publication, survey scene, sample size, survey design, age group, race, and continuance of intercession, outcomes, method of self-management, intercession inside informations, and reported consequences were reviewed. Meta-analysisStandards for executing a meta-analysisA subgroup/meta-analysis will be performed if three or more surveies are identified that satisfy the standards and statistical trials for homogeneousness. Homogeneity of intercession class type and result will be a necessary standard for representing a subgroup. Further division by demographic features and diabetes type will be merely considered if the grouping is of clinical/practical relevancy and if there are equal Numberss of surveies to make so. Subgroups will be constituted at a participant-level by including all relevant surveies. If farther informations is required, for illustration, to be able to divide out a peculiar patient group from informations that are reported in pooled signifier within a survey so we will reach the survey writers for elucidation. If this information can non be obtained so the survey will be excluded. The core measure of the systematic literature reappraisal is Data analysis. It involves roll uping a nd sum uping informations extracted from primary studies7.ConsequencesFeatures of included surveies In the initial reappraisal, around 40 articles were screened. After excepting surveies that did non run into the eligibility standards, 18 surveies were reviewed intensively. Of them, surveies took topographic point in several states including UK8,9,14, Italy9,14, Spain9,12,14, Australia10,14, New Zealand10, Korea11,14, multi centre ( Germany, India, Canada ) 11, US11,14, Norway13,15,17, multi centre ( Iran, Finland ) 14, Indiana16. Patients were recruited from primary clinics, third infirmaries and community scenes. Figure 1 shows the choice of surveies.Figure 1 – Documents chosen for the survey of diabetes attention and direction utilizing nomadic phone engineeringsOf the 18 surveies, 6 were excluded due non-availability of clinical informations, 12 were randomized controlled tests. The minimal continuance of intercession in these surveies was 1 month and upper limit of 12 months. Sample size ranged from 11 to 37695 patients at the terminal of the follow-up period and all su rveies included both males and females. Gender was distributed about every bit in all the surveies. Participants were aged 7-70 old ages old. Approach of nomadic phone intercession Mobile phone intercession in this survey showed assorted technological inventions. Six of the surveies developed package or an application plan for diabetes care management8,9,10,12,15,19. The others used bing nomadic phone engineering to supply support for self-monitoring blood glucose, instruction, diet, exercising, and medicine adjustment18 Among the 18 surveies, 2 used a nomadic phone Short Message Service ( SMS ) to present blood glucose trial consequences and self-management information8,10. These surveies adopted a short message service entirely, or SMS combined with other intercession schemes, which included conveying self-monitored blood glucose to mobile phone via a Bluetooth radio nexus. Apps emerged as a distinguishable package class in 2008 when Apple, Inc. launched its iPhone App Store, an on-line depository from which apps may be downloaded for free or purchased. While the class is new, customized package for consumer Mobile devices – pre-smartphone nomadic phones and personal digital helpers – already existed. However, the iPhone was the first of a new coevals of ‘convergence ‘ devices integrating characteristics of a nomadic phone with that of a personal computing machine, the apogee of a tendency of increasing edification in both traditional Mobiles and electronic personal digital helpers ( PDA ) . Since the 2007 launch of the iPhone there has been rapid development of smartphones and apps. All major nomadic device makers now offer their ain App Store-equivalents. In add-on, apps are now being made available on other portable computing machines and tablets and are likely to distribute to traditional desktop computers23. On one of degree of description, a wellness app is merely one of several possible bringing methods for the behavioural constituents of a self-care intercession and so defines ( portion of ) the context of those constituents ( Figure 1.3 ) . However, multifunction package may be capable of back uping several elements of intercession content that would usually hold defined distinct constituents. Our scoping reappraisal suggests that app-based constituents be given to be a dominant characteristic for which other constituents play back uping functions ( for illustration by supplying accomplishments to utilize the app ) . We therefore experience it besides correct to acknowledge a class of ‘app-based intercessions ‘ where an app is the chief agencies of content bringing. Why it is of import to make this reappraisal Apps may offer a possible low-priced solution for back uping self-care intercessions. For policy shapers and clinicians there is a demand to understand whether this is an intercession class that can be considered for real-world usage. No reappraisal has focussed specifically on issues of cost and efficaciousness utilizing wellness apps for cMEDs. Possible quality and safety impacts have been suggested but there has been no systematic consideration of these. Although smartphone app class is new, our recent scoping reappraisal shows that package intercessions utilizing MEDs are non. Bibliometric analysis of app-related publications ( Figure 1.4 ) identified in the scoping reappraisal suggests that there is now a ample accumulated principal of literature. Figure 1.4 Accumulative figure of health-app related commendations, 1992-2010 Based on 2186 surveies identified utilizing the hunt and inclusion standards for wellness apps and cMEDs defined in this protocol for which publications day of the month was available. Diabetes-specific and self-care standards, nevertheless, were non applied to this dataset and the graph therefore reflects publications for all conditions. Each information point represents the cumulative sum of all commendations published up to the terminal of that twelvemonth. The figure of new commendations generated in each twelvemonth is shown as an note above the informations pointDiscussionKeeping wellness life style in patients with DM is cardinal to their wellness position and public assistance. Mobile phone engineering may be indispensable in intercessions that target behavioural and lifestyle alterations, peculiarly, those associated with chronic diseases direction. Our survey reviewed 15 surveies that assessed the consequence of nomadic phone intercessions on the ego monitoring and direction of DM provides grounds that there is a important consequence on DM direction utilizing nomadic technique. This consequence is consistent with bing literature18. The chief part of the present reappraisal provides the most recent grounds of mHealth surveies, and the findings are based on surveies from different states. Among the reviewed surveies, most applied randomized controlled designs, which enhanced the comparison of the results. Besides, most surveies applied quantitative steps of cardinal results, including HbA1c, weight loss and serum glucose concentration measuring. Despite the strengths of nomadic phone engineering usage, several possible restrictions should be kept in head when construing these consequences. First, although findings from the reviewed surveies showed promise in nomadic phone usage and betterment of DM direction, some of these surveies had little sample sizes. Therefore, future surveies that utilize big sample size are needed to find whether the increased patient-providers ‘ communicating via mHealth have important impacts on clinical results and public wellness. Second, it is unknown what sort of modes of nomadic engineering ( SMS, nomadic phone calls, application, etc ) play a better function in bettering results in patients with DM. Third, since most surveies had a short period of intercession, the long-run effects of mHealth are still ill-defined. Fourthly, the current reappraisal paper is done by the writers in seeking for the relevant literatures. We may hold missed some documents during the hunt. If any, it will do possible choice prejudice. Further surveies should be continued to corroborate the findings. Last, as with all systematic reappraisals, the present survey is capable to publication bias14. It should be noted that our present survey purposes to reexamine the surveies in the last decennary and to measure the feasibleness of utilizing nomadic phone engineering to advance patients ‘ DM direction and better healthy life style. It is clear that although mHealth techniques may offer new chances in disease control, we still face several challenges. First, the application of mHealth is a new attack in existent universe pattern. Most surveies are still in the explorative phases. Therefore, it is indispensable to happen the nexus between pattern and scientific cognition, which come from surveies with vigorous survey designs and a large-scale sample size. Second, uninterrupted attachment and conformity to mobile phone engineering in DM direction is important to the results. The nomadic phone usage intercession relies to a great extent on behavioural alteration theory. In other words, the invention is based on a patient ‘s willingness to to the full take part in every f acet of the intercession. Therefore, the intercession may non be suited for all patients with DM, such as those who may hold troubles operate smart phone. Several surveies observed that some patients withdrew from an intercession survey due to the incommodiousness of utilizing the assigned nomadic phones on a regular daily footing. Therefore, findings observed in most surveies are based on participants who may be extremely motivated20. Third, nomadic phone engineering raises of import inquiries about how to protect patients with DM while at the same time advancing its development and implementation20. This includes challenges associated with privateness and confidentiality of information collected and stored by nomadic devices and/or transmitted to cyber substructure databases. For presentment and intercession intents, extra privateness and confidentiality concerns originate when directing health-related informations to mobile devices22. For illustration, intercessions can be interr upted and privateness may be breached if the nomadic phone is lost or stolen. However, similar restrictions are present with other communicating manners ( e.g. , postal mail or electronic mails may be delivered to the incorrect reference ) 21. It is of import to guarantee that information gathered and transmitted via nomadic devices remains secure20. Fourthly, although nomadic phone engineering promises unprecedented chances to make DM patients anytime and anyplace, mHealth intercessions may ensue in the marginalisation of certain populations, such as nonreaders or those without entree to a nomadic phone21. These drawbacks may greatly impact the impact of such intercessions in such population. In the United States, nomadic French telephone ownership differs among different cultural groups and entree is lower among those with lower socioeconomic position ( defined as those with less than a high school alumnus ) . Similarly, grounds points to disparity between younger and older patients20. Possible accounts for this disparity might be related to age, urban and r ural, and economic system ; although neither of these grounds has been definitively determined.DecisionThe consequences indicate important betterments in gylcaemic control and self-management with nomadic phone intercession methods for DM attention. Uses of nomadic phone engineering in mHealth significantly cut down HbA1c as most reviewed surveies demonstrated. Further research with a longer continuance and larger sample size is needed to analyze several cardinal issues including the benefits of mHealth intercessions for patients and healthcare supplier ‘s perceptual experiences, and the cost effectivity in bettering self-management in diabetic patients. mHealth engineering as a tool in diabetes direction maintaining shoulder to shoulder of new tendencies, medical device seller design better tools for disease direction. mHealth engineering offer important betterment in the diabetes attention and eventful intervention consequence.

Friday, September 13, 2019

A Study of How Teamwork Can Help Eliminate Homelessness in Canada

A Study of How Teamwork Can Help Eliminate Homelessness in Canada Abstract Canada is an internationally known country with the long reputation for high quality of life with the growing number of citizens competing for limited resources, hence; making homelessness a reality. The main populations making up the homeless people in Canada are women, youths, and children. Most homeless youths engage in some criminal activities such as drug addiction, illicit drug trafficking, robbery and unprotected sex. Stakeholders should work as a team to cut across research and policy sectors to create a solution that coordinates response to homelessness in Canada. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of teamwork in finding the solution to homelessness in Canada. The teamwork composed of stakeholders namely: the homeless people, all government agencies, and the community groups. The paper utilizes Tuckmans Teamwork Theory that uses four stages of team development to analyze the effectiveness of identified stakeholders in addressing homelessness. The outcome re veals that designing affordable and quality housing in both rural and urban centers would be the best solution to homelessness in Canada. Introduction Canada is one of the nations in the world with the highest number of homeless people. The state of homelessness in Canada started in the 1980s after the governments reduced spending in social support, structural shifts in the economy, and investment in high-cost housing (Gaetz, Dej, Richter, Redman, 2016, p. 4). The main populations making up the homeless people in Canada are women, youths, and children. Homelessness has become a major crisis in Canada with thousands of women, youths and children across the country calling streets, parks, and emergency shelters their homes. The problem has since persisted calling for a joined action between stakeholders across the country to establish a solution to homelessness. The joint action requires teamwork and collaboration largely based on establishing strategies that would end the problem of homelessness in the coming five years. The following discussion utilizes Tuckman’s Teamwork Theory to find solutions to the problem of homeless ness in Canada. The solution identified will utilize principles of teamwork and benefit different stakeholders. These stakeholders are the homeless people, different levels of government, and community groups. Overview of homelessness in Canada Canada is an internationally known country with the long reputation for high quality of life with the growing number of citizens competing for limited resources, hence; making homelessness a reality. In the older days, only single men and older people suffered from the problem of homelessness in Canada, but the crisis has become more diverse today to include the women and young people. The 2016 government report on the state of homelessness in Canada revealed the exact number of homeless people, their demographics, and the exact experiences they face each day. The report shows that approximately 35,000 Canadians spend the night out in the cold each night and 235,000 Canadians are homeless every year. Also, 2016 report revealed that 27.3 percent and 18.7 percent of the homeless population in Canada are women and youth respectively. Older adults aged between 50 and 64 and those aged 65 and above are at greater risks of experiencing homelessness in the future (Gaetz, Dej, Richter, Red man, 2016, p. 5). The government suffers the most from the homelessness. Homelessness worsens the state’s economy, increases insecurity, and creates a bad reputation for the nation such that international partners develop a negative attitude leading to poor trade and business relations. The interest of all levels of the government is to ensure no more people are homeless in the country. The government could make this possible by formulating policies and strategies capable of addressing the issues. For instance, the Canadian government developed the homelessness policy in 1999 through effective collaboration with communities and individuals aimed at addressing homelessness issues (Doberstein, 2011). Most homeless youths engage in some criminal activities such as drug addiction, illicit drug trafficking, robbery and unprotected sex. Stakeholders should work as a team to cut across research and policy sectors to create a solution that coordinates response to homelessness in Canada. Stakeholders involved in homelessness in Canada Many parties are actively and passively involved in addressing the problem of homelessness in Canada. A strategic approach to the issue requires the engagement of all stakeholders to take part in decision-making processes in looking for solutions to homelessness to ensure representation of every concerned party. The following paper concentrates on three key stakeholders that have a lot of influence in developing strategies and policies alternatives to homelessness. The key stakeholders included in the strategic planning are the homeless people, all levels of government (policymakers, Departments of Health, Housing and Urban Planning), and community groups (non-profit organizations, private developers, and other foundations). Each of the three stakeholders has a big role to play in finding the solution to the prevailing problem. The homeless people are the key stakeholders and the victims of homelessness. The following group should have many interests including the need to know the plans other stakeholders, the government and community groups, have for them. Homeless people should select their representatives to take part in the decision-making process to ensure their interests are tabled and addressed. Also, the homeless play a significant role in the success of the plan because they bear the experience and stand a better chance of explaining to policy makers circumstances that led to them becoming homeless. Policy makers would use these details to create an intervention that would help prevent homelessness cases in the future. Finally, the community groups including non-governmental organizations, humanity foundations, and developers have a great role to play in developing strategies to end homelessness. Community groups advocate for equality and rights for the people. These groups will aid in creating awareness to the government to speed up the process of generating solutions to homelessness. Also, groups such as private developers may offer to build simple and affordable housing through government contracts to house the homeless. The success of any initiative agreed by the three stakeholders requires a teamwork approach. The discussion will utilize principles and theories of teamwork to ensure all stakeholders interests are considered in the final solution. The application of Tuckman’s Teamwork Theory to find solution to homelessness Effective management of a team requires skills, dedication, strategies and plans. Researchers in different fields have conducted numerous studies to investigate factors that influence quality team performance. Many theories explain the formation and management of teams with Tuckman’s teamwork theory acting as the most widely known to have produced excellent results. Tuckman’s Teamwork Theory was developed in 1965 and plays a critical role in ensuring teamwork and team building. Tuckman used to work with a team of social psychologists in the United Stated Navy where he studied small group behaviors using different perspectives. In his analysis of various articles and books on team development, Tuckman identified two main features that contribute to the performance of a group: the task activity and the group structure/interpersonal activity. Tuckman then introduced the Tuckman’s Teamwork Theory that describes four primary stages of development that make up a good team. The four stages are forming, storming, norming, and performing (Egolf Chester, 2013, pp. 142-143). The four stages of Tuckmans teamwork theory can be applied in the case to help bring together stakeholders and establish the solution to homelessness in Canada. The basic assumption of the theory is that a team that stays together over a time changes and develops (Nestor, 2013). Identifies stakeholders, the government, the community groups, and the homeless people have lived together to realize a common homelessness problem affecting the country. According to Nestor (2013), Tuckman’s Teamwork Theory describes three elements that determine the performance of a team, namely: content, process, and feelings. Application of four stages in the content issue The content relates to activities of the team, which in this case are finding the solution to homelessness. Some members of the team will utilize the content element to define the stakeholder-based type of solution they want and how they want it done to meet their interests. Additionally, the storming stage may face some rebellion as each stakeholder tries to make their interests included in the decision-making process. In the norming stage, the stakeholders will have cleared their differences and each member desires to become part of the team. Finally, the performing stage is characterized by all members having a similar concern of looking for the solution to homelessness. According to Nestor (2013), the effectiveness of the team is felt in the performing stage. Team members should always take precautions to avoid disintegrating during the first three stages of teamwork development. Application of the four stages in the process issue Process refers to the way the team works towards achieving its goals. The following case relates to the process of bringing together the stakeholders, the homeless people, the government, and community groups, into developing strategies and planning implementation plans for the problem of homelessness in Canada. In the forming stage, team members engage in searching for external forces that can give guidance and direction. For instance, the homeless people look for help from the government and community groups to help find better housing for them. Second, the storming stage involves members selecting tasks that fit their interests and ignoring those with less impact on their problems. The third stage on the process issue involves team members coming together to set procedures aimed at finding the solution to the problem. Finally, the team reaches the performing stage where they start implementing proposed solutions. Nestor (2013) claimed that teams that fail to accept the storming s tage as a way of preparing them for future tasks never perform. Application of four stages of the teamwork theory in the element of feelings The feeling element refers to how teams relate with one another. A good relationship between stakeholders must exist for the teamwork to succeed. The most significant stage in the feelings elements is the performance level where team members share a common focus, have good communication and become closer to each other to achieve the expected result. Recommended solutions that satisfy all stakeholders Following the five stages of Tuckman’s theory of Teamwork, it will be possible to have all stakeholders work together and find solutions that fulfill each stakeholder’s interests. The teamwork from selected stakeholders must have capabilities of solving problems faced by the homeless in Canada and implement strategies that will see the country do away with the problem of homelessness in the future. One of the proposed solutions to homelessness in Canada is building of affordable housing units. The three stakeholders, the homeless people, the government, and community groups would all agree that victims of homelessness lack proper and affordable housing units. In January 2015, four homeless people died in Toronto with the cause of death attributed to extreme cold and burning of a makeshift shack. Mayor John Tory responded to the incident by creating a plan to rent 90 motel rooms for all homeless people for the remaining part of winter to act as temporary shelters (Daro, 2015. The case above reveals that overcrowding homeless shelters and lack of affordable housing in Canada are the primary cause of homelessness. The collaboration between stakeholder, especially between the government and community groups, should act in speed to create a plan for providing long-term and stable housing for the homeless in the future. The government of Canada came up with an initiative termed â€Å"Housing our Future† that aimed at solving the issue of homelessness between 2014 and 2024. The Canada’s population increases each year with the probability of the country recording double population growth by the year 2030 (The County of Simcoe, 2014). Some stakeholders including the County members, members of the Municipalities, Community, and Cities came up with a team to propagate the initiative towards the performing stage. Working together with various stakeholders would help establish cheap and affordable housing units to shelter the homelessness in Canada. The private sector played a critical role in the plan by offering services and workforce to help design and implement the project. On the other hand, a similar plan for ending homelessness that focused on the housing strategy was started in the Calgary City of Canada. The plan established in 2008 aimed at making Canadians more self-reliance and independent. The government realized that it would have to deal with the problem of homelessness in the future, hence; came up with the plan. Individuals experiencing homelessness at that time was given a permanent housing and provided with government support. The key stakeholders that included the government, the community groups, and other interested parties worked as a team to coordinate all operations to support the plan (Calgary Homeless Foundation, 2015). The Calgary City homelessness plan is an example of a successful solution that ended up reducing the number of homeless people in Canada and making many independent of dating. Conclusion According to Gaetz, Dej, Richter, Redman (2014), the number of individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Canada is expected to grow should the government fail to take quick actions to end the problem. Homeless people should never be viewed as victims of social structures and not social misfits. Homeless people in Canada have for the last two decades undergone a lot of challenges including marginalization. The issue brings more problems especially considering the vulnerability of these people. Homelessness causes major health and social problems that affect the individuals lifestyle. Guirguis-Younger, McNeil Hwang (2014, pp. 28-29) argued homelessness in Canada, especially among youths, has increased tremendously requiring a systematic response. The working together of stakeholders using teamwork principles and dynamics will help end the problem of homelessness in Canada. The analysis of the issue came up with the solution to homelessness as having affordable housing unit s, especially in Cities. Making housing affordable will get rid of many families spending their nights in makeshift shelters out of streets and start enjoying a safer lifestyle.