Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Scaling Study on the Dining Preference of People Research Paper

Scaling Study on the Dining Preference of People - Research Paper Example Research methods employ several ways in the data collection process, and data can be classified as qualitative or quantitative. In data collection measurement of the responses by assigning numerical values to be used for data analysis is an important aspect. Scaling methods in measurement can be classified into nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio. Nominal data can be figures just meant to represent a particular response. A questionnaire using multiple-choice items can be nominal data. In this type of response choice, A can have no direct relation to choice B, etc. Ordinal scales or ranking scales are values arranged according to levels in increasing order such as great, greater, and greatest. Responses have direct relationships with each other. Interval measurement uses responses arranged in equal intervals such that if response A is 1 unit lower than B then response C must be one unit higher than B, etc. A ratio is an interval data but a measure of two values. These data classification although widely used and accepted have faced several criticisms as to its validity (Velleman & Wilkinson, 1993). In studies involving surveys, the most common approach is obtaining responses using a list of possible replies or rating an idea through a given scale. Based on the above classification, these data can be nominal or ordinal. The study involved 10 respondents and the data were obtained using the questionnaire presented in Appendix A. Using questions with multiple choice responses, respondents were asked about frequency, reasons, and other concerns in dining out. The result of the survey showed that 60% of the respondents dine frequently from 3 to 5 times in a week, 30% dine at least once to 2 times weekly while about 10% dines more often at more than 6 times weekly or an average of 1 meal every day.  

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Information Technology Is A Key To Business Success Information Technology Essay

Information Technology Is A Key To Business Success Information Technology Essay Information technology also referred to as IT is the application of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data, often in the context of a business or other enterprise. In the business context, the Information Technology has defined as the study, design, development, application, implementation or management of computer-based information systems. The business of information technology is to complete business processes, provide information for decision making, connect business with their customers, and provide productivity tools to increase efficiency. Information Technology is the key enabler to improving customer satisfaction, operational efficiencies and by extension, profitability. Technology has been the great enabler of business and especially retail enterprise.Information technology is everywhere in business. Understanding information technology provides great insight to anyone learning about business. Information Technology (IT) is fast becoming a key lever which management can use to deliver operational benefits whether in reducing operational costs, entering emerging markets or scaling their business across multiple geographic regions. With advances in technology and its impact on todays business models, companies are increasingly pushing the boundaries to remain competitive. Information Technology is one key area to do this business need to view IT as an enabler rather than a cost center. OBJECTIVE (S) To explain the key of Information Technology for business to success To know the advantages of Information Technology in Business To describe the ways of Information Technology can improve your business to success BODY OF THE ARTICLE Key of Information Technology for business to success Information technology is a modern phenomenon that has dramatically changed the daily lives of individuals and businesses throughout the world. Leveraging information technology for business success is key to survival in the modern business world. Information technology has grown into the business world by influencing companies to market their products, communicate and accomplish their jobs in modern organizations. IT made her firm to grow rapidly to its ability to leverage information technology and the internet to drive sales. This can helped the firm to have clients all over the world. It also helps the revenue of the firm to increase every year. Production technology has allowed modern companies to make substantial progress in operational efficiency and the effectiveness of human resources. Information technology has also changed the way that companies operate internally. Personal computers have become a necessity for a large majority of corporate jobs, and many manual labor jobs require the use of a handheld computer or other electronic device as well. Apple Success with information technology Apple achieved business success through the use of information, information technology and people by finding a way to make their product more interesting. With the use of information Apple determine in sales what would sell and who could benefit from their product and what would the pros outweigh the cons of their product. For example with certain products they make like the I Pad the size is easy to carry you can play games and watch videos type papers take photos its touch screen which the customers enjoy. Information technology (IT) enables managers to be more competent in the business function and the organization departments to be more effective. Information technology can control the use of computers and computers software. Apples CEO, late Steve Jobs wants to control the primary technology in everything he does. For example, he was obsessed with control, he wants i-Pod playing songs encoded by Apple only, but it will limit the i-Pod markets. Then he came with the idea landing with a Windows compatible and that made i-Pods sales when up. Apples designs are distinctive and their devices rely more in standard technologies. His decision to change was fundamental to the exceptional success that Apple has over the past ten years. Advantages of Information Technology in Business Information technology (IT) benefits the business world by enable organizations to work more efficiently and to maximize productivity. Almost every work environment is dependent on information technology that related to computer applications. Since the computerized system so widely used, it is advantageous to incorporate information technology into an organization. For the storing and protecting information, information technology can creates electronic storage systems to protect your companys valuable records. The storage systems also can keep information safe by only allowing certain users within your company to access, withdraw, add or change the documents. One of the most significant benefits of information technology is the capability to stock a large amount of information. As you know, computers can keep records of the company in terms of data movements, transactions, customer records and others. This information could be used, analyzed, aggregated and displayed in any format, which gives the people in the business to make a great decision about the company. Instead, data can show system response times, financial analysis, customer trends, profitable customers and anything that is associated with the link. This can surely help to improve the operation and management of the company. Employers can use this to determine the ways and methods they need to do in order to know their employees according to performances. One of the major benefits of information technology in business is to increase the efficiency. People look for ways to do more work in a shorter amount of time. The information technology improves your companys efficiency by developing automated processes to take burden off your staff. For example, your employees are free to work on other things while the computer runs their reports, creates queries, tracks projects and monitors financials. Beside that, the communication is essential to the business world, and information technology gives your company the resources it needs to communicate quickly and effectively. For example, your IT department can hook your employees up with email, video conferencing equipment and internal chat rooms, so that they always have an efficient way to conduct business and communicate. Information technology can assist the business to have an efficient and more effective customer service. This is the reason why many business owners are using the social media for them to promote their service and products. As there are now numerous people who use the social media, it is a great avenue for these businesses to use it in terms of interacting with their customers. Finally, information technology was undeniably very useful and functional in the field of business because every transaction can now be just simple and easy especially if the program or system used is designed well. Ways of Information Technology can improve your business Where can Information Technology best contribute to the business? By following this approach within your company, you can help focus your use of IT for increased business bene ¬Ã‚ t. The first way of information technology can improve your business is reduce the cost or expense. This is the bene ¬Ã‚ t of IT that  ¬Ã‚ rst comes to mind for most people. The original IT projects were put in place to automate processes in order to reduce cost, often by replacing large numbers of people with a few computers. , if your business is not competitive in your industry because of a higher than normal expense level, then this may be the most important way that IT can contribute to your business success. An example of a case study for lowering costs is Amazon, which has used information technology to streamline its business in order fulfillment. IT projects also reduce expense by automating any process that requires heavy use of clerical people, or any process that uses highly repetitive well-de ¬Ã‚ ned procedures. The second way of information technology can improve your business is differentiation. For differentiation strategies, organizations try to make their products and services different from their competitors. Apple has been successful with this strategy by designing its computers to look much different from PCs and focusing on its computers ease of use. As another example, Amazon.com has differentiated its website by using certain information technologies, such as personalization technologies to recommend products to customers based on their previous purchases. Amazon.com also uses the one-click system for fast checkout. With this system, customers can enter credit card numbers and addresses once, and in subsequent visits simply click once to make a purchase, without having to enter information again. For most businesses, increasing revenue offers higher payback than reducing expense. Its even more true when revenue can be added by increasing sales to existing customers, eliminating the necessity of additional customer acquisition costs. Many E-commerce web sites in the dot com era were justi ¬Ã‚ ed on the basis of increasing revenues, but most of them just provided an additional sales channel for existing customers, and actual revenues didnt increase. In addition to e-commerce web sites, one examples of systems that might increase revenues which is data warehouse systems can help identify customers who are most likely to buy as a result of certain types of promotion, or who would be more likely to buy as a result of cross-selling efforts. The other way of information technology can improve your business by improved the quality. An Information Technology can improve the quality of your products or services if the project implements process improvements that would be too time consuming or dif ¬Ã‚ cult to do without using computers. By improving quality, we can end up increasing revenue, improving customer retention, and even reducing cost, but quality improvement should be considered as a goal in itself. For example, when use of modeling software to better understand and predict product failures, and to take action before products fail. Beside that, improved customer satisfaction is the way of information technology can improve your business to success. Improving customers satisfaction is one of those things that is obvious, and yet very dif ¬Ã‚ cult. If customers are more satis ¬Ã‚ ed then your revenues will grow, either through repeat purchases or through word-of-mouth advertising. Costs are likely to be lower as well, since you wont have to spend as much to deal with customer complaints and returns. Information Technology can help by providing web access for customers, and by making information available to customers by phone or by fax. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION For the conclusion, Information Technology is essentially a wide and varied field. Information technology can speed up the time it takes new products to reach the market. From innovations in microprocessors to efficient drug delivery systems, information technology helps businesses respond quickly to changing customer requirements. Other than that, information technology provides a wide range of tools entrepreneurs can use to guide their new companies through the startup and growth stages. The companies that will succeed and flourish in the 21st century are the companies that will understand what users need and will be able to offer them the experience that can be obtained through technology information systems. Modern information technology has gained popularity rapidly since the mid-twentieth century, and the trend is likely to continue into the future.Simply put, Information Technology has changed the business landscape due to its wide and varied scope.

Friday, October 25, 2019

various forms of obscenity :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to narrow down the focus of my research, this paper will briefly discuss what is considered obscene and the different ways in which obscenity will manifest itself. Obscenity law aims at punishment for thoughts provoked or preventing the formation of certain thoughts, typically, erotic ones in the minds of willing viewers but not for overt acts, nor for antisocial conduct. Although the United States Constitution protects the freedom of speech, the First Amendment was not intended to protect every utterance. In addition, many United States Supreme Court cases have consistently held that there are narrow categories of speech that are not protected by the First Amendment. These include obscenity, child pornography, inciting to riot, libel, false advertising, perjury, contempt of court, harassment, threats, copyright infringement and invasion of privacy. Thus, obscenity is not protected speech but a crime. Although the definition of obscenity is not sufficiently clear, the United States Supreme Court provided a workable attempt in defining what is obscene. In 1973, in the landmark case of Miller v. California the Court held that before any material can be determined obscene, a three-prong test must be met: 1) determine whether the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find the work taken as a whole appealing to prurient interests; 2) whether the work describes in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law; and 3) whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value. Further, obscenity can manifest itself in different forms. It can manifest itself in conduct, pictorial representation of conduct, and in the written and oral description of conduct, with each method of expression presenting its own problems. These manifestations are more commonly seen in the literary form; speech; motion picture; artistic work; and now internet pornography. In determining whether a book is obscene, the Miller test tells us that the material must be considered as a whole and not judged by its vulgar and indecent paragraphs alone. In addition, a book may be indecent and obscene, no matter how humorous, or satirical.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Key Learnings from a Microeconomics Class for Mba Students

30. 11. 2012 Key learnings from Micro Economics module It was a very informative session and an eye opener. I was under the impression that economics only deals with fiscal and monetary policies. This was my first acquaintance with micro economics and it opened up a new perspective. I am in a position now to understand many events that happen every day around me. I am able to have a broad idea about how these events may have a direct or indirect impact on me as an individual (professionally as well as personally) and to an organisation.Detailed below are a few (but not all) significant points that were new to me : Law of Demand & Supply : The quantity demanded of a good falls when the price rises and the quantity supplied of a good rises when the price rises. Price of a good adjusts to bring the quantity supplied and demanded into balance. Other determinants of consumers demand include income, price of substitutes, expectations etc. Any change in these factors shifts the demand curve . Equilibrium : A situation where market price is at a level at which supply and demand quantity equals.Equilibrium of supply and demand maximizes the sum of consumer and producer surplus. Surplus : A situation in which supply is greater than demand Consumers’ surplus : Buyers’ willingness to pay for a good minus the amount the buyer actually pays for it. It measures benefit buyers gets by participating in a market. Producers’ surplus : The amount sellers receive for their goods minus their costs of production. It measures benefit sellers get from participating in a market. Dead Weight Loss : The fall in total surplus that results from a market distortion. Marginal Utility :Additional utility derived by consuming additional unit quantity of goods. Competitive markets : Prices in a perfectly competitive market always equal marginal cost of production. To maximise profit firms chooses output quantity such that marginal revenue equals marginal cost. A Monopolistica lly competitive market is characterized by attributes like many firms, differentiated products and free entry. Each firm in a monopolistically competitive market has excess capacity. There is standard deadweight loss of monopoly caused by the mark up of price over marginal cost.The product differentiation inherent in monopolistic competition leads to the use of advertising and brand names. Oligopoly is a market structure in which only a few sellers offer similar or identical products. Above concepts also clarified how Marginal cost, Sunk cost, Average Cost, Variable cost and Fixed cost help in determining sustainability of doing business and how they help in arriving at decisions like â€Å"maximize profit† or â€Å"continue to produce to cover costs†. Concepts of monopolistic and perfect competition along with examples covered in the class were apt for digesting the underlying principles.It also helped to understand how political/governmental interferences balances or imbalances the market forces and thus effecting the price and/or consumers’ and producers’ behaviour. Price Discrimination (PD) : Important concept on types of price discrimination used by various industries and businesses were interesting to know. I am a consumer of discriminated prices since birth however, never realized that I am a victim or beneficiary of the same. How business use it to their advantage. Concepts of types of PD and their application was an eye opener and gave me a new perspective to look at the market competition in a different way.Others : Prisoner’s Dilemma and Rivalry in Consumption, never heard off but fun to understand. How externalities (positive or negative) influence producers. Tragedy of common and enclosure movement were also unknown but not any longer. In conclusion : I have been thru’ above every day of my life but was never able to understand it the way I am able to do it now. Biggest surprise of all to me was that the u nderlying theme of all these is Microeconomics. And, I thought Economics is one field and was unaware of micro and macro.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Online safety

Online safety is an important activity that is a must for every small, medium and multinational company. There are many web tools available that screen the net hackers and bad guys. Below every web site there is a privacy statement which authenticates that the visitor must comply with the terms and conditions of web site that it will not be used for any illegal purposes. Similarly there is a possibility of fraudulent transactions by entering fraud credit and debit card numbers which creates chaos and revenue for online businesses. For preventing all these unforeseen hurdles, online companies delivery goods only after the credit /debit card payment is received which is safe and secured transaction. Google Hack Honeypot (GHH) is a web tool for tracking net hackers that is launched by Google company. Google being a billion dollar multinational company, and the web site google. com is used by millions of internet users who seek information and in the year 2005, Google recorded 8 billion pages and from the view point of Google company, tracking of net hackers with malicious intentions is essential in order to counterattack. Similarly for the online safety of consumer, U. S Government has also passed several policies that individual companies must issue formulas to ensure customer privacy online and customer information must be kept confidential and should not be easily accessed by any other company web sites. Conclusion Good use of technology, breeds good results whereas illegal works have to be tracked as damage is caused to the public as well to businesses. Therefore, authentication and SSL have to be served at every level for ensuring safety and security of information of companies.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on Eddie Bauer Advertising Campaign

ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN â€Å"TAKE IT EASY† The market base of clothing retailers is one of high competitiveness, where success is built upon the foundation of customer loyalty. Eddie Bauer, Inc., a subsidiary of Spiegel, Inc., is a prime example of such a business, as the company continuously strives to be a successful retailer of clothing, accessories, and home furnishings. Eddie Bauer, a $3.725 billion corporation, began in 1920 as Eddie Bauer’s Sport Shop in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Bauer’s doctrine for doing business was established shortly thereafter, resulting in the Eddie Bauer creed upheld today: â€Å"To give you such outstanding quality, value, service and guarantee that we may be worthy of your high esteem.† (eddiebauer.com) The creed, in combination with the company’s trademark guarantee â€Å"that every item sold will give you complete satisfaction or you may return it for a full refund,† resulted in greater customer expectations, setting new and stronger standards throughout the aggressive market of retail. In 1945, the company issued their first mail-order catalog, which now circulates 110 million copies a year. In 1996 Eddie Bauer launched a website, eddiebauer.com, and soon after eddiebauerkids.com, eddiebauerhome.com, and eddiebaueroutlet.com, expanding Eddie Bauer’s brand to customers who did not necessarily have easy accessibility to store locations. In addition to such evolving venues, the past eighty-two years have brought various product changes to Eddie Bauer, Inc. In the 1970’s, Eddie Bauer shifted its focus from expedition gear to casual lifestyle apparel. Originally known for providing top-quality hardworking gear, such as parkas for the U.S. Army Corp., its business now includes an extensive line of various products conveyed through its two retailing concepts of Eddie Bauer Sportswear and Eddie Bauer Home. Eddie Bauer Sportswear portrays the core of the business, as it offers an innovative ass... Free Essays on Eddie Bauer Advertising Campaign Free Essays on Eddie Bauer Advertising Campaign ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN â€Å"TAKE IT EASY† The market base of clothing retailers is one of high competitiveness, where success is built upon the foundation of customer loyalty. Eddie Bauer, Inc., a subsidiary of Spiegel, Inc., is a prime example of such a business, as the company continuously strives to be a successful retailer of clothing, accessories, and home furnishings. Eddie Bauer, a $3.725 billion corporation, began in 1920 as Eddie Bauer’s Sport Shop in Seattle, Washington. Mr. Bauer’s doctrine for doing business was established shortly thereafter, resulting in the Eddie Bauer creed upheld today: â€Å"To give you such outstanding quality, value, service and guarantee that we may be worthy of your high esteem.† (eddiebauer.com) The creed, in combination with the company’s trademark guarantee â€Å"that every item sold will give you complete satisfaction or you may return it for a full refund,† resulted in greater customer expectations, setting new and stronger standards throughout the aggressive market of retail. In 1945, the company issued their first mail-order catalog, which now circulates 110 million copies a year. In 1996 Eddie Bauer launched a website, eddiebauer.com, and soon after eddiebauerkids.com, eddiebauerhome.com, and eddiebaueroutlet.com, expanding Eddie Bauer’s brand to customers who did not necessarily have easy accessibility to store locations. In addition to such evolving venues, the past eighty-two years have brought various product changes to Eddie Bauer, Inc. In the 1970’s, Eddie Bauer shifted its focus from expedition gear to casual lifestyle apparel. Originally known for providing top-quality hardworking gear, such as parkas for the U.S. Army Corp., its business now includes an extensive line of various products conveyed through its two retailing concepts of Eddie Bauer Sportswear and Eddie Bauer Home. Eddie Bauer Sportswear portrays the core of the business, as it offers an innovative ass...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Making of Evita essays

The Making of Evita essays As I sit here at my computer, I am at a standstill trying to decide where to start. How do you condense a person into ten short pages, and still enable the reader to get to know them. I have decided that the task is nearly impossible, even in the telling of a life that was tragically so short. Evita, as the people affectionately knew her, entered into this world with nothing and left with everything. From a poor peasant girl growing up in the pampas, to a popular media personality, to the First Lady of Argentina. In her short period on this earth she definitely made her mark. To this day, she is still a controversial figure in her native Argentina. She was beloved by the working classes and shunned by the aristocracy. When Eva Pern died in 1952 of cancer, a group of anti-Pernist tried to erase all physical evidence relating to Evita. Her personal notes, diaries, and photos were burned in public demonstrations. Her monuments were torn down and destroyed. Evas body disappeared for sixteen years, in hopes that without the physical body, Eva would be soon forgotten. A group sprang up soon after and flourished in Argentina, the Saint Evita cult. Posters of Evita were on every street corner, in all the villages, and in the peoples hearts. The president, who took office after Juan Pern was overthrown, was kidnapped and murdered by Saint Evita followers who wanted him to reveal where her body had been hidden. Finally, in 1976, Eva Duarte-Pern was interred in the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires, Argentine. For the first time since her death, she had come home again. Who is this woman, who even in death can incite such devotion? Just as mysteries surrounded Eva in death, so did they shadow her life. The Evita of the Argentine people is straightforward, and there are very few secrets. It is Evas life before Pern that is obscured and ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Spectral Evidence and the Salem Witch Trials

Spectral Evidence and the Salem Witch Trials Spectral evidence was admitted in the Salem Witch trials, but condemned by many before and after as legally invalid.  Most of the convictions and executions were grounded in the testimony of spectral evidence. Spectral evidence is evidence-based on visions and dreams of the actions of a witchs spirit or specter. Thus, spectral evidence is  testimony about what an accused persons spirit did, rather than actions of the accused person in the body. In the Salem witch trials, spectral evidence was used as evidence in the courts, especially in the early trials.  If a witness could testify to seeing the spirit of someone and could testify to interacting with that spirit, perhaps even bargaining with that spirit, that was considered evidence that the person possessed had consented to the possession and thus was responsible. Example In the case of Bridget Bishop, she claimed  I am innocent to a Witch. I know not what a Witch is. when confronted with accusatory testimony of her appearing as a specter to abuse victims. Several men testified that she had visited them, in spectral form, in bed at night.  She was convicted on June 2 and hanged on June 10. Opposition Opposition by the contemporary clergy to the use of spectral evidence does not mean the clergy did not believe that specters were real.  They believed, rather, that the devil could use specters to possess and get them to act against their own will. That Satan possessed a person was not evidence that the person had consented. Increase Mather and Cotton Mather Weigh In At the beginning of the Salem witch trials, the Rev. Increase Mather, co-minister in Boston with his son Cotton Mather, had been in England, attempting to persuade the king to appoint a new governor. When he returned, the accusations, official investigations, and jailings in Salem Village and nearby were well underway.   Urged by other Boston-area ministers, Increase Mather wrote against the use of  spectral evidence, in  Cases of Conscience Concerning Evil Spirits Personating Men, Witchcrafts, Infallible Proofs of Guilt in such as are accused with that Crime. He argued that innocent people were charged. He trusted the judges, though he argued they should not use spectral evidence in their decisions. At the same time, his son Cotton Mather wrote a book supporting the proceedings,  Wonders of the Invisible World.  Cotton Mathers book actually appeared first. Increase  Mather added an approving introduction to his son’s book. Cotton Mather was not among the ministers who signed Increase Mathers book approvingly. Rev. Cotton Mather argued for the use of spectral evidence if it was  not the only evidence; he disagreed with the idea  of others that the Devil could not make an innocent persons  spirit act without their consent.   Cotton Mathers book was likely seen by the author as a counterbalance to his fathers book, not in actual opposition. Wonders of the Invisible World,  because it accepted that the devil was plotting in New England, was read by many as supporting the court, and the warnings against spectral evidence went largely unheeded. Governor Phips Halts the Executions When some witnesses accused the wife of the newly-arrived Governor William Phips, Mary Phips, of witchcraft, citing spectral evidence, the governor stepped in and stopped the further expansion of the witch trials. He declared that spectral evidence was not admissible evidence. He ended the power of the Court of Oyer and Terminer  to convict, prohibited arrests, and, over time, released all still in prison and jail.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Amazon Operational Management Strategies Term Paper

Amazon Operational Management Strategies - Term Paper Example Operations management is not confined to manufacturing alone but also encompasses services. Hence, operations management can be best defined as effective and efficient management of all operations of the organization that contribute to improving the systems that are aimed at creating and delivering quality products and services to the customers (Young, 2009). It involves designing, redesigning, overseeing, implementing, executing of the various business operations. Operations management has a twofold effect on the profit of an organization and hence it is vital for the overall success of an organization. Organization is benefitted from the improved effectiveness due to operations management and the created products and services are such that they meet the requirements and needs of the customers. In simple words, increased efficiency will result in increased revenue which results in a more competitive organization and increased efficiency will also reduce costs (Galloway, 1993). Follo wing are the 10 operational management strategies that an organization can apply: Product/ Service Design, Quality Management, Capacity Management, Location, Layout Design, Human Resources, Supply Chain Management, Inventory Management, Scheduling and Maintenance. This paper is aimed at analysing how Amazon.com has applied operational management strategies to succeed and gain competitive advantage in the market. Amazon.com Amazon.com is a multinational customer-centric American company. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington Amazon.com is an electronic commerce company and the largest online retailer in the world. It was founded by Jeffrey Bezos and incorporated in 1994. Even though it was incorporated in 1994, it went live in 1995. Started as an online book store, Amzon.com today has diversified and expanded its product and service line (Reuters, 2011). Today, Amzon.com sells numerous products from different categories. It not online sells books online but also sells computer softwar e, CDs, DVDs, food, furniture, video games, toys, electronic apparels, MP3 downloads, etc (Google Finance, 2011). Consumers, sellers and enterprises are three primary customer sets that the company serves. Apart from selling products online, the company also generates revenue from various other sources such as co-branded credit card agreements, third party selling, reselling and online advertising (Google Finance, 2011). For the following countries Amzon.com has separate websites: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, China and Japan (Amazon.com, 2011). Amazon has numerous software development centres, fulfilment and warehousing centres across the globe to meet the growing demands (Reuters, 2011). Amazon’s Product Categories: Books, DVDs, videotapes, music CDs, musical instruments, toys & games, software, consumer electronics, sporting goods, lawn and garden items, apparel, clothing, kitchen items, gourmet food, tools, baby products, beauty pro ducts, watches, jewellery, industrial & scientific supplies, groceries and health and personal-care items (Amazon.com, 2011). Amazon’s Services: Amazon Web Services, Amazon Publishing, Amazon Prime, AmazonBasics, Amazon.com exclusives, Amapedia, Subscribe & Save, AmazonLocal, Amazon Wireless, askville, Amazon Marketplace, Amazon Fresh, etc (Amazon.com, 2011

Friday, October 18, 2019

Parsuasive speach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Parsuasive speach - Essay Example Scientists point to the fact that the soil on organic farms is much healthier than on farms using chemical fertilizers. Healthy soil is rich in nutrients that can be taken up and stored by the fruits and vegetables. We gain these nutrients when we consume the organic food. Another reason organically raised fruits and vegetables are superior to others is the lack of environmental damage they cause. Organic food is raised in a manner that prevents herbicides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers from polluting the soil and water. When powerful insecticides such as DDT enter the ecosystem, they can do tremendous harm to animals. Farm workers have died from handling strong herbicides incorrectly. And just think, we are eating these chemicals on our food! Organic food is better for the environment in all of these ways. Finally, organic and sustainable agriculture does not take more from the earth and the earth can naturally produce. Non-sustainable agriculture uses many gallons of furl to produce a single bushel of wheat, corn or rice. Using heavy machines is unsustainable because eventually our petroleum reserves will be used up. Growing food in a sustainable ensures that our food supply will be safe for many generations to come. We will not need to depend on oil or oil producing nations in order to feed ourselves. In conclusion, I believe you will agree with me when I say that organic fruits and vegetables are superior to others in many ways. By eating them you are eating a more nutritious, sustainable and environmentally friendly

Health Care Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Health Care Management - Research Paper Example Frequent readmissions occur due to problems related to chronic infections, which are preventable. This article will give a review of a selected hospital related with problems of E.R (emergency room) overcrowding and frequent readmissions. In health care management, there is a minimal number of individuals who utilize hospital emergency department services repeatedly and outstandingly (Hall, 2008). This also includes in-patient services which pose as, their primary source of health care. Some of the most common problems related to frequent hospital readmission include chronic illnesses, mental illness, substance abuse and homelessness (Ken, Young & Spillane, 1998). Even though, these patients are few, they contribute to a large percentage of medical care costs and exploitation of scant hospital resources for conditions that could have been prevented or treated in common societal settings. These recurrent hospital care users promote congestion in the emergency unit hence leading to hig her health care costs for each individual. Demonstration projects and research carried out by hospitals, local governments, non-governmental organizations and community organizations confirm that frequent health care users can be supported in a more efficient way based on case management (Kirby, 2010). This service can direct them to a suitable primary medical care, housing and other community-based services. Advantageously, the service is cost-effective and enhances exploitation of health care resources for their entire society. The case management services are economical and technologically complicated (Richardson, 2009). Through analysis and research, patients noted to use these services patently reduced their dependence on use of ambulances, emergency departments and hospital in-patient services (Richardson, 2009). Most frequent users show reductions in the exploitation of these public services among others. The governments in different states have strived in meeting the require ments of frequent users by not overstretching the extension of the state services (Byrne, 2003). Many state officials have come up with the idea of a beneficiary system whereby the frequent patients are placed as beneficiaries of the system. They receive publicly-financed health services which are rather expensive. Identifying and addressing necessities of these frequent users should be a component of achieving broader health policy goals. Development of healthcare insurance coverage must include appropriate services for these frequent services (Hall, 2008). The needs of the frequent users can be improved further through quality improvement programs. This will help reduce disparities caused by medical reliance on the overburdened emergency rooms (ER), thus creating habitable cities that respond to other exceptional populations like the veterans (Ken, Young & Spillane, 1998). This ensures that the frequent patients get improved healthcare through this improved healthcare system. Nume rous studies conducted in the health field show that the communication factor has contributed largely to frequent patient readmissions in most hospitals. Lack of communication links between patients, hospitals, providers and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) is the most common cause related to frequent hospital readmissions (Richardson, 2009). An example is the study carried out of readmission cases of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The results

Global political economy Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Global political economy - Research Proposal Example Things were made worse by the bitter realities of the Post Cold War era which had a negative perspective to conflict resolutions and peacemaking. On another level this "Big Brother" impetus can be labelled as being mainly based upon the political agenda of "democratisation and globalisation" of the world through multilateral agenda. The thesis concludes that this impetus is not based mainly upon the "fear of another communist takeover" which is still a Western Nightmare but that there is a more profound political and economic agenda underlying the efforts of the UK and the US to re-establish themselves at the heart of multi-lateral action through international agencies. This dissertation will rely heavily on Documentation review and a critical analysis of the Post cold war propaganda through the electronic and print media. Peer reviewed journals and political views will be searched through the Athens Server, The EBSCO host and the Proquest Portal. However the necessity for interviews is still tentative based upon the suitable search for an intellectual who will add to my political research and insight. This dissertation explores the role of the state the modern state in the era of globalisation and the relevant developmental consequences of this within the global political economy. ... The main concept is to discusses the changing conceptions of the role of the state,a trend especially dominant in the nineties particularly in relation to the institutions like IMF and the World Bank (hereafter referred to as the Bretton Wood institutions or BWI's) Also discussed in the paper will be the role of Market-Friendly Policies (MFP's)in de-emphasizing the role the State in the interests of promoting long term and efficient economic development. MFP's typically relate to low rates of inflation ,prudent government spending, high rates of investment and a healthy trend of market liberalisation. The Post World War II approach of the BWI's was based upon a much smaller role for the state following the era of the large-scale globalisation (so characteristic of the post cold war years) This was largely a response to the state controlled economy' of the USSR which turned out to be an economic and political disaster. The post world war agenda of the US and UK based BWI's was to disc ourage world political economies from any interference in the Economic system, and this new policy was nicknamed as the "Washington Consensus," a term coined by John Williamson, who defined his own set of reforms he believed that the policymakers in Washington should propose for Latin America, which included trade liberalization and the privatization of inward foreign Direct Investment(FDI) .The "Washington consensus" was used to describe the commonly shared goals /themes within the policy packages endorsed by Washington-based institutions at the time, such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and U.S. Treasury Department. The Washington Consensus was later dubbed as the "neoliberal" agenda and received scathing criticism ,in that it that it

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Moral Relativism and Plato’s Euthyphro Essay

Moral Relativism and Plato’s Euthyphro - Essay Example The area of application for the relative truth is completely a matter of individual belief and may not apply to anything else further. It can be one’s perception or a view of a general significance to a general situation. The idea of relative truth is also subjected to a myriad criticism. The first great critic of relativism was Plato himself. He criticized the views of â€Å"Sophist Protagoras† in his book ‘Thaetetus’. Relativism largely destroys distinction between the truth and the belief. With relative truth, the problem of negation also arises; if everyone differs with their respective belief then no one comes to any common solution or agreement. Under these circumstances, learning becomes vague and one moves away from truth. According to Hilary Putnam, relativism makes it almost impossible to accept that one is wrong or one can commit an error. If there is an absence of complete truth beyond the belief of an individual, then an individual would not be able to able to uphold their own beliefs into an error, false or mistake. Perceptional difference is essential but in some places acceptance of negation is equally demanding. This is the area which is completely nullified when it comes to relative truth and there lies the greatest limitation of the theory. Moral relativism is an umbrella term that encompasses various views and arguments possessed by people from different cultures. Moral relativism is again of several kinds namely: Descriptive Relativism, Meta-ethical Relativism and Normative Relativism. Moral relativism sometimes describes the positive or descriptive positioning of the existence of right course of deed under the circumstance when the fact gathered, and the similar consequence probably seems to arise. This concept of Moral Relativism falls under the category of Descriptive Relativism. The next contention about the idea is the ‘semantic’ and the ‘epistemic’, positioning that all moral

Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Banking - Essay Example ing overtaken by Dutch giant ING for a measly sum of  £1, and exposing the risky environment in which equity corporations scale catastrophic limits in order to make a quick profit. At the heart of the devastating scam was a person with a huge appetite for risk-taking but hardly any accountability towards the bank, Nick Leeson. Overnight, the unscrupulous futures’ trader from London who was previously the poster boy for Barings’ high-growth earnings from Singapore’s premium monetary exchange, SIMEX (In 1993, he documented nearly 10% of the bank’s profits in futures’ trading), took special advantage of the bank’s vulnerability in not being able to hedge the risks that come with dealing in a concern as sensitive as this. This is what happened. Nick Leeson’s job as Chief Trader at SIMEX was to buy and sell the simplest kind of derivatives pegged to the Nikkei-225 stock exchange of Japan. This job entails the methodology of a skilled bookie who basically, bets on what people are likely to bet on in the future course. Despite booking profits on various occasions, some of Leeson’s predictions proved incorrect. The idea to fool the bank management in covering up details of unsuccessful tradings came from devising an unaudited bank account, called error account 88888, to fix  £20,000 goofed up by an inexperienced team member, which was later to serve as Leeson’s personal getaway in covering up failed investment strategies. Even as the entire audit team of Barings’ was kept in dark about what was the tip of the iceberg then, Leeson managed to document account losses which were initially at  £2 million in 1992 to an astronomical figure of  £208 million by 1994. The final blow

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Moral Relativism and Plato’s Euthyphro Essay

Moral Relativism and Plato’s Euthyphro - Essay Example The area of application for the relative truth is completely a matter of individual belief and may not apply to anything else further. It can be one’s perception or a view of a general significance to a general situation. The idea of relative truth is also subjected to a myriad criticism. The first great critic of relativism was Plato himself. He criticized the views of â€Å"Sophist Protagoras† in his book ‘Thaetetus’. Relativism largely destroys distinction between the truth and the belief. With relative truth, the problem of negation also arises; if everyone differs with their respective belief then no one comes to any common solution or agreement. Under these circumstances, learning becomes vague and one moves away from truth. According to Hilary Putnam, relativism makes it almost impossible to accept that one is wrong or one can commit an error. If there is an absence of complete truth beyond the belief of an individual, then an individual would not be able to able to uphold their own beliefs into an error, false or mistake. Perceptional difference is essential but in some places acceptance of negation is equally demanding. This is the area which is completely nullified when it comes to relative truth and there lies the greatest limitation of the theory. Moral relativism is an umbrella term that encompasses various views and arguments possessed by people from different cultures. Moral relativism is again of several kinds namely: Descriptive Relativism, Meta-ethical Relativism and Normative Relativism. Moral relativism sometimes describes the positive or descriptive positioning of the existence of right course of deed under the circumstance when the fact gathered, and the similar consequence probably seems to arise. This concept of Moral Relativism falls under the category of Descriptive Relativism. The next contention about the idea is the ‘semantic’ and the ‘epistemic’, positioning that all moral

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Case Study Example Jessica presented case 7 titled ‘It’s not our fault. The case is about two couples who share four children. The family had some unexpressed conflicts and communication problems. Circular questioning, Formula first session talk, scaling and deconstruction were applied before and during the therapy. The therapy was successful and one of the two couples was further referred for couple’s counseling. The case presentation evoked many opinions in the group. Jessica, Teresa, Richard and Keri although were in favor of the therapy applied and the way the case was handled, but they had some differential views when it came to minute details of therapeutic application. Jessica would have added some object relations therapy to improve the relationship of the children with their biological mother. Keri and Teresa agreed with the therapy applied but suggested that Douglas could have been helped with some individual sessions using CBT for reducing his unreasonable and complainant behavior. Richard was of the view that Diane needed more individual therapy regarding the abuse. Matt thought that a strong communication approach would have been helpful since the communication process of whole family was faulty and inadequate. This case is about a two year old boy named Joshua who had constipation due to his parent’s antagonism. The parents, Donna and Nick both lawyers, were not happy with each other and the atmosphere of the home was always tense. After this case was presented, Teresa, Keri and Richard agreed that individual CBT given to both partners would have helped since they refused joint marital therapy sessions, therapeutic work on the personality aspects of each would have been helpful in improving the relationship in an indirect way. Jessica was in a favor of the applied systems approach fully and thought that the case would not have been handled so nicely had the therapist used another approach. Matt believed that play therapy could have

Monday, October 14, 2019

Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs Philosophy Essay

Maslows Hierarchy Of Needs Philosophy Essay Human needs are an important part of human nature. Values, beliefs, and customs differ from country to country and group to group, but all people have similar needs. As a leader you must understand these needs because they are powerful motivators. Abraham Maslow felt that human needs were arranged in a hierarchical order (Maslow, 1954). He based his theory on healthy, creative people who used all their talents, potential, and capabilities. At the time, this methodology differed from most other psychology research studies in that they were based on observing disturbed people. There are two major groups of human needs: basic needs and meta needs. Basic needs are physiological, such as food, water, and sleep; and psychological, such as affection, security, and self-esteem. These basic needs are also called deficiency needs because if they are not met by an individual, then that person will strive to make up the deficiency. The higher needs are called meta needs or being needs (growth needs). These include justice, goodness, beauty, order, unity, etc. Basic needs normally take priority over growth needs. For example, a person who lacks food or water will not normally attend to justice or beauty needs. These needs are listed below in hierarchical order. The basic needs on the bottom of the list (1 to 4) must normally be met before the meta or being needs above them can be met. The four meta needs (5 to 8) can be pursued in any order, depending upon a persons wants or circumstances, as long as the basic needs have all been met. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs 8. Self-transcendence a transegoic (see Note below) level that emphasizes visionary intuition, altruism, and unity consciousness. 7. Self-actualization know exactly who you are, where you are going, and what you want to accomplish. A state of well-being. 6. Aesthetic at peace, more curious about inner workings of all. 5. Cognitive learning for learning alone, contribute knowledge. 4. Esteem feeling of moving up in world, recognition, few doubts about self. 3. Belongingness and love belong to a group, close friends to confide with. 2. Safety feel free from immediate danger. 1. Physiological food, water, shelter, sex. Maslow posited that people want and are forever striving to meet various goals. Because the lower level needs are more immediate and urgent, then they come into play as the source and direction of a persons goal if they are not satisfied,. A need higher in the hierarchy will become a motive of behavior as long as the needs below it have been satisfied. Unsatisfied lower needs will dominate unsatisfied higher needs and must be satisfied before the person can climb up the hierarchy. Knowing where a person is located on this scale aids in determining an effective motivator. For example, motivating a middle-class person (who is in range 4 of the hierarchy) with a certificate will have a far greater impact than using the same motivator to effect a minimum wage person from the ghetto who is desperately struggling to meet the first couple of needs. It should be noted that almost no one stays in one particular hierarchy for an extended period. We constantly strive to move up, while at the same time various forces outside our control try to push us down. Those on top get pushed down for short time periods, i.e., death of a loved-one or an idea that does not work, while those on the bottom get pushed up, i.e., come across a small prize. Our goal as leaders therefor is to help people obtain the skills and knowledge that will push them up the hierarchy on a more permanent basis. People who have their basic needs met become much better workers as they are able to concentrate on fulfilling the visions put forth to them, rather than consistently struggling to make ends meet. Characteristics of self-actualizing people: Have better perceptions of reality and are comfortable with it. Accept themselves and their own natures. Lack of artificiality. They focus on problems outside themselves and are concerned with basic issues and eternal questions. They like privacy and tend to be detached. Rely on their own development and continued growth. Appreciate the basic pleasures of life (e.g., do not take blessings for granted). Have a deep feeling of kinship with others. Are deeply democratic and are not really aware of differences. Have strong ethical and moral standards. Are original, inventive, less constricted and fresher than others Maslows Hierarchy of Needs and Leadership To put Maslows theory into perspective with leadership, a short (less than 3 minutes) audio MP3 file is included: Maslow and leadership. Transegoic Transegoic means a higher, psychic, or spiritual state of development. The trans is related to transcendence, while the ego is based on Freuds work. We go from preEGOic levels to EGOic levels to transEGOic. The EGO in all three terms are used in the Jungian sense of consciousness as opposed to the unconscious. Ego equates with the personality. In Maslows model, the ultimate goal of life is self-actualization, which is almost never fully attained but rather is something to always strive towards. Peak experiences are temporary self-actualizations. Maslow later theorized that this level does not stop, it goes on to self-transcendence, which carries us to the spiritual level, e.g.. Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Dalai Lamao, or even poets, such as Robert Frost. Maslows self-transcendence level recognizes the human need for ethics, creativity, compassion and spirituality. Without this spiritual or transegoic sense, we are simply animals or machines. In addition, just as there are peak experiences for temporary self-actualizations; there are also peak experiences for self-transcendence. These are our spiritual creative moments. While the research of Maslows theory has undergone limited empirical scrutiny, it still remains quite popular due to its simplicity and being the start of the movement that moved us away from a totally behaviorist/reductionistic/mechanistic approach to a more humanistic one. In addition, a lot of concerns is directed at his methodology: Pick a small number of people that he declares self-actualizing; read and talk about them; and come to the conclusion about self-actualization. However, he did completely understood this, and thought of his work as simply a method of pointing the way, rather than being the final say. In addition, he hoped that others would take up the cause and complete what he had begun. Herzbergs Hygiene and Motivational Factors Herzberg developed a list of factors (Herzberg, 1966) that are based on Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, except his version is more closely related to the working environment: HERZBERGS HYGIENE MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS Hygiene or Dissatisfies: Working conditions Policies and administrative practices Salary and Benefits Supervision Status Job security Co-workers Personal life Motivators or Satisfiers: Recognition Achievement Advancement Growth Responsibility Job challenge Hygiene factors must be present in the job before motivators can be used to stimulate that person. That is, you cannot use motivators until all the hygiene factors are met. Herzbergs needs are specifically job related and reflect some of the distinct things that people want from their work as opposed to Maslows Hierarchy of Needs which reflect all the needs in a persons life. Building on this model, Herzberg coined the term job enrichment to describe the process of redesigning work in order to build in motivators. Theory X and Theory Y Douglas McGregor developed a philosophical view of humankind with his Theory X and Theory Y (McGregor, 1957) , which are two opposing perceptions about how people view human behavior at work and organizational life. McGregor felt that companies followed either one or the other approach: Theory X People have an inherent dislike for work and will avoid it whenever possible. People must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment in order to get them to achieve the organizational objectives. People prefer to be directed, do not want responsibility, and have little or no ambition. People seek security above all else. Note that with Theory X assumptions, managements role is to coerce and control employees. Theory Y Work is as natural as play and rest. People will exercise self-direction if they are committed to the objectives (they are NOT lazy). Commitment to objectives is a function of the rewards associated with their achievement. People learn to accept and seek responsibility. Creativity, ingenuity, and imagination are widely distributed among the population. People are capable of using these abilities to solve an organizational problem. People have potential. Note that with Theory Y assumptions, managements role is to develop the potential in employees and help them to release that potential towards common goals. Theory X is the view that traditional management has taken towards the workforce. Many organizations are now taking the enlightened view of theory Y. A boss can be viewed as taking the theory X approach, while a leader takes the theory Y approach. Notice that Maslow, Herzberg, and McGreagors theories all tie together: Herzbergs theory is a micro version of Maslows theory (concentrated in the work place). McGreagors Theory X is based on workers caught in the lower levels (1 to 3) of Maslows theory, while his Theory Y is for workers who have gone above level 3. McGreagors Theory X is based on workers caught in Herbergs Hygiene Dissatisfiers, while Theory Y is based on workers who are in the Motivators or Satisfiers section. Existence/Relatedness/Growth (ERG) Clayton Alderfers Existence/Relatedness/Growth (ERG) Theory of Needs (Alderfer, 1969) postulates that there are three groups of needs: Existence This group of needs is concerned with providing the basic requirements for material existence, such as physiological and safety needs. This need is satisfied by money earned in a job so that one may buy food, shelter, clothing, etc. Relationships This group of needs center upon the desire to establish and maintain interpersonal relationships. Since a people normally spend approximately half of their waking hours on the job, this need is normally satisfied to some degree by their coworkers. Growth These needs are met by personal development. A persons job, career, or profession provides significant satisfaction of growth needs. Alderfers ERG theory states that more than one need may be influential at the same time. If the gratification of a higher-level need is frustrated, the desire to satisfy a lower-level need will increase. He identifies this phenomenon as the frustration shy aggression dimension. Its relevance on the job is that even when the upper-level needs are frustrated, the job still provides for the basic physiological needs upon which one would then be focused. If, at that point, something happens to threaten the job, the persons basic needs are significantly threatened. If there are not factors present to relieve the pressure, the person may become desperate and panicky. Notice that Alderfers ERG theory is built upon Maslows, however it does differ. First he collapsing it from five needs to three. And unlike Maslow, he did not see these needs as being a hierarchy in which one climbs up, but rather being more of a continuum. While there has not been a whole lot of research on Alderfers theory, most contemporary theories do tend to support it. Expectancy Theory Vrooms Expectancy Theory states that an individual will act in a certain way based on the expectation that the act will be followed by a given outcome and on the attractiveness of that outcome to the individual. This motivational model (Vroom, 1964) has been modified by several people, to include Porter and Lawler (Porter et. al., 1968). Vrooms Expectancy Theory is written as a formula: Valence x Expectancy x Instrumentality = Motivation Valence (Reward) = the amount of desire for a goal (What is the reward?) Expectancy (Performance) = the strength of belief that work related effort will result in the completion of the task (How hard will I have to work to reach the goal?) Instrumentality (Belief) = the belief that the reward will be received once the task is completed (Will they notice the effort I put forth?) The product of valence, expectancy, and instrumentality is motivation. It can be thought of as the strength of the drive towards a goal. For example, if an employee wants to move up through the ranks, then promotion has a high valence for that employee. If the employee believes that high performance will result in good reviews, then the employee has a high expectancy. However, if the employee believes the company will not promote from within, then the employee has low instrumentality, and the employee will not be motivated to perform better.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Vitamin C Content of Apple Juice :: essays research papers

Vitamin C Content of Apple Juice Introduction Complete lack of ascorbic acid (a.k.a Vitamin C) in the diets of humans and other primates leads to a classic nutritional disease, scurvy. This disease was widespread in Europe during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, but it is rare today. Ascorbic acid is widely distributed in nature, but it occurs in extremely high concentrations in citrus and green plants such as green peppers and spinach. Ascorbic acid can be synthesized by all plants and animals, with the exception of humans, other primates, and guinea pigs. Therefore, vitamin C must be present in our dietary substances.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fundamental role of ascorbic acid in metabolic processes is not very well understood. There is some evidence that it may be involved in metabolic hydroxylation reactions of tyrosine, proline, and some steroid hormones, and in the cleavage-oxidation of homogentisic acid. Its function in these metabolic processes appears to be related to the ability of vitamin C to act as a reducing agent.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The adult Recommended Daily Allowance f vitamin C is 70 mg per day. Some scientists and physicians have suggested doses up to 1 to 3 grams per day in order to help resist the common cold. Deficiency of vitamin C results in swollen joint, abnormal development and maintenance of tissue structures, and eventually scurvy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Determination of vitamin C in biological fluids such as bolld and urine is difficult because only small amounts of the vitamin are present and many interfering reducing agents are present. Substances containing sulfhydryl groups, sulfite, and thisosufate are common in biological fluids and react with DCIP, but much more slowly than ascorbic acid. The interference by sulfhydryl is often minimized by the addition of p-cholormercuribenzoic acid. Materials and Supplies Apple Juice Metaphosphoric acid/ Acetic acid solution 4% Unknown ascorbic acid in metaphosphoric acid/acetic acid solution, .5mg/ml 2,6 dicholorphenolindophenol solution in water Ascorbic acid oxidase, lyophilized water Experimental Procedure Standard Ascorbic Acid Solution Fill a microburet with DCIP solution. Using a pipet, transfer 1.0 ml of the ascorbic acid standard solution to a 50 ml Erlenmeyer flask containing 5 ml of 4% metaphosphoric acid solution. Read and record the initial reading on the buret. Titrate by rapid, dropwise addition of DCIP from the buret while mixing the contents of the flask. Add DCIP solution until a distinct rose-pink color persists for 15-20 seconds. Record the final reading on the buret. Repeat this procedure twice more, each time with a fresh 1.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Benefits of Human Cloning :: Clones Biology

What is cloning? "Cloning is the process of making a genetically identical organism through nonsexual means."(www.Howstuffworks.com) It has been used for thousands of years to produce plants. The next stage was to clone animals. Scientists can take unfertilized eggs of some small animals, and clone them, so they develop into full adults. After knowing that people realized how great it would be if we could clone humans. There would be a lot of advantages in cloning humans. Lets say someone will die if they can't get a heart transplant. If scientists could clone the human heart, they might be able to save that persons life. Also if they could clone a full human body, they could use the cloned bone marrow as a cure to leukemia. Scientists can also use some cloned animals organs for transplants. Or another big issue would be if you could not have a child with your husband or wife. Many couples around the world would give anything for a chance to have a child. With cloning they would be able to clone a human being that would grow up to be just like one of them. What can cloning do for you? If one of your family members was sick or dying of a disease, scientists will be able to clone them, so they will be normal again. Or maybe one of your pets needs a new liver, they can also clone one, so your pet can live. How would you like it if cloning could bring back some of the worlds most honored and respected people? For example, Albert Einstein was one of the smartest men alive. And with cloning, we could duplicate his DNA to create an exact replica of him. They could do the same for a sports legend or an award winning actor or actress. There are endless possibilities with cloning. What have we already cloned? We have cloned more than what the average person knows about. We have been cloning plants for a very long time. And we have cloned many small animals. Most people know about scientists cloning a sheep named Dolly, but what they don't know is that they have cloned many more small and large animals. They have cloned sheep, goats, cows, mice, pigs, cats, rabbits, and a gaur.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Media regs

Though freedom of the press is protected and guaranteed by the First Amendment, there have virtually always been laws limiting and defining that freedom.   These restricts stem from English common law regarding libel and defamation and from the attempts of the United States government to keep up with ever changing modern times.The initial restrictions on the freedom of the press were only in regards to libel and defamation. These concepts, dating to before the adoption of the American Constitution, were inherited restriction of the freedom of the press. Ultimately though, in American law at least, they   come down to a singular defense. It’s not libel or defamation if it is true.Libel laws require that the victim be identified, that the thing being written damages them in the eyes of a significant minority and that the accusation not be true. Under American law, truth is the ultimate libel defense. However, the American court system has also long held that the freedom does not extend to the press the right to deliberately and with malice harm a person or group by reporting fiction.   If the issue being reported is true, then there is no libel. This differs from other countries around the world, including Australia, where libel simply involves damaging another person’s reputation and the claim can be made whether or not the facts in evidence support the accusations made.The important distinctions of American libel law in lie in identification and the concept of a significant minority.   In the part, American courts have ruled that identification does not necessarily mean by name. Identification can be implied, so that a significant number of people can figure out who the individual is that is being discussed or it can be as a member of a group. For example, even if Bob Jones is never identified by name as a member of the library board, he is a part of that group.If the press then accuses all library board members of being tax cheats, and Jo nes is not, then he has been libeled as part of an identifiable group. The other interesting caveat of the law and the administration of libel law is that the victim must only prove that their reputation was damaged within a significant minority.   This wording leaves a great deal up to the discretion of the court, both in determining what is a significant minority and when that minority might believe the things that are published about an individual. Ultimately though, all journalism students in the U.S. are taught that truth is the ultimate defense. If the issue being reported is true, there is no libel.Further restricting the freedom of the press is the concept of defamation of character.   This is the statute under which most lawsuits against tabloid magazines were brought before the more modern move to accuse them of invasion of privacy. Libel requires that a person suffer actual damage as a result of the insult to their reputation, i.e. the loss of a job, relationship or s ome tangible asset. Defamation simples requires that a person was injured by the falsehoods spoken or written about them.This was well and good until 1964 when the Supreme Court ruled that public persons, politicians and others who earn their living via being in the limelight, could only sue for defamation when they could prove actual malice. This meant that unless the public figure, say the president, for example, could prove that the news organization concocted false stories knowingly for the sole purpose of harming him, he would have no right to sue. If the story was true, then he definitely had no grounds to stand on.In 1798, the U.S. Congress further restricted the freedom of the press with the Sedition Act of 1798. The sedition act said, among other things, that any â€Å"false, scandalous or malicious writings† that bring damage to the U.S. Congress, the President, or any branch of the government were illegal (Wisconsin Journalism 2005). The laws regarding seditious li bel were used to keep the press from criticizing the government and to restrict the freedom of the press. Furthermore, the government has always seen fit to regulate â€Å"adult content† in print and has in recent years also restricted the types of advertising allowed in some form of media.However, with the advent of and expansion of radio and television, the U.S. government determined it necessary to create an entirely new arm of the government to regulate the media, the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC was begun as a means of controlling the airwaves with a lot of lofty goals in place. Allegedly, there was a concern about air space.The frequency the broadcast media was using had to be apportioned so that radio stations were not stepping on each other’s signals, preventing anyone from receiving clear reception. Furthermore, by regulating the size and power of the broadcast tower, the FCC claimed it was preventing the rcih stations from dominating the airwave s with might instead of talent or desire. The plan then, was to increase competition by making sure than everyone was on a level playing field.As time progressed, the FCC also worried about the influence that the broadcast media held and installed limitations on the number of television stations and radio stations that could be controlled by a single company or person. The idea was to again promote competition and prevent one faction from having superior control over the information accessible to the average citizen.   In further support of this, in 1949, the FCC instituted the Fairness Doctrine, a rule that said if a broadcast media gave a specific amount of time to one side of an issue, it was required to give the same amount of time to the other side.This was done theoretically to promote fair and balanced reporting of issues so that the public could make informed decision regarding political issues, rather than being completely influenced by hearing only one side of an issue. Paid advertising was exempted, except that the media had to charge the same price to whatever person wanted to buy advertising space rather than offering special deals to the side of an issue supported by the editorial staff of the station.The fairness doctrine was later withdrawn as unnecessary, but there have been some efforts recently to bring it back. Largely, these efforts come in the form of diatribes against right-wing talk radio, saying that because the talk show hows do not present fair and balanced reporting of the issues, the stations which air them should be forced to offer a show with a counter point. Opponents of this argue that free market competition has made the right-wing talk shows profitable and that commerce, not politics, has dictated the content of most broadcast stations.Because of the differing availability of broadcast television and radio, the FCC has also felt more comfortable with restricting the types of advertising that these stations may accept and wh en they may air it.   The FCC banned some alcohol commercials and all cigarette advertising from the broadcast media in an attempt to legislate a healthier country. Proponents of the restrictions say that manufacturers were unfairly using the psychological impact of broadcasting to influence people of an inappropriate age range to drink or smoke. Further restrictions have run the gamit from requiring alcohol manufacturers to encourage responsible drinking to forcing tobacco companies to rethink and redesign trademark logos.In short, the FCC has tried to regulate the broadcast media at any turn that it appears the American public is likely to accept. They have been able to do this by differentiating between the press and the mass media when it suits them. And, the FCC has tried to regulate the print media as well, from suing Hustler for its publication of pornography to creating and overseeing joint operating agreements between major metropolitan newspapers, forcing the papers, onc e owned by the same company, to maintain separate editorial boards to preserve the appearance of competition and diversity in news.The FCC has also tried to regulate even more modern media forms with attacks on the internet and attempts to regulate how Americans access the world wide web.   This over regulation has led to a backlash with many people believing that the industry needs to be de-regulated and the FCC in a precarious position. In recent years it has fined broadcast networks for the language and behavior of shock jocks, for â€Å"wardrobe malfunctions† at the Super Bowl, and for language used during prime time television.But an increasingly media savvy nation is demanding that they back off. Yes, some people were offended with the sight of Janet Jackson’s breast in a time when people believed the programming to be â€Å"family-friendly†, but at the same time, people are also calling on the offended to regulate themselves and turn off the programs th ey find offensive. Many people no longer believe in the government’s right or need to protect people. After all, what tech savvy child can’t find his way to much more gratuitous sites on the internet?The relaxing of the regulations on the broadcast media is long overdue.   The broadcast media has been ham strung for years by the overregulation by the FCC. It has suffered through undue restrictions and made to compete with cable television which did not suffer from the same sort of restrictions. They have been subjected to the whims of the FCC and have had restricted advertising revenues due to FCC regulations. The reality is that Americans are tech savvy enough now to restrict themselves. If they want to keep their families from viewing in appropriate materials, they can do so via parental controls or a v-chip.   It should not be the government’s responsibility to legislate morality.Furthermore, the regulations either need to be applied across the board or n ot at all. The FCC has not kept pace with technology in the modern era, and has thus not had Congress give it jurisdiction over newer forms of communication including cable television and satellite radio. As these things become commonplace, by regulating the broadcast media that uses the free airwaves and not the pay-for-use broadcast media,   the FCC places the free media at a distinct disadvantage and should not do so.While some restrictions on the freedom of the press, such as libel and defamation laws are appropriate, laws aimed at â€Å"protecting society† from itself, including advertising and pornography restrictions should be lifted. Once again, the government should trust the free market to decide as it did in the Imus’ case. No FCC interference was needed to get the bigoted talk show host off the air. The fair market did its job, demanding that he be removed or th station face lost revenue. That should be the way the media is regulated.WORKS CONSULTED †Å"America’s Battle over Media Ownership† The Economist, Sep. 11, 2003. , June 29, 2007.Hendrickson, Chris T and Francis Clay McMichael. â€Å"Controlling Contraditctions among Regulations†   The American Economic Review, Vo. 75, No. 4. Sep., 1985, pp. 876-877.â€Å"Media Regulation†, PBS,, June 29, 2007.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Effect of Rapid Urbanization on Housing

THE IMPACT OF RAPID URBANIZATION ON HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA FROM 1950 -2010 (Focus on urban developments and housing problems case study: Lagos) Urbanization according to Aluko O. E is rather subjective and can be given various interpretations. However in this concept it can be defined as the expansion of the number of people living in an urban area that depicts the rate at which people move from rural areas and populate the urban areas.Reports however, from the united nation show that the population at the urban centres has multiplied four times its initial growth since 1960 and would have risen to a projected number of about 5 billion in the year 2030. Report also has it that over 70 per cent of these populations would settle in cities and towns. Following independence, many administrative centres experienced major unplanned rapid urbanization .The ripple effect of these on cities being the core of urban development is enormous especially on the housing development which has eventually resulted in overcrowding, inadequate dwellings, deplorable urban environment, degrading public infrastructure, and to an extreme, â€Å"outright homelessness† (Adesoji David Jiboye, 2011) . Nonetheless, According to Femi Olokesusi, 2011 quoting Onibokun et. al. 1987) and Onibolun and Kumuyi (1999), assert that various political and socio-economic factors have resulted in rapid growth of urban population resulting in informal settlements, poor housing and slums in Nigeria. The rate of influx of people into major cities has been so high that the pace of settlement development and housing provision could not accommodate them. Since they must have shelter, all forms of informal procedures are adopted to provide housing. This has resulted in non-compliance with physical planning regulations and development control standards.Thus there have been cases of incompatibility of land use activities, overcrowding (due to high occupancy ratio, high density of development), poor construction standards (due to use of substandard building materials and construction methods), and ill-serviced dwelling Units, among others. The impact of rapid population growth however, on urban development and conditions is far more than merely a demographic or quantitative one especially on housing development as a whole which is a direct consequence of the push of the rural areas and the pull of the town.Current studies however indicate that the impact of rapid urbanization in terms of housing is revealed both in its quantity and quantity such that the little number of available houses is being overloaded infrastructurally and spatially leading to a reduction in the level of comfort and a rapid development in the number of slums being created and the level of substandard houses being built in an unplanned and unhealthy environment.However, the level of impact on the adequacy of housing has been compounded particularly by the high rate of population growth, through influx of immigrants, exaggerated real estate values etc. Nonetheless, housing according to Aduwo 2011, Daramola 2006 et al is the measure of the level of housing inadequacy and its quality. According to pelu Awofeso, one out of every two Nigerians now live in a city leaving limited infrastructure to be engulfed by millions of individuals.In his report he stated that 16 million housing units would have to be provided to address the shortage in urban shelters since the inflow of people supersedes the rate at which affordable housing is being constructed. Housing however, according to Abbas Olukunmi Owoade, 2007 quoting Tannerfeldt and Ljung ‘06)does not only relate to provision of houses but also basic infrastructure of a neighbourhood as well as schools clinics , recreational facilities and other amenities. CASE STUDY:LAGOSThe city of Lagos was first inhibited before the 15th century and grew from a typical small fishing and farming settlement due to certain factors such as, the constru ction of the railway in 1895 that linked the city, the hinterland and the port with the development of the Lagos harbour. In the twinkle of an eye, Lagos became the centre of trade and commerce bringing migrants from every nook and cranny. As the population increased so did the spatial expansion which posed a great deal of problems especially housing development. kehinde George, 2002). Population explosion in lagos became noticeable after 1950 amongst other reason, it was the national capital and in ’67 became a state on its own attracting funds from both the federal and state government there by introducing more migrants. However, Over 90 per cent of the typical housing standard is being provided by the private sector and individual efforts bringing about a gap between its demand and supply finding expression in the cost of rented values that eventually leads to vercrowding, growth of slums and rise in the number of substandard housing (Owoade,Abiodun ‘97). Two major f actors that accounted for the rapid growth in lagos can tied to net migration and natural increase According to the old United Nations university website, prior to 1928, planned residential areas in Lagos were limited. They included Ikoyi, which was a reservation area for expatriates who were colonial administrators and executives of foreign firms, and had a population of 4,000, or 3 per cent of the population of the city in 1931.Apapa, Ebute Meta, and Yaba, with a combined population of 22,000, or 17 per cent of the total, also had some element of planning, in the sense that road networks in Ebute Meta and Yaba were laid out on a grid and residential development was confined to the blocks within the road pattern. On Lagos Island, apart from the areas around the racecourse and marina, the indigenous housing was unplanned and was left to develop haphazardly, with houses built quite close together.Such overcrowded, unhealthy housing and poor environmental conditions stimulated the rap id spread of influenza epidemics and bubonic plague, which ravaged the city between 1924 and 1930. These led to the emergence, in 1928, of the pioneer planning authority in Nigeria, the Lagos Executive Development Board (LEDB), which embarked on slum clearance and the relocation of families from the Island to the Mainland (Oko Awo scheme) and since then, the activities of planning authorities have assumed considerable importance in metropolitan Lagos.The government of Nigeria has interceded at different times to solve housing problems with particular focus on Lagos by providing housing units as well as establishing site and service programmes to make available plots of lands to individual to build their own houses, the period 1979-1983 under the Jakande administration witnessed a massive housing development programme. evertheless, These programmes had little impact in that it provided limited number of housing units with a major setback in the year 1994 due to increase in price of b uilding materials. Thus, making a considerable number of Lagosians lack â€Å"shelter† a basic need of human existence. The wide gap between the supply of and the demand for has operated in escalating house rents, rent edict were promulgated to reduce this hardship by working population .In 1973 for instance the mid-west state government proclaimed an edict which limited the maximum rent payable on dwelling units. However, such edicts have not been effective in arresting increase in house rents (Josephine Abiodun,1976) Planned housing schemes in metropolitan Lagos |Housing agency |Scheme |Remarks | |Lagos Executive Development |Slum clearance of Central Lagos, 1955 to|1,847 families housed in Surulere. ,337 families resettled | |Board, 1955 -1975 |early 1960s, Olowogbowo Rehousing |in low-income rented houses. Subsidized by Ministry of Lagos| | |Scheme, Lagos Housing Scheme |Affairs | |   |Other housing schemes in Surulere |14,537 family units (dwellings) provided.In all, 128,800 | | | |people were provided with housing | |Lagos State Development and |Resettlement of slum dwellers from |1,000 families housed | |Property Corporation (LSDPC), |Central Lagos to Ogba and low-income | | |1972-1979 |housing in Isolo | | |Federal housing |Under 1975-1980 and 1981-1985 plan |6,000 housing units | | |periods | | |LSDPC, 1979 to date |Low-income housing |16,878 housing units | |   |Medium-income housing |1,790 housing units | Source: LSDPCIn Lagos, like elsewhere in Nigeria the access to privately owned housing units through traditional channels has made it immensely possible for a relatively large number of people to be house owners at certain cost which includes the sale of the same plot to more than one buyer owing to a lack of a comprehensive land register and sometimes conflict over rights of ownership between the state and private individuals or family groups or between members of families â€Å"omo onile† (owoade, abiodun ‘97). However , over 60% of these residents are under a tenement kind of arrangement constructed by â€Å"absentee landlord† with this kind of arrangement ending abruptly due to unforeseen evictions(Owoade, abiodun et al) The issue of land acquisition at the same time is far more complex because government acquired land is rarely made available or affordable for the average or even made accessible due to lack of basic infrastructure.Alternatively, in order to live closer to job opportunities there’s need for settling in centrally located pieces of abandoned land left due to unsuitability for housing either for being along railway paths or under high tension electric cable or marshy lands. (Owoade ’07, Tannerfeldt and Ljung 2006). David Owoade in his report emphatically stated that the Problems of rapid urbanization have increased and become more glaring as the cities expand and many attempts to curb these problems have not achieved the desired results. Housing continued to be supplied through informal self-help landlords and a majority of tenants live in homes with unsecured tenure while many holders find home in slums and shantytowns. Examples include Ajegunle, Makoko, Badiya, Maroko etc.Those that have been fortunate enough to build their houses on the periphery of the cities (ota in sango) have to live without basic services and infrastructures such as clean water, sewers, electricity and roads. In 1976, it was estimated that 111000 residential houses were available in Lagos to provide accommodation for a population of 3. 2 million keeping it at an average of 28 persons per building. By 19080, it had gotten worse with 30 persons living in a building and it was further projected that 2 per cent of the population lived in self-contained buildings leaving the remaining 98 % to rooming accommodations connoting shared facilities like the kitchen and the toilet.It was further estimated that by the year 2000, a total number of 1. 5 million housing units wou ld be needed to cater to fast growing population. It is no surprise that there is no more land for the government to build that they have resulted in sand filling of certain areas ( Raji Rasaki, 1988). However an updated article by lookman oshodi,2010 quoting the Lagos ministry of housing 2010 brings the demography to a total number of 91% of the total population living in the metropolis, about 20,000 persons per square kilometre in the built up areas. The occupancy ratio however are 8-10 persons per room with 72. 5% of household occupying one room apartment’s . ince the rate of growth in Lagos has assumed a geometric progression the provision of houses has never been commensurate leading to decay in structure either by quantity or quality. Hence, multiplying the number of inhibited slums from 42 in the year 1985 to over a hundred in 2010. (slums and squatter settlement)also, this â€Å"urban poor† pay house rents that are almost 50-70% of their income since most accom modations as earlier said are provided by private landlords. Thus, dividing the metropolis into classes such as low income/high density, medium income/medium density, high income /low density. (Lawanson 2007, lookman oshodi 2010) The population in Lagos seems to growing each day with its problems. onetheless, according to aduwo,2011 quoting (Okupe, 2002; Oruwari, 2006), Public housing was birthed as a solution to the proliferation of slums and squatter settlements but Housing specialists have revealed that public housing has failed to provide decent housing, claiming that it has succeeded in segregating tenants by income, race, and that it has isolated residents from the larger community. However, all these problems have resulted in overcrowding of buildings leaving room for no access, urban sprawl, lack of open spaces, high cost of building materials etc. [pic] Population in lagos Source: case study of lagos:geography and climate [pic] Source: case study of lagos:geography and clim ate Reference 1.MANAGING METROPOLITAN LAGOS ,Raji Rasaki ,Inaugural Programme of the Africa leadership forum, 1988 2. HOUSING TRANSFORMATION AND ITS IMPACT ON NEIGHBOURHOODS IN SELECTED LOW-INCOME PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATES IN LAGOS, NIGERIA: A PhD Thesis: Egidario Bridgette ADUWO,2011 3. THE IMPACT OF URBANIZATION ON HOUSING DEVELOPMENT: The Lagos Experience, Nigeria. ;Aluko O. E; Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management ; Vol. 3 No. 3 2010 4. PUBLIC HOUSING DELIVERY IN NIGERIA: PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES; World congress on Housing Transforming Housing Environments through the Design south Africa, L. M Olayiwola, O Adeleye & L Ogunshakin, 2005 5.CHALLENGES AND GROWTH OF DEVELOPMET IN METROPLOLITAN LAGOS, archive. unu. edu/unupress/unupbooks; old United Nations university website. 6. ANALYSIS OF THE INTERPLAY OF MIGRATION AND URBAN EXPANSION, ON HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT: THE CASE OF LAGOS by Okuneye P. A, Adebayo, K, Opeolu B. T. and F. I. Baddru; University of Agricultu re, Abeokuta and University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria 7. LAGOS: THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF AN EMERGENT AFRICAN MEGA CITY by Femi Olokesusi Paper Presented at the NISER Seminar Series on 5 July, 2011 8. HOUSING PROBLEMS IN NIGERIAN CITIES, Josephine Olu. Abiodun, reprinted from the town planning review, vol. 47, no. 4, October, 1976.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Herpeutic relationships in nursing

For Carl Rogers, discussing therapeutic relationships suggests that the relationship between the one being helped and the helper is a mutual one. Buber (1966) opposed and disagreed with Rogers and suggested that, because it is always the patient that comes to the professional for help and not the other way around, the relationship can never be a mutual one. Mutualism is defined as ‘the relation between two different species of organisms that are interdependent; each gains benefits from the other', (dictionary. eference. com (2008). Campbell (1984) said the role of a nurse in a therapeutic relationship is; somebody who shares freely with others, but does not interfere and allow others to make and define their own journey. Patterson (1985) believes that the relationship itself is central and quoted that ‘counselling or psychotherapy is an interpersonal relationship. Note that I don't say that counselling or psychotherapy involves an interpersonal relationship-it is an inter personal relationship'. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) influence a therapeutic relationship throughout The Code (2008), it quotes ‘you must listen to the people in your care and respond to their concerns and preferences and you must make arrangements to meet people's language and communication needs'. It encourages nurses to develop their relationship with the patient through the use of communication skills and through educating the patient about their illness. A therapeutic relationship is based on the communication between the nurse and the client themselves. You can read also Coronary Artery Disease Nursing Care Plan Communication involves almost every aspect of our interactions with others; and it plays an important part in any relationship. The holistic approach helps us, as nurses to encourage/support and authorize the patient with the accurate knowledge and understanding in order to help them to recover from their illness. If the nurse has the aptitude to communicate skilfully with the patient, throughout developing a therapeutic relationship, the patient will be more eager and willing to communicate and be more open with the nurse. Within a therapeutic relationship, trust is essential (holisticlocal. co. uk), and helps the nurse to increase their chance in healing the patient to overcome their illness and gain their respect. Patients expect the nurse to have the essential knowledge and to be able to display caring attitudes, so that they are able to trust the nurse and assign their care to the Professional. Breaching trust can make it very hard to re-establish it and therefore if a promise is made it should be adhered to. Mitchell and Cormack(1998) agree with this as they believed ‘patients themselves value therapeutic relationships which offer respect, trust, and care and it seems that such relationships may in themselves prove to be healing in the broadest sense' (Mitchell & Cormack (1998). In relationships constantly agreeing/ disagreeing with the other person on every occasion is not necessary as this could lead to aggravation, annoyance, and eventual dissatisfaction. Particular skills are needed to be adequately assertive without damaging the relationship. There are a variety of key skills which incorporate inside this relationship. Listening attentively and fully taking in to consideration what the patient is saying is perhaps the single most important skill that must be accomplished by the nurse. Listening to the patient without instantly giving suggestions and advice or diminishing the client's opinion, is central to the establishment of developing a relationship. Listening refers to more than hearing what the patient says and Rogers (1980) believed that ‘In some sense attending and listening means that you lay aside yourself; this can only be done by persons who are secure enough in themselves that they know they will not get lost in what may turn out to be the strange and bizarre world of the other, and that they can comfortably return to their own world when they wish', he is referring to ‘getting lost in the world of the other'. Burnard (1997) describes the art of ‘attending' as the act of truly focusing on the other person, consciously making ourselves aware of what they are saying and what they are trying to communicate. Vital to the establishment and construction of a therapeutic relationship is the nurses own capability to use an extensive range of communication skills, strategies and interpersonal skills. Effective and successful communication is a necessary aspect in producing and preserving a successful relationship. Regardless of the surroundings and the duration of interaction, the nurse acts in therapeutic ways to supervise the limitations of the relationship. This could involve tasks such as, the nurse introducing themselves to the client and addressing the patient by their preferred name/title, or showing a genuine interest in, and compassion for the client. In a therapeutic relationship between the nurse and the patient the power tends to be unequal, although nurses may not observe themselves as having power and authority in the relationship. The nurse should always try and remember that the patient is in a vulnerable position and due to the nurse's amount of health care knowledge and her position in the health care system the patient may feel more vulnerable than they already are. The misuse of power /authority can be known as abuse and using it appropriately enables the nurse to maintain paramount professionalism as well as dealing with the patients requirements. Empathy is also part of the structure of a nurse and patient relationship. Burnard (1995) defines empathy as ‘the ability to perceive accurately the feelings of another person and to communicate this understanding to him'. The nurse should be able to view the patient's illness and circumstances from their position and not look down upon them from an exalted position and the patient should not be made to feel vulnerable. Millenson concludes by stating ‘accurate empathy is always empowering, since it represents an understanding and acceptance of the speakers feelings' (Millenson, 1995). Respecting the client and their dignity at all times is fundamental to the relationship between the nurse and the client. The nurse should appreciate and understand the patient's religion, culture and the other aspects related to the patient themselves and the patient's background, and whilst providing care these factors should be taken in to account. Respect is not an attitude; it is an element that nurses should ‘master' and when showing respect nurses should make a difference in the way a patient is seen. Mayeroff (1971) believes that it is ‘more than good intentions and warm regards'. There are certain skills that users can use in attending to clients, in order to generate a therapeutic environment. They can be summarised in the acronym S-O-L-E-R. Sit facing the patient squarely; adopting a posture that indicates involvement is important. Open posture, crossed arms and legs illustrate lessened participation/availability; an open posture shows that you are open to the client and to what they have to say. Lean slightly towards the other person to enhance communication. Establish eye contact with the patient, keeping it fairly steady but not staring. Relax, and don't be nervous, adopt a comfortable posture and this will also helps put the client at ease. People might use these guidelines differently in relation to culture and individuality, so they should not be taken as absolute rules. Therapeutic relationships are also encouraged, supported and developed by members of the multi-disciplinary team, for example; doctors. Doctors support patients by educating them about their illness and also by developing a therapeutic relationship with the patient. They have to consider professional intimacy and also the method in which they communicate with the patient, since giving bad news is very different to giving good news and they also have to think about their facial expressions and body language and show empathy. This also relates to other members of the Multi Disciplinary team (MDT), such as physiotherapists, psychologists, dieticians etc. During practice, I have had to think about my communication skills, key elements and professional intimacy, on an occasion, were I communicated with the relatives of a terminally ill patient. The wife of this patient was crying, and therefore in order to comfort her, I talked to her, held her, hand and gave her a hug. The communication skills I used were Empathy, which Mayeroff (1971) believes is an essential part of caring. I also used verbal communication and non verbal communication, which is described as ‘an awareness of your body and mind as a source of communication' Egan(1990) and also showing respect, Rogers (1961, 1967) ‘You are there to help clients, not to judge them', following Standal (1954), who calls this kind of respect ‘unconditional positive regard' Egan(1990).