Uncle Marcos

The story Uncle Marcos is about a girl named Clara and her uncle's relationship and of Uncle Marcos's past. Clara hasn't seen her Uncle for two years but still remembers a perfect image of her Uncle Marcos. She retained an image of him since her childhood and every time she wants to see him she would close her eyes instead of looking at the old photograph they had in the drawing room. He was buried in the middle of the courtyard in a long black coffin.Uncle Marcos would come to his sister's house for several months to enjoy time with his nieces and nephews, but mostly Clara is who enjoyed the most. The house became more cramped with the trunks of animals in jars which were full of solution used as a preservative also, there Indian lances and sailor's bundles. Uncle Marcos did exercises designed to perfect the mind's control over the body and improve the digestion system. He also did alchemy experiments that created smelly smoke and ruined pots and pans with a solid substance that stu ck to the them and wouldn't come out.Clara started to remember when Uncle Marcos returned from one of his voyages and avoided the family's pressure to get a job in Severo del Valle's de law practice so Uncle Marcos bought a barrel organ and he took it to the streets in hope of seducing his Cousin Antonieta and entertain the pubic in the bargain. One night Uncle Marcos went beneath her window and tried to serenade his with the barrel organ and she didn't know until the parrot called her full name and Uncle Marcos didn't get reaction he hoped for.After being rejected and having stained the family reputation, Marcos was forced to give up organ grinding and resorted to less conspicuous ways of winning his Cousin Antonieta, but he did not renounce his goal. He did not succeed because from one day to the next the young lady married a diplomat who was twenty years older than her. Afterwards he announced he would never get married and he embarked on a trip around the world. He sold his orga n and gave the parrot to Clara, but Nana poisoned it with an overdose of cod-liver oil.After he came back he came with crates that came with parts he assembled and he used a dictionary and his imagination to complete the design. The bird was such a hit that families of oligarchy forgot about the barrel organ. People soon became bored with the bird and afterwards Uncle Marcos says he is going to fly it. People thought it was miracle that it worked and rose. Clara kept looking into the sky after Uncle Marcos had become invisible. The family was sad after no word from Uncle Marcos for a week.After they found Uncle Marcos alive they thought it was a heroic resurrection and he was again a sought-after guess in all the city's salons, for a while at least because name was clear. Clara had learned to read from the storybooks Uncle Marcos left after he went on a trip without saying good-bye. Marcos and Clara both had prophesying powers which also made them very close to each other. People li ned up to get prophesies done after the people found out what they could do.Uncle Marcos told many stories about his adventures and had maps of his great adventures. He talked about the women of Tahiti, rice fields in China, and the white prairies of the North, where the eternal ice killed animals and men who lost their way and turning them into stone in seconds. After his latest journey Uncle Marcos died and returned in a coffin because of a mysterious African plague that turned him yellow and wrinkled as a piece of parchment. When he realized he was ill he set for home and be healed but unfortunately he didn't make it.

Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of morality

Lawrence Kohlberg’s theory of morality development most accurately portrays the way humans chose their morality. Carol Gilligan’s theory that girls develop differently because of the emphasis put on a woman’s role in caring for others is sound, but oversimplifies. And Jean Piaget’s theory may accurately describe the cognitive process of differentiating between the hard and fast societal rules and the ones that can be bent or broken, but she never accounts for the self and self-needs in her theory (Feldman, 2006). The surprising thing is that all three theories assume that society is the primary teacher of morality to children. Society can include family members and friends, so it can accurately reflect the familial role in morality. Only Kohlberg comes close to explaining people who choose to stray from societal norms.   Kohlberg’s theory accounts for the concept of â€Å"to thine ownself be true†, something none of the other theories do. (Feldman, 2006).   Kohlberg’s example of stealing the medicine to save one’s wife is the only time a moral dilemma is addressed in the three theories. If one of the other theories made sense, they would be able to explain why people stray from society’s morality. Kohlberg is the only one of the theories that makes sense. Reference Feldman, R. S. (2006). Development Across the Life Span. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson

American Temperance Society

The American Temperance Society (ATS), first known as the American Society for the Promotion of Temperance, was established in Boston, Massachusetts on February 13, 1826. The organization was co-founded by two Presbyterian ministers, Dr. Justin Edwards and the better-known Lyman Beecher. * Formation of the American Temperance Society marked the beginning of the first formal national temperance movement in the US. * The Temperance Movement was an organized effort during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to limit or outlaw the consumption and production of alcoholic beverages in the United States. By the mid 1830s, more than 200,000 people belonged to this organization. The American Temperance Society published tracts and hired speakers to depict the negative effects of alcohol upon people. Lyman Beecher was a prominent theologian, educator and reformer in the years before the American Civil War. * Lyman Beecher was a prominent theologian, educator and reformer in the years before the American Civil War. Beecher was born in 1775, in New Haven, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale College in 1797 and was ordained in the Presbyterian Church in 1799. He became a minister in Long Island, New York. In 1810, he accepted a position as minister in Litchfield, Connecticut. He became well known for his fiery sermons against intemperance and slavery. In 1826, he resigned his position in Litchfield and accepted a new one in Boston, Massachusetts. By this point, his reputation had spread across the United States. The church in Boston had more money to pay a minister of his standing. It also had a much larger congregation. In 1830, Beecher's church caught fire. A merchant who rented some rooms in the church stored whiskey in the basement. The whiskey somehow ignited. Beecher took this as a personal affront considering the sermons he delivered in the church's sanctuary against the evils of liquor. Neal Dow, temperance reformer, born in Portland, Maine, 20 March 1804. He is of Quaker parentage, attended the Friends' academy in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and was trained in mercantile and manufacturing pursuits. He was chief engineer of the Portland fire department in 1839, and in 1851 and again in 1854 was elected mayor of the City. He became the champion of the project for the prohibition of the liquor traffic, which was first advocated y James Appleton in his report to the Maine legislature in 1837, and in various speeches while a member of that body. * Through Mr. Dow's efforts, while he was mayor, the Maine liquor law, prohibiting under severe penalties the sale of intoxicating beverages, was passed in 1851. After drafting the bill, which he called â€Å"A bill for the suppression of drinking houses and tippling shops,† he submitted it to the principal friends of temperance in the City, but they all objected to its radical character, as certain to insure its defeat. It provided for the search of places where it was suspected that liquors intended for sale were kept, for the seizure, condemnation, and confiscation of such liquors, if found; and for the punishment of the persons keeping them by fine and imprisonment. Maine Law of 1851, The law was forced into existence by the mayor of Portland, Neal S. Dow. Its passage prohibited the sale of alcohol except for medical or manufacturing purposes. By 1855, there were 12 states in the U. S who joined Maine in what became known as the â€Å"dry† states. And the states which allowed alcohol were dubbed â€Å"wet† states. – The act was very unpopular among many working class people and many immigrants. That is when opposition to the law turned deadly by June 2, 1855 in Portland, Maine. It was rumored that Neal S. Dow was keeping a vast supply of alcohol within the city while denying it to the citizens of Portland. He was then called the â€Å"Napoleon of Temperance,† and to others, an unadulterated hypocrite. The alcohol which was allowed into Portland was supposed to be used for medicinal and mechanical reasons were valued at about $1,600. It was distributed to doctors and pharmacists as authorized by the Maine law. – The Irish immigrant population of Portland, Maine was vocal critics of the Maine Law. They saw it as a thinly disguised attack on their culture based on stereotypes. The Irish community already distrusted Neal S. Dow. The Maine law that Dow sponsored had a mechanism whereby any three voters could apply for a search warrant based on suspicion of someone illegally selling liquor. † The Father of American Education†,† Horace Mann, was born in Franklin, Massachusetts, in 1796. Mann's schooling consisted only of brief and erratic periods of eight to ten weeks a year. Mann educated himself by reading ponderous volumes from the Franklin Town Library. This self education, combined with the fruits of a brief period of study with an intinerant school master, was sufficient to gain him admission to the sophomore class of Brown University in 1816†³ (4, Cremin). He went on to study law at Litchfield Law School and finally received admission to the bar in 1823 (15, Filler). In the year 1827 Mann won a seat in the state legislature and in 1833 ran for State Senate and won. Horace Mann felt that a common school would be the â€Å"great equalizer. † Poverty would most assuredly disappear as a broadened popular intelligence tapped new treasures of natural and material wealth. He felt that through education crime would decline sharply as would a host of moral vices like violence and fraud. In sum, there was no end to the social good which might be derived from a common school -In 1848 Mann resigned as Secretary of Education and went on to the U. S. House of Representatives and then took the post of President of Antioch College in 1852. He stayed at the college until his death in August 27, 1859. Two months before that he had given his own valedictory in a final address to the graduating class; † I beseech you to treasure up in your hearts these my parting words: Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for Humanity† (27, Cremin). – Mann had won his victory as the public school soon stood as one of the characteristic features of American life – A â€Å"wellspring† of freedom and a â€Å"ladder of opportunity† for millions. William McGuffey, U. S. educator remembered chiefly for his series of elementary readers. McGuffey taught in the Ohio frontier schools and then at Miami University (1826 – 36). His elementary school series, starting with The Eclectic First Reader, was published between 1836 and 1857. Collections of didactic tales, aphorisms, and excerpts from great books, the readers reflect McGuffey's view that the proper education of young people required their introduction to a wide variety of topics and practical matters. They became standard texts in nearly all states for the next 50 years and sold more than 125 million copies. In these years McGuffey also served as president of Cincinnati College (1836 – 39) and of Ohio University, Athens (1839 – 43). He was a founder of the common school system of Ohio. In 1845 he was elected to the chair of mental and moral philosophy at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, a position he held until his death. Noah Webster published his first dictionary of the English language in 1806, and in 1828 published the first edition of his An American Dictionary of the English Language. The work came out in 1828 in two volumes. It contained 12,000 words and from 30,000 to 40,000 definitions that had not appeared in any earlier dictionary. In 1840 the second edition, corrected and enlarged, came out, in two volumes. He completed the revision of an appendix a few days before his death, which occurred in New Haven on the 28th of May 1843. * Webster changed the spelling of many words in his dictionaries in an attempt to make them more phonetic. Many of the differences between American English and other English variants evident today originated this way. The modern convention of having only one acceptable and correct spelling for a word is due mostly to the efforts of Webster, in standardizing spelling. Prior to this, the popular sentiment toward spelling might have best been summed up by Benjamin Franklin who said that he â€Å"had no use for a man with but one spelling for a word. † * produced his own modern English translation of the Bible in 1833. Though an excellent and highly accurate translation, Webster’s Bible was not widely accepted, due to the continued popularity of the ancient King James version. It was, however, was the most significant English language translation of the scriptures to be done since the King James version of more than 200 years earlier. Mary Lyon, American educator, founder of Mt. Holyoke College, b. Buckland, Mass. She attended three academies in Massachusetts; later she taught at Ashfield, Mass. , Londonderry, N. H. , and Ipswich, Mass. Interested in promoting the higher education of women, she won the aid of several influential men and succeeded (1837) in establishing Mt.  Holyoke Female Seminary (later Mt. Holyoke College) at South Hadley, Mass. She served as principal for 12 years, directing the development of a well-rounded college program and emphasizing the principle of service to others. Emma Willard, Educator. Born Emma Hart on February 23, 1787, in Berlin, Connecticut. Emma Willard is remembered for her trailblazing efforts on behalf of women’s education. Raised by a father who, while a farmer, encouraged her to read and think for herself, she attended a local academy rom 1802 to 1804 and then began teaching. – In 1807 Emma Willard went to Middlebury, Vermont to head a female academy there. Two years later she married a local doctor named John Willard. She opened her own school, the Middlebury Female Seminary, in 1814 to provide advanced education that young women were denied by colleges. Her Address†¦ Proposing a Plan for Improving Female Education (1819) was a much admired and influential proposal to get public support for advanced education for young women. Emma Willard moved to Troy, New York, in 1821, where she opened the Troy Female Seminary. (It was renamed the Emma Willard School in 1895. ) With both boarding and day students, in some respects it was the first U. S. institution of serious learning for young women, though even it recognized that most of its graduates would be housewives, not professionals, and most of its students came from families of means. The school actually made a profit, and she also earned money from the textbooks she wrote.

Literature Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Literature Review - Essay Example Evaluation/Assessment: Brunn’s books is a collection of works and analytical studies conducted by more than twenty business scholars, therefore it offers a broad view on the subject – why Wa-Mart became a business phenomenon, and why it became so controversial. Quotations: â€Å"Wal-Mart always tries to look for specific places to build its stores, where the small stores are located. Because Wal-Mart wants to build it’s store next to small stores† (Brunn, p. 294). â€Å"The salaries are lower than the others stores and it is $4 to $7 depending on the employees’ level.† Summary: Dicker’s book is a successful attempt to explain the controversial nature of Wal-Mart as American retail phenomenon. Dicker’s provides a thorough analysis explain the social and economic problems associated with Wal-Mart’s retail dominance, particularly its low wages, continuously decreasing social benefits for its workers, anti-union policies, outsourcing, and negative impact on local communities and local business. Evaluation/Assessment: Dicker’s book, besides being a solid analytic study on Wal-Mart, provides an additional sociocultural emphasis on Wal-Mart’s lasting consequences. Book’s chapter two effectively explains how Wal-Mart became an â€Å"ethos† for contemporary American, and what business and cultural determinants led to this. Summary: Unlike the mainstream literature on Wal-Mart, Charles Fishman’s book represents an analytical attempt to evaluate both â€Å"pros† and â€Å"cons† of Wal-Mart operations. Fishman provides an explanation that Wal-Mart constitutes a typical reflection of American economy and its transformation over the last 20 years. Evaluation/Assessment: Fishman objectively analyzes Wal-Mart’s positive and negative effects on American economy and social and cultural parts of American society. Author admits that Wal-Mart brings some specific monetary benefits to an average American family. Simultaneously, utilizing

Current Event Article 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Current Event Article 2 - Essay Example The case study method was used for the research study because the data generated can be interpreted in a number of ways. The British company Phipps Brothers was used because of the fact that it was founded by three brothers. As the company expanded, it faced many obstacles to growth in other markets. The business came up with three strategies to help combat these challenges: cost reduction, professionalism, and focus on specific markets. Phipps Brothers enacted these changes and the firm was able to expand to other European countries. Analysis: This article highlights the challenges that small and medium-sized firms have when entering into international business. If there is not a strong supply chain, then it can be difficult to establish a presence in a foreign market. Just as in the case used in this article, sometimes a company’s strategies need to change because something comes up that it did not foresee. What works well in the home market may not always prove successful overseas. Family-run businesses have the additional problem of personally knowing the other partners in the business. One hallmark about family-run businesses is that they are usually founded on a certain principle or belief, and this may need to be adapted when expanding

Report---Morrisons Supermarkets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Report---Morrisons Supermarkets - Essay Example It also has a long standing management team to support such expansion. The level of service it gives to the customers is also high. The internal weakness of the company is that it is dependent on the market of UK. It is also uncertain over the long term acquisitions it has undertaken. It has a lower quality of Safeway estate. Their business model is very labour intensive. The external opportunities which the company now faces are the diversification of its business into new market. It has generated synergies through Safeway merger. Another opportunity facing the company is their expansion through online medium. It has decided to increase operations online. The Morrison faces many threats from its surrounding environments like Price wars. It is quite possible for its main competitors to engage in price wars. The UK grocery industry is undergoing a change and the company also need to adapt to the change. Hence if the company can’t take advantage of this position it will lose out in the market. Next the macroeconomic forces affect the company. Political forces which affect the company are changes in government policies like taxation polices. Any change of it will minimise the profit margins for the company in such competitive environment. The economic forces which affect them are their local suppliers of the products like meat etc. which keeps control over the quality of the food. Another advantage which the company have is that it helps to keep the prices in check. Morrison has launched a way of recognising a colleague’s job profile by giving National Qualified Certificate. This is their way of changing the lifestyle of the employees. They have also launched a campaign aimed â€Å"Let’s Grow† which provides free gardening equipment to the local schools so that a healthy social balance in the society can be maintained. The IT infrastructure of Safeway was down-graded and hence it needs to improve on it. Morrison faces legal risk with re spect to the government policies regarding pollution control. It is a limited liability company and hence has to follow the legal way of doing business according to the companies Act. The company also has to take care of the environmental aspects like using long-life reusable bags instead of the free non –degradable plastic bags. As far as the financial performance of the company is concerned the revenues has increased by over 7 percent in 2011 while the gross profit has increased by around 6% in 2011. The operating profits have increased by around 7.60% in 2011 which is more than the increase in is gross profit. Hence the company has been able to decrease the operating costs. CW2 Executive Summary In United Kingdom the supermarket chain store is on rise. In this report we will take a look at one such supermarket store named Morrison Supermarket. We will take a look at the marketing strategies of the company which it used employed in their normal course of business. Being a g rocery store it has to continuously change its marketing strategy to keep in line with the other competitors. We will also look at the different models like BCG and Ansoff and analyse the ways used to employ their marketing strategies. Lastly we will take a look at the other strategies the company can employ to further increase their business growth. Contents Executive Summary 4 Contents 5 Introduction 6 Analysis and Critical evaluation of Morrison’s Supermarkets 6 Analysis of Strategic Direction of Morrison’

Personal statement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 26

Personal statement - Essay Example Without it the resources of production remain resources and never become production† (p.147). This proves that management is a crucial activity for the welfare of a business. This is probably one of the reasons why I have chosen business management as the subject in university. I also believe that business management is a vast topic and is applicable to every sphere of business. I have always found business management to be an interesting subject for its scope and range. In the early days of my academic career, I never thought of making business management as a profession, but as soon I become aware of the concept I did not give a second thought and decided to pursue a career in this domain. The interest further grew when I started to oversee our family business which was initiated by my father long back. I have personally experienced the role played by business management in driving our firm towards success. The incident happened 3 years back when our family business was not doing well and for consecutive 3 months, we suffered hefty monetary losses. At this point of time my father stepped in as a manager, despite being the owner. I have seen him to appl y all the concepts of management such as planning, controlling, motivating and administering in the business to identify and rectify the root causes. As a result of the application of the management concepts, our business again became organized and started to earn profits. This episode has really fostered me to believe in business management as a profession in the future. The high school learning has helped me to identify the advantages and disadvantages of this subject, yet I always felt that I need to learn more about the subject. This eagerness to learn the subject still drives me and is one of the major factors that encouraged me to apply business and management course in the university. I believe that my work experience as an

British Social Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

British Social Policy - Essay Example Starting from the Old Poor Law (established by Elizabethan Act in 1572) which provided the relief to the poor (provision for work, help to immigrations and compulsory poor rate), and up to the current social security benefits (child support, unemployment, income support, and pensions), the social policy has gone though the number of reforms which have changed the delivery of the social and financial assistance. In the early 18th century the number of immigrants to Britain has much increases and most of them were living behind the line of poverty. From economic perspective, the situation in the country was stable and, as the result, the government was able to address the needs of the poor. In particular, the workhouses and poorhouses were established where poor could work and satisfy their basic needs. However, the situation has started to change in the 19th century when the industrial revolution fostered the development of the towns and the rapid population growth. From microeconomic perspective, the government was no longer able to deliver social benefits to the poor and the poverty rate doubled (Laybourn 1995). The Poor Law did not meet the needs of people because the increased population was beyond the British ability to provide for and, moreover, the Poor Law was undermining the wages of the independent workers. The health perspective of social policy was first addressed by the Br... Medical care remained private and voluntary, even though the number of infirmaries grew rapidly. Interestingly, until 1885, there was the law that required people to be poor in order to use infirmaries (Poynter 1960). In the early 1900s, the government has laid the foundation of the modern social policy and social services and the infrastructure of the public services was developed. In the period of 1905-1911 the following acts were developed: Unemployment Workmen Act, Education Act (free school meals), School Medical Services, Pension Act, Labour Exchange Act, National Insurance Act. As the result of such governmental concern with the social policy, the delivery of the social services has much improved and the poverty rate significantly reduced. During the inter-war period, the Widows, Orphans and Old Age Contributory Pension Act was introduced which granted the financial assistance to those who were unable to earn for living because of war (Poynter 1960). The so-called wartime perspective has further influenced the delivery of social policy to British population. In 1942 the National Insurance system was proposed which rested on three perceptions: family allowances, national health service delivery and full employment. The key elements of the welfare state after 1948 included social security, health, housing, education and welfare of children. Unlike the Poor Law that separated these social services, the new social policy was focused on inter-relating the nature of the services as well as emphasizing the importance of each. From theoretical perspective, the Welfare State was not intended to reduce the poverty, but to encourage the provision of social services on the same grounds as roads and libraries (Alcock

The UAE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The UAE - Essay Example Moreover, it was recently ranked number 40 out of the 183 countries with regard to the overall ease of conducting business. This article explores the business environment of the UAE by examining its PESTL environments. The United Arabs Emirates (UEA) is a Middle East country bordering the Arabian Gulf and Oman Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and Oman. It is a federation of seven countries established in 1971with its members operating under one federal government. The country which is a monarchy is politically stable. Even though democracy sometimes is jeopardized, citizens enjoy a lot of freedom. UAE has four levels of governments: President, Federal National Council, High Council, and Local Emirs. What is evident is that most powers are vested in the hands of the Emirs. As such, no authority is allowed beyond Emirs, implying that citizens from different Emirates have absolutely no say on political issues (Kjeilen 2004). The UAE enjoys favorable diplomatic relations with several countries. It has close ties with most Arab countries including Egypt and Pakistan. The country’s main export markets include Germany and the United Kingdom even as the U.S. and France maintain security related cooperation with the country. The government has made great effort to increase spending on job creation, opening up space for private investor involvement as well as expanding its infrastructural facilities to create a favorable environment for business and investment. The government’s commitment to promote business and investment is also seen when it created a free trade zone in UAE. The zone was mainly established by the government as a way of promoting direct foreign investment in the country. This implies that there are no limits on overseas ownership within UAE. The government in this case allows foreign investors to establish fully-owned companies within the free trade zones, which currently stand at

Hollywood Science Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hollywood Science - Research Paper Example The film presents the scenario of doing a spacewalk extremely well. Notably, the visual impact of the astronauts to possess only the glass of their helmet between them and the Earth is legitimate in scientific terms. Similarly, the director renders the physicality and movement during the spacewalk in an accurate manner. Many scenes reveal the challenging attempt of the astronauts to start a motion and stop it in the vacuum place. It is scientifically correct that stopping motion in the vacuum is difficult. Although the execution of realism by detailing the real danger of the space travel is evident in the film, the closer examination of Gravity shows minor scientific flaws. Largely, the film Gravity violates the laws of physics. Notably, it is difficult for the astronauts to hop from a particular spacecraft to another easily. The shift from one station to the other demands tremendous energy, as well as, careful planning in order to change the orbits. The capturing of the simplicity to navigate in the space evokes questions about the plausibility of the application of the laws of physics. Hence, the film makes a notable error in presenting the shifting as an easy endeavor in the space. Similarly, the film fails to utilize the fundamental facts of science when the director presents a character struggling out in a vacuum. It is a mystery for Clooney to release Bullock’s tether, and the attempt makes the two characters to drift away from each other. In reality, the space has zero gravity. Thus, the scientific laws should dictate that a single tug would automatically bring bodies together instead of separating them. Efthimbiou and Ralph contend that a failure to incorporate fundamental scientific facts render sci-fiction films less informing. In essence, the film recreates the shuttle, the spacesuits, and space station perhaps to add drama or extend the plot. Arguably, overemphasis of the simulation of the physics about thrusts and counter-spin is noticeable in

Assignment 5 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

5 - Assignment Example † All organizations need to realize the important of human resources and the value they give to the firm via their services. Human resource functions are critical for all companies regardless of their niche or size. The employees of the organization are the main resources that execute the objectives of the firm. However, while setting a human resource unit, an organization should look at the service composition of the department. These may include payroll and tax administration, legal compliance, liability protection, negotiation of benefits, administration of benefits, acquisition of talent, hiring employees, managing performance, leadership training, attendance and time monitoring, employee development, and guidance and review on termination. All these specific functions of human resource management need to be performed in a systematic mode so that all needs of the employees are catered by the firm in a successful manner. Performing human resource management functions success fully will allow organizations to gain a strong competitive edge in the business market. According to a 2010 study by the Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA), chief executives believe that their human resource departments are crucial components of their businesses (3). Regarding performance, the study documented that senior HR is as essential as any other organizational pillar of a company. Fifty per cent of chief executives in the study had led their companies through enormous growth from 2008 to 2010. The other half had been leaders of companies that went through severe economic challenges during the same period that led to downsizing. In the two cases, the HR department contributed significantly to the management of effective work levels. This was crucial for the resilience of the organizations during the time of turbulence ("The Role and Future of HR"). The chief executives of the companies that experienced growth, acknowledged the importance of HR in attracting tale nt. The ones from companies that downsized were of the opinion that the most critical contribution of HR was in ensuring that the communication with employees remained transparent during the difficult times. They also helped in retaining the best talent. Retaining talented employees is crucial for long term success as market is becoming competitive with every passing day. From the study, it is clear that the HR department is a business partner that has the ability to see a company through moments of great success and economic threats alike. Consequently, a weak HR department would help bring a company to an early demise ("The Role and Future of HR"). Therefore, it is important for all organizations to ensure that they have a competitive HR department to manage their human resources. How Poor, Neglected â€Å"Operations† Is in Fact the Ugly Duckling That Can Mature Into A Swan Many MBA graduates avoid working in the operations departments of organizations because they hold the se areas with a low opinion. The fresh MBAs have in mind that these jobs are done by low qualified people and hence they do not accept such offers. Most companies are out to improve their operations to attract more talent because without operations businesses cannot exist. The second part of this paper provides information on how a company can improve its operations. Over the past five years, most companies have experienced a slump in their growth. At the same time, the costs of sales and marketing have been increasing.

Graphics Design Firm Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free

Graphics Design Firm Marketing Plan Essay Executive Summary: The Metolius Agency is a Graphic design and visual communication firm based in new Concord, New Hampshire. Operating from a small office the company will be targeting a consumer base of 5-15 year old companies and provide them with unique perspectives on corporate identity and visual communication. For the first 7 months Keivs will be handling the firm’s affairs alone after which he will hire an assistant to help him in design and administration. The competitive edge Metolius has is Keivs’ knowledge of not only creative but also business skills that will make it possible for the company to attract its business-oriented clients because of a practical backing to their creative approach Overtime the company will grow due to its low overhead, creative and practical designs attracting increasing consumer attention, reaching profits in the first 9 months and generating $27,347 by the third year. Objective: With a realistic mission statement that focuses on delivering above expectation to customers and good customer relationships, the main objective of the firm is to s to position The Metolius Agency as a creative, unconventional, and innovative graphic design and visual communication firm in the Concord, NH area. In addition Metolius will set its marketing objectives to: a. Increase visibility in the market. b. Generate 30% new business through referrals each quarter, after year one. c. Strengthen brand equity through informal polling during networking activities. The financial objectives will include: a. Maintain positive, steady, growth each month. b. Reach profitability by the end of year one. c. Continue to decrease the variable costs associated with serving a project. Situation Analysis: The Metolius Agency requires a good analysis of both the = market and itself to serve its customers better. The information gathered by the company about the market shows that the potential market is divided into small and medium companies and has shown a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 7.65% over 4 years (2002-2006). The graphic design industry reached $812 million in 2000 and it is predicted that for the next five years it will grow at 5.6%. The increasing desires to appear professional and use the Internet have been attributed to this growth in the industry. Also contrary to the decade old market trend of advertisement agencies offering full service with minimal or no outsourcing, the Metolius agency will concentrate only on their specific skill sets. The company plans to provide customers with a wide selection of its designs and services, better accessibility by centralizing service provision, impressive customer service and competitive pricing. The services offered will be charged by the hour and $75 will roughly be the charge/hour demanded by Metolius. Through SWOT analysis it has been established that the strengths of the company are focus, elegant office space and amalgamation of the business with the creative sense, and the main opportunities for the firm are a growing market, growth based on technological advancement and also low co-relation with downfalls in the economy. The struggle to be cutting edge, to inform the customers and remove time for marketing activities have been identified as weaknesses, and local competition (i.e. large agencies, freelancers and Kinko’s), easy to use software that allow potential clients to cater their own needs and a demographic change due to shift in local industries are the main threats to the firm. Marketing Strategy: A graphic firm relies on referrals and efficient networking and not advertising to generate sales. Based on the market research of several focus groups and a research project completed by three University of New Hampshire graduates, Metolius has devised a 3 point marketing strategy, consisting of networking, client referral, targeted customer acquisition to gain visibility and increase sales. The networking will involve using Kievs’ personal and professional contacts to arrange meetings and get customers. Client referrals will come from the customers and the chambers of commerce who will be impressed by Kievs’ work. Kiev will also be shortlisting companies and finding ways to approach their decision makers and close a deal. Also putting content of all releases on the internet and management of search engine submissions will be done by outsourcing the work to specialists at an internet and e-commerce consultancy firm, â€Å"1st-at-the-top.com†. The firm has identified its market to be the small and medium scale companies in Concord that have been operating for 5-15 years. Metolius will position itself as a focused and innovative graphic design and visual communication firm in the market by dwelling on Kiev’s diverse background of business and creativity. Marketing Mix: The Metolius Agencys marketing mix is comprised of approaches to pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, and customer service. * Pricing: The pricing scheme will be based on per project fee that will be calculated by the hours required for a project plus any other additional costs. * Distribution: The distribution of services will be either via the central office or via the Internet. * Advertising and Promotion: The most successful activities will be a comprehensive networking campaign, as well as a targeted customer acquisition system. * Customer Service: In order to ensure long-term profitability, all expenses will be born for customer service to achieve total customer satisfaction. Financial Projections: Metolius requires monthly revenue of $8760 to break even. It is forecasted that in 3 years time (2002, 2003, 2004) the company will grow sufficiently such that the total sales revenue will roughly double to $145,392 and the total expenses even though will rise they will get smaller in comparison to the Revenues by as much as 1.5% and become 4.35% at the end of the third year. Therefore it could be concluded that the business will always be yielding and fast growing. Review and Control: The following areas will be monitored to gauge performance: Revenue: monthly and annual. Expenses: monthly and annual. Repeat business. Customer service. This will be done by setting up a start and end date for a jobs, assigning the budget for the job and the job to a manager and department so that it can be monitored. Marketing Organization: Initially Kievs alone will head and manage the marketing function till he hires an assistant for help in the 7th month. Contingency Plan: The difficulties and risks posed to Metolius and the worst case scenarios must be addressed in the contingency plan. Problems with generating visibility, landing large projects for increase income and increasing competition are some of the difficulties the firm will face. The worst-case scenarios will be if the firm can’t achieve profits and must liquidate assets to cover liabilities.

Clubhouse Facilities For The Youth Physical Education Essay

Clubhouse Facilities For The Youth Physical Education Essay Young people are trying to make an impact and make a positive transition to adulthood. This research will provide an over view of what facilities the youth need and want. Out of school services for the youth is essential. Youth are concerned about not having enough facilities for them. Most youths even use this as an excuse when they end up in trouble. When most youths are asked what problems they go through they tend to say boredom and nothing to do For the purpose of this research clubhouse will be defined as an enclosed space used for regular gathering for different purposes these being leisure and social purposes. Youths need to progress from childhood to adulthood therefore clubhouses can play a role in the development of such services to them. Lack of youth facilities are the main barriers towards youths involvement in recreational activities. Clubhouses are an ideal place to meet friends and socialize. Sports activities, fitness centers music clubs and the likes can all be incorporated into a clubhouse. Problem Statement Most clubhouses in Malaysia do not have facilities for the youth. The youth are increasing in population and a need for an environment for them to interact and grow in a responsible but monitored way is of importance. This intern would help reduce crime, drug abuse and other mischief the youths engage in. Scope of Research Most clubhouses in Negeri Sembilan do not accommodate for an eco-friendly environment and youth facilities. The aim of this research is to improve the design of clubhouses so as to also cater for the youth in and around Malaysia. This will be done by a comparison of clubhouse facilities in Negeri Sembilan. Negeri Sembilan will be ideal because it is the state which has the highest number of clubhouses in Malaysia. Research Purpose The purpose of this research is to identify and investigate facilities offered by clubhouses. This information can then be used for the design of an environmentally friendly and eco- conscious clubhouse for the youth. The research will take into consideration two issues Whether existing clubhouses accommodate for the youth And what facilities would be appropriate and engaging for the youth This will be done through reviewing existing clubhouses and analyzing leisure trends for the youth. Research Objectives Identify the required comfortable facilities of a clubhouse Investigate and evaluate the suitability of current or existing facilities of a clubhouse To identify the requirements to develop a clubhouse which can meet the current and future demands of the youth. Recommend the required or proper facilities to be applied for the youth and determine strategies that will help these clubhouses meet youths needs Research Questions Why do clubhouses not accommodate for the youth? What do the youth have to say about it? Will the availability of clubhouse youth facilities improve youth behavior and encourage the young adults? What eco-friendly facilities do the youths need? Does the community think youth facilities are necessary and important for the development of the youth How many youths would actually use the clubhouse facilities? How eco-friendly are the facilities in existing clubhouses Hypothesis the hypothesis throughtout this research is h0 Non participation by youth in youth activities can be related to the inadequacy of existing clubhouses dealing with the provision of youth facilities h1 Availability Youth facilities in accordance to youths needs and wants are linked to a range of positive outcomes from the youth. h3 the lack of youth facilities for the youth in Negeri Sembilan leads to the youths neglecting the existing clubhouse facilities. Methodology Audit of existing clubhouse facilities Analysis of clubhouse sites Review reports and studies Analysis of sport, recreational and social trends influencing the youth Survey of clubhouse organizations Community survey (questionaires) Group meetings with young adults(youths) Conclusion This chapter has attempted to expose the main problem underpinning the research. As the reasearcher I am left with several questions that specific answers are being sought. The following chapters will help me derive answers and conclusions or recoomodation for the question raised by the research questions C:UsersThe Beauty clinicDownloadslinton.jpg C:UsersThe Beauty clinicDownloadscoventry Names Ruth Rumbidzai Mataswa Matric card number Cuadt4-09/09-00026 Subject Design And Project Implement (Workshop) Title Research Proposal Lecturer Ms.Lin Yola CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW Defining Youth Clubhouse Facility Clubhouse Guidelines Youth Facilities Youth Facility Planning Framework Planning of Youth Facilities Classification of Youth Facilities Introduction Introduction A clubhouse is a building or an area used for social or recreational purposes and activities. It gives individuals the opportunity to relax and exercise their interests and abilities.They are several clubhouses in Negeri Sembilan a state in Malaysia. The initiative aims is to enhance opportunity for young adults to become physically active through the development of a eco-friendly leisure environment. Identifying the impact and factors that affect participation in leisure centres and focusing on actions that can be taken to improve participation can be done through exploring key concepts.Attending leisure centres is important inorder to maintain health and slowing down the deterioration of an individuals body and mind.. A club house arises from the necessity to create a public facility, the purpose of the club house is to provide opportunity for young adults ages 18-25 to experience an eco friendly environment and encourage interaction amoung each other.As Young adults are dealing with identity and purpose, a club house will serve as a community and entertainment area for them. A clubhouse has the potential to reshape orientation for young adults in several ways. This would motivate young adults to not get involved in crime, and instead join and meet together and encourage each other. The size and arrangement of spaces within the facility and the siting of the building should support and optimize the operation of the clubhouses activities. The primary purpose of a club house is to create and provide opportunity for the community to pursue their recreational interests. It also important to improve the physical environment and its accessibility AIM OF CLUBHOUSE The club house should achieve three goals Control and support activities in an eco friendly environment for the community Amenity for the community Service to the community A clubhouse should be accessible to as many community patrons as feasible. It should be visible from main circulation of the community, to increase accessibility.There are many aspects to a good club house but mainly it should serve the current and future needs of the club, culture, ability and gender. It should also be attractive, high quality, efficient and economical.The success of the clubhouse will depend on the responsiveness of its activity mix to the wishes of the community population, and to the effectiveness of the clubhouses internal organization and its location in the community. 2.0 The first stage for this review is to clarify from the literature the utilization of every of the terms. in this case definition of the youth, facilities, clubhouse and definition of a youth clubhouse DEFINING 2.1 YOUTH The United Nations General Assembly defines Youth as the persons falling between the ages of 15 24 years inclusive9.( UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.) The emerging of a new interim of social status between childhood and adulthood.(Jensen Rojek, 1998). The concept of adolescence has also been referred to in the literature as youth. From this perspective, it is apparent that youth are a uniquely separate group, requiring special attention to their needs as they move through this critical development period called adolescence (Siegel Welsh, 2005). It is felt that this is the right age and stage where the youth should be shaped and molded into responsible adults (Jensen Rojek, 1998, p37). In Malaysia, Putrajaya the youth are defined as the persons of age 18 and 25 under the new national Youth policy. Sports Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek just recently confirmed the change of youth definition from 18 40 years to 18-25 years this was done in accordance to international standards. United Nations defines youth as 15 to 24years whilst Common wealth defines it as 15 to 29 years. According to these literatures it is clear that the youth are considered to be those persons aged between 15 and 24 years, and from my perspective, I think the youth need attention as they develop. Youth is generally the time of life between childhood and adulthood (maturity) Among other youth related issues, the World Program of Action for Youth to the year 2000 and beyond identifies several issues that should be of high priority to Government and what the government are expected to offer the youth. Leisure time activities, is in the top ten of their highest priority. This brings us to the literature of leisure activities, which in this case can be achieved through the use of clubhouses. 2.1.1 FACILITY Something that creates the potential of better performance of any action; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ freedom from difficulty; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ ease; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a building or complex of buildings, designed for a particular purpose, as for the holding of a sporting contest 2.1.2 CLUBHOUSE Is a building or enclosed area used as a regular gathering place by a group of people Community centre where community members gather for group activities, social support, public information and other purposes. Youth clubhouse: it is popularly known as a youth centre,it is an area where youth gather for recreational and leisure activities The youth centers are integrated into the mainstream community centers and have deliberately been not built as stand alone youth facilities. (Paul Leung) The International Clubhouse Coordination and Development helps support and coordinate the development of clubhouses, and helps coordinate training and on-going technical support on the club model through club training. It was established in 1994 and is bases in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. The ICCD maintains associate international certification process (ICCD Certification),a fidelity live, and a set of International Standards for club Programs. ICCD certification may be a clear demonstration of a clubhouses quality and commitment to excellence, associated provides an objective analysis of quality associated performance and an enlarged awareness of a clubhouses strengths and needs. The ICCD also provides technical help for stakeholders seeking to implement the model, a shift employment development program and may be a clearinghouse for clubhouse information. The Program for building analysis (PCR) at the University of Massachusetts graduate school conducts research relating to building effectiveness also as quality improvement efforts. One endeavor at the PCR is conducting a comprehensive survey of clubhouses affiliated with the ICCD for functions of quality assurance and program improvement. building administrators complete the survey designed to get info regarding the ways during which clubhouses opportunities for their members as well as individual outcomes for members utilizing clubhouse employment opportunities. The International Survey of Clubhouses seeks to look at and improve services provided in building programs affiliated with the International Center for building Development. One implicit goal underlying the International Survey of Clubhouses involves strengthening program infrastructure each by increasing the capability of clubhouses to gather valid and reliable info on a timely basis. The International Survey of Clubhouses seeks a range of knowledge regarding building characteristics, governance and administration, membership, staffing and staff credentials, unit structure, employment, housing activities, services, and participation in building training. 2.2 CLUBHOUSE GUIDELINES Careful planning of the accommodation is essential to confirm a roaring theme and special consideration ought to be given to the following points: The accommodation may be expanded to include: club/committee room offices restaurants fitness centre exercise studio physic treatment and first aid room bar and lounge dining area other social and indoor sports accommodation Library grounds maintenance store computer room However having these extra sports and social aspects depend on their potential to attract maximized use of the facility. The LGAQ Guidelines (1996:105-6) suggest that community facilities be understood as a means to an end in terms of multiple purposes they serve in the community: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ providing focal points for community interaction, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ building community identity, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ providing places and resources for meetings, community organising and activities, strengthening relationships, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ building responsible, self-supportive and safe communities, and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Providing places and resources for delivery of services. 2.3 YOUTH FACILITY PLANNING FRAMEWORK FRAMEWORK à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a structure composed of parts fitted and united together, designed to support or enclose something The Social Planning Guidelines for Queensland Local Government (LGAQ 1996:105) pushes the limitations of this definition by asserting that community facilities can also be taken to include areas of open space such as parks, gardens, playgrounds, recreation areas, sports fields and bush lands. [p105] However, having pushed the limits of the definition, the Social Planning Guidelines immediately revert to a discussion of buildings. International literature reveals that integral to developing a youth facility planning framework is a clear understanding of the nexus, linking youth policy, youth participation and youth planning. 2.4 YOUTH FACILITIES Developing clear access or inclusion programs to ensure the youth facility is integrated into existing community facilities. It builds on a vision of more effective, accessible services for youth. It also integrates an array of services including: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ health and health education; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ career counselling and job placement; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ education, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ the creative and physical arts; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ food services and nutrition counselling; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ prenatal care and services for adolescent parents, including nursery care; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ mental health counselling; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ substance abuse prevention and treatment services; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ legal counselling and representation; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ youth leadership training; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ information and referral services; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ a variety of support services. Daly (2000:89-90) argues that the development of specific facilities requires project planning methodology According to Daly (2000:87) an approach to planning facilities is one that involves: Audit of existing facilities Future needs or opportunities analysis Classification of the facility types required at local, regional, state and international levels. 2.5 PLANNING OF YOUTH FACILITIES For the planning of youth facilities in particular, equity and social justice, rational distribution, integration, access, community development, location and collocation are identified as important. Several similar planning processes are considered. The significant insight offered by Daly (2000) is that a planning process at a regional or citywide level will involve a strategic planning process; but the planning of a specific facility requires a project planning methodology. 2.6 OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES FOR FACILITY PLANNING Daly (2000:77-80) identifies six objectives for regional level facility planning these being 1. Equity and social justice 2. Rational distribution 3. Integration 4. Access 5. Future provision 6. Conservation and environmental sustainability For each, Daly (2000) articulates planning principles: 1. Equity and social justice Consideration for the needs of all sections of the community regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or ability. Principles: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identify and set aside land to meet the needs of existing and future population à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide facilities and open spaces capable of being adapted to meet the changing needs of the community over time à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maintain a balance of active and passive uses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide open space of high amenity 2. Rational distribution (A hierarchical structure ensures state and metropolitan, regional and local facilities complement each other) Principles: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Local facilities provide a range of recreation and sports services à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Regional facilities provide a wide range of recreation and specialist sport facilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ State facilities have state significance and provide specialist facilities 3. Integration (Linkages with other community facilities, proximity to centres, and multiple use) Principles: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Encourage co-location in centres à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Encourage multiple use à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Proximity to education, shopping, office and community facilities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Design to accommodate as many different uses as possible à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide for a range and combination of uses 4. Access (Access by public and private transport is maximized) Principles: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ensure access by public, private and community transport à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide pedestrian and cycle linkages to residential areas à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Ensure facilities are designed to be accessible 5. Future provision (Adequate land is provided in appropriate locations) Principles: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Identify and set aside land to meet the needs of existing and future population à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide facilities and open spaces capable of being adapted to meet the changing needs of the community over time à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Maintain a balance of active and passive uses à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide open space of high amenity 6. Conservation and environmental sustainability (Designing and locating facilities should take into account conservation of the environment) Principles: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Environmentally suitable design à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Locate to minimise obtrusive effects on the living environment à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Orient facilities and spaces with appropriate landscaping à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Provide adequate lighting à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Use design features to design the edges of public spaces and give direction . 2.6 CLASSIFICATION OF YOUTH FACILITIES The Social Planning Guidelines for Queensland Local Government (1996:106-7) identify three types of community facilities according to their principal function: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ community activity centres where groups of people can meet and community activities can be conducted; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ community service centres from which a range of community services are provided; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ special purpose centres where design and usage restricts use for other purposes. Uses the following typology: Community infrastructure is defined as community, cultural, sport and recreation facilities, as outlined below: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sports: indoor and outdoor sports facilities, including courts, fields and centres à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Recreation: pedestrian and cycle pathways, public spaces, and facilities used for formal and informal recreation purposes à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cultural: facility used for cultural purposes, including art gallery, library, theatre, cinema, museum, art/craft centres à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Community: facilities and services used for broad community purposes, including primary and high schools, University/TAFE, child care, church/religious centre, community and neighbourhood centre, community hall, hospital, medical/health centre, nursing home/aged care, caravan park, public housing, police station, and emergency services, key shopping centre/nodes. CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY Introduction As from the previous chapter the literature review has given me an overview and foundation by which to base my research. It is quite clear that there is limited research to facilities of a clubhouse compared to a comparison of existing clubhouses. Background of site The study area is in Negeri Sembilan one of the states in Malaysia. It covers an area of 6643 square km and its state capital is Seremban. The royal capital is Seri Menanti in the district of Kuala Pilah. Other important towns are Port Dickson, Nilai and Mantin. I will be focusing on Nilai, Seremban and Mantin in particular because these are the only towns that have clubhouses. Nilai is a rapidly growing town and is mostly occupied by students because of the surrounding universities. Mantin is another town in Negeri Sembilan and is under administration of Nilai District. It is along the main road connecting Seremban to Kajang. Seremban Was declared as a city and is the capital of Negeri Sembilan.it is situated about 30 km inland from the coast For the purpose of this research both qualitative research methods are to be used in order to answer the research questions and achieve the research objectives as stated in chapter one. The research is to be conducted in the area of negeri Sembilan in Malaysia. The methods used to gain qualitative ideas of clubhouse facilities will be Literature review Case studies Questionnaires Interviews I will place the methods in hierarchal order Literature review and case study will be gathered for guidelines and brainstorming. Interviews and questionnaires will be used for information gathering purposes. The purpose of my methodology would be to Detail the research collection method Explore community considerations on clubhouses Identify what facilities the youth need from a clubhouse Residents within Negeri Sembilan would be surveyed using questionnaires. Structed interviews will also be conducted with the relevant clubhouse owners, managers, residents and clubhouse users. The use of clubhouse questionnaires and interviews is made in a way that my research is easier and would help me relate with what the community also think of existing clubhouses. Methodology process I will take Finalize literature review Select case study Make questionnaire and interview questions Review and revise questionnaire Schedule survey and interview dates Conduct interviews and survey Compile and analyze results Report findings Develop recommendations CASE STUDY I will be concentrating on clubhouses in Negeri Sembilan Malaysia. The first case study will be Staffield clubhouse because it is one of the best clubhouses in Malaysia and number one in Negeri Sembilan The second will be Nilai Spring clubhouse then Seremban international clubhouse. nsemb60 FIG 3.1 MAP OF NEGERI SEMBILAN ANd9GcQ5703XNqJMGaUq6472hmQIDBHqTdpsnEL8JEtokV_ORYu2_o31Dg FIG3.2 NILAI SPRING CLUBHOUSE ANd9GcTAUVney1WF0O-QKq7b7osw0QTJKwShxQgL2m3A2AhxvyzE-8EU FIG3.3 SEREMBAN INTERNATIONAL CLUBHOUSE club FIG3.4 STAFFIELD CLUBHOUSE MANTIN These three clubhouse case studies will be for comparison purposes in terms of clubhouse facilities offered. Comparison Will compare several clubhouses with the intention to differentiate the facilities they offer. Comparative research is a flexible way of comparing things especially when I need to derive a sufficient distinguishing of facilities which are offered by clubhouses. QUESTIONNAIRE The content of the questionnaire was developed in accordance to the research questions and much attention paid to the research objectives. The questionnaire was designed to determine the level of satisfaction with the range and type of clubhouse facilities existing. INTERVIEWS This is a form of qualitative research, it will come in the form of structured interview questions that will result in a meaningful and helpful collection of data. This type of research is very essential, in order to gain an understanding of clubhouses and their facilities and as well as community interests when it comes to clubhouses around their area or that they attend to. Chapter four Bar Chart 1: Respondents Age Most of the respondents are of the age 22 and the rest are at a constant of either 18, 20 and 21-24years Bar Chart2: Respondents Gender 47.5% of the respondents where males 34.4% of the respondents where female Bar Chart3: Respondents who have visited a clubhouse or been a member 72% have visited or been a member of a clubhouse 28% have not visited or been a member of a clubhouse before Bar Chart3: Respondents who have clubhouses around their area Majority of the respondents have clubhouses around their area Bar Chart4: respondents on if the existing clubhouses accommodate for them Most of the respondents believe that clubhouses around their area do not accommodate for them. Whilst the rest think they are adequate. PieChart1: Respondents male or female Slightly more males participated in the survey than females PieChart1: Respondents male or female on them being interested in attending More females are interested in attending or being a member of a clubhouse Bar Chart5: respondents on the rating of existing clubhouse facilities The facilities in existing clubhouses are of low standards whereas the others are of average standards offered Facilities Responses Percent of Cases N Percent offered facilities in existing clubhousea resturant 33 19.5% 68.8% ballroom(events) 11 6.5% 22.9% library 14 8.3% 29.2% clinic 10 5.9% 20.8% exercise studio 19 11.2% 39.6% bar 17 10.1% 35.4% indoor sport 20 11.8% 41.7% music studio 14 8.3% 29.2% lounge 17 10.1% 35.4% outdoor sport 10 5.9% 20.8% dance studio 4 2.4% 8.3% Total 169 100.0% 352.1% Table 1: respondents on facilities offered Restaurants seem to be a popular facility offered in the existing clubhouses Swimming pool comes closely after restaurant followed by indoor Sport important Facilities Responses Percent of Cases N Percent important clubhouse facilities fitness centre 6 27.3% 46.2% indoor Sports area 2 9.1% 15.4% music and Dance 1 4.5% 7.7% computer and internet cafe 1 4.5% 7.7% library 1 4.5% 7.7% ballroom 2 9.1% 15.4% resturant 3 13.6% 23.1% bar 6 27.3% 46.2% Total 22 100.0% 169.2% Table2: respondents on important facilities The youth picked fitness centre and bar as an important facility for them in comparison with other facilities. Restaurants and indoor sport where also considered as important . Appropriate Facilities Responses Percent of Cases N Percent appropriate for the youtha artAndDesign 24 9.7% 48.0% outdoorSport 22 8.9% 44.0% music studio 29 11.7% 58.0% cooking room 21 8.5% 42.0% fitness beauty Centre 19 7.7% 38.0% lounge 21 8.5% 42.0% computer room 18 7.3% 36.0% drama,film,drama 16 6.5% 32.0% indoor sport 13 5.2% 26.0% library 13 5.2% 26.0% BBq n Grill 15 6.0% 30.0% resturant 12 4.8% 24.0% swimming pool 25 10.1% 50.0% Total 248 100.0% 496.0% . Table3 : respondents on appropriate facilities The appropriate and engaging facilities the youth area most interested in are Music studio with 58.% Swimming pool with 50% Art and design with 48% Outdoor sport with 44% Cooking room and lounge seem to be of the same percentage of interest with in most cases 42% These are the five youth facilities the youth find interesting to them. INTERVIEW WITH CLUB MANAGERS ON EXISTING CLUBHOUSES Nilai Clubhouse Seremaban Clubhouse Mantin Clubhouse Existing clubhouses that offer facilities Responses Percent of Cases N Percent existing clubhouses existing clubhouses 1 33.3% 50.0%

Having an Inter professional team

Having an Inter professional team This essay is meant to throw light on the importance of having an inter- professional team that would make the service delivery to patients easier. In this essay I will discuss the roles played by nurses and other professionals in the team. The essay will reflect the efficiency of such a team and their work distribution and involvement. I will highlight the ways in which a team of professionals will work together to take proper decisions during emergency situations and tackle them effectively. The essay will also critically evaluate the various concepts of inter professional team work. An inter-professional team is a group of people who have a certain common goals or objectives which drives them to work together by setting aside individual goals. Inter professional team can be defined as a dynamic process involving two or more health care professionals with complementary backgrounds and skills, sharing common health goals and exercising concerted physical and mental effort in assessing, planning, or evaluating patient care, accomplished through interdependent collaboration, open communication and shared decision-making, and generates value-added patient, organizational and staff outcomes (Xyrichis and Ream 2007). Freeth et al (2005) defined inter professional team work as when two or more professional learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care. ThinkingThere are some ways to see interprofessional working. One way is to view it as one which involves thinking, feeling and taking action based upon that (Hammick et.al 2009).Thus the three important aspects of interprofessional working is illustrated below: Being Inter-professional ssssss Feeling Doing/Acting Practising The healthcare sector started showing interest in the interprofessional working during the early 1990. (Institute of Medicine, 1998;ONeil and Pew Health Professions Commission 1998) An interprofessional team is working to provide service in a properly planned and systematic manner. In the health care sector inter professional teams are meant to develop groups that works towards efficiently rendering care to the patients. These teams include nurses, doctors, and other health care professionals. For a team to be efficient role clarity to inevitable and this will help them define their own duties and responsibilities avoiding conflicts (West and Markiowicz, 2004). A team essentially will have a team leader who will lead the team and motivate them to render good service working together (Martin and Rogers 2004). A health care team will work effectively if there is stability in the team, this will make the team member in the group work with shared trust and understanding (Gair and Hartery, (2001)). Interprofessional teams are of various types, they include multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary etc. In case of multidisciplinary teams the members are from various teams. These members set their own discipline specific goals and work towards achieving it. But ultimately the result is calculated as the total of all the disciplines (Dean and Geiringer 1990). The position of team members in the team hierarchy will affect the way in which the team functions and how it will render the service (Cotts, 1998). In case of a multidisciplinary team there exist subgroups of doctors, social workers, therapists and also subgroups which had nurses and other junior staff. Her study also unveiled the idea that the different subgroups had different perceptions about the inter professional teams. According to McWilliam et al (2003), interprofessional working is a very difficult task for health care professionals. The patients didnt get the full benefit of interprofessional working due to the misunderstanding between the health care professionals regarding the policies and procedures in it. Critics like Bion (1961) say that the interprofessional teams fail to focus on the real task they should be doing. The primary tasks for which they have come together is forgotten most of the by the interprofessional teams. Whenever there is an issue the teams to fail to reach at a consensus and they do not take proper decisions on the issue (Strokes 1994). The meetings conducted in order to take decision on the matter are just a waste of time. These assumptions are based on the work group mentality theory. Critics of interprofessional team have questioned the values of the team. It is said that the teams are not well managed and they do not work properly and responsibily. Negotiation theory puts forward the perspective of negotiating the personal and professional goals. (Strauss, 1978) The negotiations by professionals in the health care field have played a critical role in molding the characteristics of an interprofessional team. Loss and change theory reiterates that the health care professionals like doctors and nurses lose their professional identity as they are working in a team, this will lead to developing an improper relationship and improper behavior in the team (Atkins, 1998). Thus it critically points to the inter professional teams in that it wouldnt serve the purpose of forming a team and the unhappiness of the team members can lead to inefficient functioning. The increase of cost in hospitals will also result if there is lack of proper communication between the professionals like doctors, nurses and staff and also if they are not coordinated well. The roles played by nurses in the interprofessional teams are fast evolving. The importance of specialist skills for nurses is now recognized and new role have come up. Nurse Practitioner is an example of such a new role and they possess skill and knowledge in conducting therapy, and prescribing medications for patients who have psychiatric disorders or substance abuse problems. They are licensed to provide emergency psychiatric services, psychosocial and physical assessment of their patients, treatment plans, and manage patient care. While working in an interprofessional team, there is an increased chance of conflict between the team members regarding the superiority in the team. The truth is everyone is equal while working in a team and nobody should themselves subordinate to anyone. But sometimes the nurses and their opinions are ignored in an interprofessional team. Such events makes them reluctant to be a part of such teams (Martin Rogers, 2004). Task shifting is a common practice among the professionals now days (Reeves et.al, 2010). This would help the traditional professionals to relieve of their heavy workload. The nursing practitioners and physician assistants are such roles (Hooker McCaig, 2001). The multiplicative effects model of interprofessional working views it more than the sum of its parts. Here the synergy obtained from such work is described (Leathard, 1994). According to this model, interprofessional working improves the contributions of individual team members and thus will help in the overall development of team. Decision making is an essential in ingradient of all teams; it measures the efficiency of the group. Decision making in case of an interprofessional team also play key role deciding its service delivery process. The usual situation that happens in such teams is the unavailability of proper team leader and also reaching at a common consensus. The decision taken in team has the idea input all the members that needs to driven well in one direction for increasing effectiveness of the work the team does. Most of the important decisions concerning the activities of the team are taken mostly by the Doctors, or the medical staff in an inter professional team in hospitals. Solving important problems and resolving conflicts are the aims of masking decisions (Neil, 1978). There are a few hindrances for nurses to be part of interprofessional teams. The health care sector has shortages or less number of nurses, and those nurses who are available have increased amount of work. As a result of which there is a limitation in case of inter professional support and collaboration (Mckay Crippen, 2008). Another barrier that can be highlighted is the disinterest on the part of other departments to participate and actively involve in the team and work together. The culture and hierarchy of the organization also plays a role in the formation of teams in the organization. According to Henneman.et.al (1995) Collaboration involves a partnership characterized by mutual goals and commitments in which participants willingly become involved in planning and decision making. Henneman.et.al (1995) also proposed that collaboration is a process by which members of various disciplines (or agencies) share their expertise. Accomplishing this requires these individuals understand and appreciate what it is that they contribute to the whole. Many authors have suggested ways to make the intercollaboration more effective. According to Fullan (1993), effective collaborations operate in the world of ideas, examining existing practices critically, seeking better alternatives and working hard together at bringing about improvements and assessing their worth. According to Garner (1995) and Hoeman (1996), it should be by means of collaborative communication rather than shared communication that the interprofessional team approach evolves. Efforts were made from the part of many authors for increasing the literature on interprofessional education for health professional students. But Cooper, Carlisle, Gibbs, and Watkins (2001) pointed out this literature to be diverse including a relatively small amount of research data and much larger amounts of evaluation literature. There were almost thirty works done on interprofessional education and all of them aimed to increase the level of co-operation and understanding between the members in interprofessional teams as well as to encourage a high quality care for the patients. In olden times, the physical space for planning, decision making or joint activities in collaboration were all the same. It is because there were no medium for communicating from long distances. This kind of format was explained by Laungani in 1999 and Molyneux in 2001. The boom in information technology resulted in new approaches in this field. The use of email, video-conferencing, internet etc. have given a new look to interprofessional collaboration. Technology has resulted in an enhanced learning process as well increased the effectiveness of intercollaboration (Leathard 2003). The recent trends in inter-professionalism have acknowledged the need for marshalling the teams so that the members can work together sharing their thoughts in decision making, a mutual exchange of knowledge through teaching and learning, communication incorporated among the professionals and a finely tuned focus on involving the family of the patients into the process. Also there is an increasing identification of the necessity for interprofesional education for potential health care professionals. Another advancement that has happened in the interprofessional working groups is application of Lewins theory. This theory emphasize on the areas related to an individuals behavior and states that any change in rules would have an effect over the individual behavior (Ephross Vassil, 2005). This way the common issue of stereotyping that occurs in interprofessional working can be lessened. The development theory that was popular until now considered individual behavior as consistent. Both these theories are essential. I will be working for the betterment of the service provided to a patient using the things I learned. Working in an interprofessional team has made me get involved with the Doctors and other professional in the field and has helped to build a strategy that elevates the level of service rendering process. As a nurse am able to act in the right way a right direction in case of any emergency and otherwise. From now I will be able to put into practise the concept I learned. I am using the Gibbs Reflective Cycle for the case analysis. Reflective learning can be defined as an intentional process, where social context and experience are acknowledged, in which clients are active individuals, wholly present, engaging with others, and open to challenge, and the outcome involves transformation as well as improvement for both individuals and their organization (Brockbank, McGill and Beech, 2002:6). In the Gibbs Reflective Cycle, there are six components that help to gain knowledge from previous experiences. Gibbs (1988) have proposed about reflective learning that To reflect is not enough, you then have to put into practice the learning and new understanding you have gained therefore allowing the reflective process to inform your practice. The six components of Gibbs Reflective Cycle are: Description of the event- In this stage, one has to write down an abridged version of event that needs to be reflected upon. Hence it is important to get the maximum details about the event and in as objective way as u can in this stage. The answers to the following questions would help you here: Where were you? Who else was there? Why were you there? What were you doing there? What were other people doing? What had actually happened? What was the end result? The above questions would help in acquiring the relevant details about the event and summarize them. Feelings- Here you try to recall and explore the issues related to the event. These issues may be either ones that caused happiness or those which created dissatisfaction or grief in the mind of individual. Hence this is mainly concerned with the feelings of the person. Some relevant questions for this stage are: What was your feeling when the event started? What were your thoughts at that time? What do you feel about other peoples reactions? How did you feel about the result of the event? Enlist your emotions during this event. Hence all these questions are related to the feelings of the individual. Evaluation- In this stage, the event is evaluated based upon a pre-determined standard. After the evaluation, the event is given some value. Hence the following questions would be useful at this stage: What was it that made the experience a good one? What was bad about the experience? Analysis- In this stage, the event is broken down into small parts thus making it easier for exploration and judgment. The questions that may be useful here are: What made the event a success? What was it that you did well? What was it that other members did well? What went wrong? What you did that was wrong? What was the contribution of other members into this failure? Conclusion- This is the stage where you make the final judgment. After the evaluation and analysis, the individual would be quite aware about his own as well as other members contribution to the outcome of event. Thus the individual gains the ability to reflect upon his work from the past experiences. And this is what is called reflective learning. Hence the individual will become aware of his strengths and weak points and also learn about the abilities of other people. Action Plan- In this stage, the individual will think about his actions in the recurrence of similar event. He will decide about what he will be doing in such a case- Will his actions change? Will it be similar to before? Conclusion Finally the study focused through the Gibbs Reflective Cycle and it stated that in any sector especially the health care there is an elementary requirement of having an inter professional team. The study discussed about the importance of the reflection in the nursing practices as well as it application in daily routine. The team all ways will help in providing superior service since the decisions are taken as a team and under common grounds. Moreover, the inter-professional practices could vary more positive attitudes towards the team as well as within the social and health care.

Dependent Personality Disorder Essay -- essays research papers

A Psychological Aspect of Susan Smith: Dependent Personality Disorder   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On October 25, 1994, Susan Smith drowned her two sons, Michael and Alex, in the John D. Long Lake in Union County, South Carolina. For nine days she lied about knowing where the boys were. On November 3, she confessed to the killings and would soon go to trial. Susan’s defense team hired a psychiatrist to conduct a psychiatric evaluation of her. She was diagnosed as having dependent personality disorder. He described her as a person who â€Å"feels she can’t do anything on her own†. â€Å"She constantly needs affection and becomes terrified that she’ll be left alone† She was only depressed when she was alone. The psychiatrist studied her family history and concluded that based on her family history and his interviews with her, Susan had a tendency toward depression that began in her childhood. Susan’s attorney argued that his client was psychologically destabilized by a lifetime of betrayal. A father who killed himself when she was just six, a stepfather who sexually molested her as a child, a husband who cheated on her and a boyfriend who toyed with her affections (Pergament).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Her boyfriend testified that â€Å"the pleasure she got from sex was not physical pleasure, it was just in being close and being loved†. The psychiatrist testified that Susan had sex with four different men during the six-week period leading up to the murders and she had begun to drink heavily during this time (Pergament). Alcoholism is a component of dependent personality disorder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After only four days of testimony, the defense rested its case. Susan was charged with two counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison with the chance of parole in 30 years, the year 2025.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dependent personality disorder is an inability to function without significant reliance on a forceful or dominant person providing direction. Individuals diagnosed with dependent personality disorder are usually quiet, and needy for attention, valuation, and social contact. Lack of self-confidence and relying on others are typical. Threatened with solitude or separation, a dependent disorder person may panic  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  with feelings of profound helplessness (Gillihan). The person may be convinced that he/she is incapable... ...ost effective in treatment (Gillihan).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, The National Mental Health Association suggests that: There are many types of help available for different personality disorders. Treatment may include individual, group, or family psychotherapy. Medications prescribed by the patient’s physician may also be helpful in relieving some of the symptoms of personality disorders including problems with anxiety and depression. References American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV. (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author Bornstein, Robert F. (1993). The Dependent Personality. New York: Guilford Press Gillihan, Lori. (n.d). Dependent Personality Disorder. Retrieved March 1, 2002, from http://cstl-coe.semo.edu National Mental Health Association. (n.d.). Personality Disorders. Retrieved from http://www.nmha.org Pergament, Rachel. (n.d.). Susan Smith: Child Murderer or Victim? Retrieved March 1, 2002 from http://www.crimelibrary.com Rey, Joseph M. (1996) Antecedents of Personality Disorders in Young Adults. Psychiatric Times, 13 (2). Retrieved March 1, 2002, from http://www.mhsource.com

Rochester as the Rake in Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre Essay -- Jane Ey

Rochester as the Rake in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre    The rake became one of the most recognized figures of the Restoration Comedies. The rake character was seen as unmarried, cynical, coarse but with the manners of a gentleman, manipulative and self serving. By the twentieth century the rake had given away to the Regency dandy and the dark Byronic hero of Victorian literature. However, the rake does not completely disappear from twentieth century novels. Charlotte Bronte resurrects the Restoration hero in the creation of Edward Rochester in Jane Eyre. Edward Rochester exhibits many of the qualities associated with the Restoration rake; he manipulates the woman around him and his actions are self serving. Bronte’s rake varies just enough that she can present her character as both hero and villain which eventually allows for his reformation. Readers are often deceived into believing that the rake should be viewed as a villain, hence their resistance in accepting Edward Rochester as a rake. However, as Harold Weber suggests that readers should not be concerned "with whether or not the rake emerges as a hero or a villain – he must [. . .] be both" (Weber 53). The rake’s mistreatment of women categorizes him as villain. Rochester’s mistreatment of Jane and the other women in the story is detestable. He confesses that he used Blanche Ingram to make Jane jealous. Rochester admits that he "feigned courtship with Miss Ingram" (261; ch.24). Rochester deceives Blanche into believing his intent was marriage; yet she was merely a pawn in his romantic conquest of Jane. The whole time Rochester pursues Jane he is already married to Bertha. Rochester hides his marriage in an attempt to find his definition of a more suitable wife. He t... ...tion. In the creation of her hero, Edward Rochester, Charlotte Bronte resurrected the Restoration rake. Rochester posses many characteristics associated with the rake. His past life is nonexistent without discussing some former lover. He deceives Jane into believing he is unmarried. Like many rakes, Rochester can be viewed as both villain and hero. While his actions towards the other characters in the novel are villainous, Bronte presents them in such a manner that the reader’s sympathies lie with Rochester. Rochester repents for his debauched lifestyle and is rewarded by the death of Bertha and his marriage to Jane.    Works Cited Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Ed. Beth Newman. Boston: St. Martin’s, 1996. Weber, Harold. The Restoration Rake-Hero: Transformations in Sexual Understanding in Seventeenth-Century England. Madison U of Wisconsin P, 1986.

Essay example --

Free radicals play an important role in several biological processes such as cell signaling and redox regulation. However, prolonged exposure to free radicals leads to oxidative damage. Subsequently, it has been implicated in the progression of several diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological disease, pulmonary disease, rheumatoid arthritis, nephropathy, ocular disease and pre-eclampsia. The antioxidant defense system within the body may confer protection to oxidative damage by scavenging free radicals. Antioxidants also may be obtained from dietary sources/ supplements. The efficacy of antioxidant intake on initiation and progression of chronic diseases will be reviewed. Introduction Oxygen is an element that is crucial for the sustenance of life on earth. It is paradoxical that this indispensable element can cause harmful effects in humans under certain circumstances. Much of the detrimental consequences of oxygen are attributed to its ability to form free radicals (1) . A free radical is a reactive molecule that contains at least one unpaired electron in its outer orbit, and is capable of independent existence (2).Accumulation of these molecules in the body results in oxidative stress, a process by which physiologically important molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids are damaged (3). However, the body can employ antioxidants to impede the threat of free radical attack (4).Antioxidants are potent scavengers of free radicals (1). They function by donating an electron to a free radical or by eliminating initiators of free radicals (5). Antioxidants may be classified as endogenous or exogenous depending on their mode of acquisition by the body (1). E ndogenous antioxidants are naturally produced by t... ...ment dosage and duration of treatment. Moreover, a host of lifestyle behaviors are responsible for determining the health of individuals. Antioxidant intake in combination with physical activity, and alcohol and tobacco moderation may yield profound benefits in disease management. Thus, multifactorial interventions may serve as alternative strategies in disease management. Finally, investigations on the effects of nutrients in isolation may provide valuable information regarding its mode of action, but do not elucidate the phenomenon of total diet. The intrinsic nature of diet is characterized by several interactions between bioactive dietary components, some of which still remain unexplained. Hence, antioxidant supplements must be prescribed with caution and the use of antioxidant rich foods as disease prevention agents may hold promise in future clinical trials.

A Minor’s Right to Confidentiality Essay

In August of 1996 congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) patients began to see an improvement in the access and consistency of the health insurance coverage. It was not until April 14, 2003 that the privacy portion was passed protection personal health information. Many states have individual laws that were already in place to protect the health information of patients. HIPAA was not intended to eliminate the state law but to cover that which was not addressed by state laws. The state law will prevail providing it is more stringent than the HIPAA policy. In general, the passing of the HIPAA gave patients additional information and greater access to personal medical information while protecting that same information from inappropriate disclosure. Some of the protected information that has raised controversial concerns is regarding a minor’s right to privacy and parental access. Minor’s Rights versus Parental Rights HIPAA rules regulate the authorized individuals that legally can obtain a person’s private health information. HIPAA recognizes parents and guardians as â€Å"personal representatives,† which permits authorization and access as appropriate with the regulations. The guidelines provide that person that has legal authority over another adult or emancipated minor shall be considered the personal representative and afforded such authority as relevant to the law. The second part addresses unemancipated minors and parents or guardians, shall be regarded as personal representation and give the appropriate authority for decisions regarding a patients PHI (Mary Beth Kirven & Daniel J. Hall, 2003). There are exceptions as with any rules and those exceptions are as follows: 1. The minor consents to such health care service; no other consent to such health care service is required by law, regardless of whether the consent of another person has also been obtained; and the minor has not requested that such person be treated as the personal representative. 2. The minor may lawfully obtain such health care service without the consent of a parent, guardian or other person acting in loco parentis, and the minor, a court, or another person authorized by law consents to such health care service. 3. A parent, guardian, or other person acting in loco parentis assents to an agreement of confidentiality between a covered health care provider and the minor with respect to such health care service (Mary Beth Kirven & Daniel J. Hall, 2003). These exceptions provide for a minor, the ability to keep only specific health information as confidential from any individual which the minor chooses. In the state of Michigan, this information is protected only if for treatment of pregnancy, HIV or venereal disease and substance abuse (FindLaw, 2011). Benefits could be made by adding contraception to the protected information in the HIPAA policy as well in an effort to protect minors that reside in states that have no laws or public policy that address such issues. Teens have a right to conceal medical information only regarding pregnancy or infection of a sexually transmitted disease or actively addicted to drugs, which will then allow the privilege of privacy. This teaches teenagers that poor decision making will be rewarded with the opportunity to make more decisions. Promiscuous Adolescent Behavior Since the early 1970’s adolescent sexual activity has been in the public eye, the actual rate of activity had not changed, it only become more obvious. The average age of marriage was increasing along with the estimated life expectancy. The population was simply waiting longer to get married but not waiting to have sex. The media have placed these topics to the front of this nation with the various stories that seem to glamorize both sex and teen pregnancy. The United States is a nation that has sex everywhere, most entertainment media and many marketing tools use sexuality to attract the consumer and sell the products. Society needs education and accessibility to counter balance the exposure that is forced upon them from marketers in an effort to keep the sexual content to a minimum and to have the ability to see beyond the sexual nature of the actual products’ uses and its benefits’. Speculation is that the awareness created through these controversial television series (Teen Mom, 16 and pregnant) has contributed to the decrease in teen pregnancy. According to Women’s Health and Health Care Reform, â€Å"The United States continues to have the highest teen pregnancy rate of developed countries (Chavkin, Rosenbaum, Jones & Rosenfield, 2010).† The alternative is that adolescents may feel more comfortable with the ability to obtain appropriate supplies and education, both of which have become more accessible because of state and federal laws. Legal Entanglements Unfortunately, a recent attempt was made by Indiana Republican Representative Mike Pence, offering an amendment to eliminate the Title X program. This â€Å"Pence Bill† is an attempt to prevent programs such as Planned Parenthood from obtaining federal funds for any reason (Miller, LaVaute & Heritage Media, 2011). The primary focus of this amendment was the use of pro-life tax-payers money to fund and promote abortion. A debate over this is still ongoing now at the national level, yet here locally there are still health clinics providing the necessary services to many adolescents, including prenatal care when needed (Miller, LaVaute & Heritage Media, 2011). The controversy over the abortion service is the main factor in the attempt to remove the funding. â€Å"According to Planned Parenthood, abortions that are performed in its clinics make up less than 3 percent of its services. There were 332,278 abortion procedures performed in 2009. There were also 830,000 breast exams, a nd nearly 4 million were tested and/or treated for sexually transmitted diseases (Miller, LaVaute & Heritage Media, 2011).† Public Policy Public policy is the only protections that adolescents have to depend on. It will allow protection from both diseases and unwanted pregnancy, and this is limited to only specific minors in the State of Michigan. HIPAA does not pre-empt this policy as it is more stringent in some states than the HIPAA law, this is one limitation to the policy. An excerpt in the Guttmacher Institute report on public policy indicates, â€Å"Although the public remains ambivalent, professional organizations familiar with the scientific evidence uniformly support the provision of reproductive health care to minors on a confidential basis. Public policy developments at the state and federal level, however, suggest that teenagers’ access to confidential services will remain under attack in the months and years to come (2005).† Conclusion History has proven that children will continue to have sex and contract disease and become pregnant; therefore laws protecting the privacy of reproductive health can actually diminish the barriers and increase access to protection for many patients. Planned Parenthood has played an intricate role in providing access to education and protection for millions of adolescents. Removing the funding for programs such as this also reduces access to education, treatment and supplies, resulting in increased diseases and increases in unwanted pregnancies that subsequently lead to a higher poverty rate. Ideally abstinence is the preferred method to prevent unwanted pregnancy and disease, however, reality shows that this is generally not the practiced method. Protection for adolescents is needed in all societies to promote responsibility and growth for every individual. It is a mature and responsible decision to pursue the protection and education that is needed even when access is limited. Laws are passed to protect mankind, not adults or parents or any one population; laws are created to protect any person that needs protecting, including minors. References Chavkin, W., Rosenbaum, S., Jones, J., & Rosenfield, A. (2010). Women’s health and health care reform [The key role of comprehensive reproductive health care]. Retrieved from http://www.mailmanschool.org/facultypubs/womenshealthcarereform.pdf FindLaw. (2011). Michigan medical records law. Retrieved from http://law.findlaw.com/state-laws/minors-and-the-law/michigan/, http://law.findlaw.com/state-laws/minors-and-the-law/michigan/ Guttmacher Institute. (2005, November). Teenagers’ access to confidential reproductive health services [The Guttmacher report on public policy]. Retrieved from http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/tgr/08/4/gr080406.html Mary Beth Kirven, E., & Daniel J. Hall. (2003, June). Health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 [Applicability to the courts: an initial assessment]. Retrieved from http://www.ncsconline.org/WC/Publications/CS_PriPubHIPPA96Pub.pdf Miller, J., LaVaute, G., & Heritage Media. (2011, March). Washtenaw county: Young and pregnant [Part 1: Prevention]. Retrieved from http://www.heritage.com/articles/2011/03/01/life/doc4d6d5ec57105e610360187.txt?viewmode=fullstory