Northern Rock Plc

Northern Rock Plc Contents Page 1Report2 1. 1Audit Committee and Auditors2 1. 2Experience:4 2Comparison5 2. 1Chief Executive and Chairman5 2. 2Audit Committee5 2. 3Risk Management Committee6 2. 4Remuneration & Nominations Committee6 3Chance of another failure6 4Conclusion:8 5References8 Report In this report I am going to highlight the weaknesses in the corporate governance code of Northern Rock that lead to its downfall. Audit Committee and AuditorsAccording to the UK Corporate governance code the board should set up formal and obvious arrangements bearing in mind how to apply the corporate reporting internal control, and risk management rules for keeping the right relationship with the company`s auditors. The board should make up an audit committee of at least three non executive directors in the case of smaller companies at least two NEDs. The chairman can be a member in smaller companies but cannot chair the committee unless he or she was considered independent on appointment as chairman.The board should make sure that at least one the member should have recent and relevant experience in the audit committee. The board’s responsibilities are to lay out all the terms in writing and monitor the financial statement of the company, to review the financial performance and reporting. It should also review internal financial control, risk management system if not in place separately to check the effectiveness and internal function of internal audit.The board should also be review and monitor the external auditors work their appointments and re appointments, their remunerations, and more importantly the non audit services should be checked very closely. In the case of Northern rock the board and the audit committee failed to implement the above mentioned guidelines. In July 2007 the chief executive published on the website that operationally Northern rock’s first half of 2007 was a good one. He mentioned that mortgage lending in particular was strong.I f that was the case then how did Northern Rock end up being nationalised in just over 7 months? Was someone checking and verifying the statements of the chief executive. The external auditor’s complacency was another issue. In their report of 2006 they gave a clean bill of health. This was later investigated by the House of Lords economic affairs committee which found that the auditors had performed their job carelessly. An effective audit committee could have spotted these problems well in advance.The reason for PWC’s complacency might either be because of the presence of Rosemary Radcliffe on the audit committee who was previously a partner of PWC or maybe they were providing other non audit services to the company and did not want to upset the board. As per the corporate governance code the number of audit committee’s members was according to the code but none of the NEDs had any financial experience. Nichola Pease had experience of fund management but not in the banking industry even that experience was not a recent one as required by the code.It seems that at Northern Rock the audit and risk committees were not taken very seriously as Rosemary Radcliffe only attended two out of four audit committee and one out of three risk committee meetings. Experience: Northern Rock appointed a Senior Independent Director with over half the board being non-executive directors- following the combined code 2 and Basel 2 recommendations. However none of the directors were experienced enough in the field of banking not even building society.This in fact does not support the idea of having good corporate governance as it does not ensure failure or success. The above factors raised questions as to why the company’s shareholders did not question the risky business model or was it because of outstanding profits seen as the reward for taking such risk. The remuneration committee can also be held responsible for the failure as both the chief executive and the company took on the gamble for the high risks which in turn questions the values of the shareholder and executive. As mentioned above there were so many factors involved . i. e. he lack of experience, the chairman of the board and nominations committee Dr Ridley had no prior financial experience and even the subject that he has studied is far different to the role he was responsible for. The other four non executive directors Fenwick, Gibson, Pease and Queen also did not have recent relevant experience. Sir Derek Wanless with a good education background but unfortunately with some negative history while working in NatWest where he got paid ? 3M having lead a disastrous acquisition strategy. If the company was aware of the history then why was he appointed as a chairman of the Audit and risk committee?All of the above points indicate that it was really poor corporate governance in place which neither of the committee paid attention or lack their experience in the case of chi ef executive`s appointment cannot be said that much as he was internally promoted it is sometimes good so he knew about the company from scratch to the top but in some case it is better to have an experience person from a different companies so that they can bring new ideas and innovation. The audit committee had to review what they have been there for the monitoring of the internal financial control, the services, remuneration, re appointments of the external auditors.If the corporate governance were strong in the company there would not be any mis representation of the financial reporting neither by the chief executive nor by the external auditors and also they would have known the consequence of the failure before it had happened. Comparison In this question I am going to compare the governance arrangements noted in the case study with the current version of the UK corporate Governance code. Northern rock had applied most of the governance code but there were some weaknesses in s ome of the areas. Chief Executive and ChairmanAs per the UK governance code the chief executive and the chairman should be separate, their re-appointment and remuneration will have to be approved by the board. In Northern Rock the above codes were applied properly. Chief executive and chairman were two different individuals and their appointment and re appointment were also approved by the board. Audit Committee As mentioned above Northern Rock’s audit committee failed to comply with the UK Corporate Governance code on more than one count which led to the auditors not performing their job properly. Audit committee should act as a watch dog in an organisation.Risk Management Committee UK corporate governance says that the board should conduct a review of the risk management committee’s effectiveness at least on a yearly basis. The review should cover almost everything including financial, operational and compliance controls and should be presented to the shareholders. L ooking at the timeline of collapse of Northern Rock it seems that the risk committee was not very effective in identifying risks faced by the organisation and hence failed to perform its duty properly which led to the collapse of UK’s 5th largest lender in within one year.Remuneration & Nominations Committee According to the UK corporate governance code the company should have a remuneration and a nomination committee which should determine the salaries of the board members and should nominate suitable individuals for appointment. The nomination committee should be made up of non executive directors who should be independent members of the committee. The chair or non executive director should chair the committee but he or she should not chair the committee when appointing the successor to the chairmanship.The committee should also evaluate the skills, experience and knowledge of the candidate when making recommendations. It seems that northern rock’s nomination committ ee failed in doing their job properly according to the UK corporate governance code. If they had fulfilled the above requirements in accordance to the UK code then the inexperience of the NEDs would have not been an issue. Chance of another failure Generally, organisations with relatively poor governance don’t succeed as uch as those with high standard corporate governance aided by investors. Northern Rock proved this statement when worries about corporate governance resulted in poor performance. This came about 4 years before it was nationalised when shareholders were concerned in the kind of bonuses which were being paid to executives. This develops another understanding about the theory that governance drives performance rather than performance driving governance. Non-executives improve performance and the balance between executives and non-executives is very vital.Considering both the internal and external factors affecting the failure of northern rock it was mainly cause d due to its internal disability of managing crisis. It was the very flawed legal regulation and the poor corporate governance of Northern Rock that let itself down during the tough mortgage crisis in the US. The business model of the company worked for a number of years but despite the risk involved the non-executive directors cared less of the actual risks to the company’s model.Lesson can be learnt from the Northern Rock fiasco by other businesses regardless of their size or profitability. If any business does not implement the corporate governance codes properly they are guaranteed to have problems sooner or later. Similar failure happened to the fourth largest American bank Lehman brothers due to poor corporate governance as their systems were very weak. The key areas of the failure were Corporate risk management, Board of directors, remuneration committee and nomination committee.The board of directors included nine retired four of them 75 years old one a theatre produc er and another navy admiral with no banking industry experience. In the board of directors the directors were paid well for their work each in the range $325,000 to $397,000 even after getting high return from the company they were not seriously taking care of the company due to having other responsibilities. Their risk management were also a failure because their executive committee the CRO and the CFO meeting were every week but instead they meet only twice in both 2006 and 2007 which was very outrageous.The failure of the remuneration committee was that only $1 billion were paid in cash bonuses in just matter of 8years which is a big failure. Other than that $500 million was paid to the chairman. Out of the ten board member four of them were 75 years old and only one had the recent knowledge of financial sector. If in the future any other bank or business will not make their corporate governance strong I am afraid there will be more cases like in the future. Conclusion: After all I have mentioned above it was a poor corporate governance that led the bank to failure.Northern rock had all sort of weaknesses in their corporate governance code it will be a good lesson for the other banks to learn if they have any sort of weaknesses in their corporate governance they should amend those before it will be too late. References 1. Treanor, J. (2008). Poor governance reduces profits, says ABI. Available: http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/2008/feb/27/executivesalaries. insurance. Last accessed 09 Feb 2013. 2. Roman A. Tomasic . (2009). Corporate Rescue, Governance and Risk Taking – Northern Rock and Its International Context.Available: http://papers. ssrn. com/sol3/papers. cfm? abstract_id=1417953. Last accessed 09 Feb 2013. 3. The Financial Reporting council. (2012). The UK Corporate Governance Code. Available: http://www. frc. org. uk/Our-Work/Publications/Corporate-Governance/UK- Corporate-Governance-Code-September-2012. aspx. Last accessed 09 Feb 2013. 4. Agha, M G and Qatinah, A. (). Lehman Brothers and Corporate Governance Failure. Available: http://www. slideshare. net/adnanqatinah1/lehman-brothers-case-study2. Last accessed 09 Feb 2013.

Global Environmental Issues Essay

Global environmental issues, such as climatic change, global warming, pollution, species extinction and destruction of tropical rain forests hold unique place among other major international problems as it is one area that has transformative, comprehensive and long term impact on the future of entire world. For over a decade now the subject of these issues have become the common platform for intellectuals citizens, scientists, social organizations, and political and economic leaders from different parts of world to converge, assess and determine the possible ways to contain and mitigate its threat, that poses an unprecedented risk to the functioning and perhaps very survival of humanity. Climatic change, rain forest destruction and global warming are all interrelated issues, borne from same cause of increase in population and consumption. The empirical instances of these problems have been already factually corroborated in late in 1980s and early 1990s (Paterson, 1996). The years since 1987 started to show the veracity of these predictions as global average annual temperature soared higher every passing year and 1998 became the warmest year in the recorded years. More ominously, the second and third most warmest years in recorded history were 1995 and 1993, confirming to scientists, environmentalists and people that the rise in global temperature was not a sudden phenomena, or an aberration, but a systematic process that would compound in the absence of any effective policy and action (Johansen, 2002). Meanwhile, the destruction of Amazon and African rain forests have further compounded the problem, causing the environmental conditions to deteriorate more rapidly. Issues of climatic change and global warming have assumed international proportion as people have started to realized that the warming is a consequence of the largely unstructured paradigm of development, consumption, and growth followed over past 200 years, a problem that has been deeply embedded in the socio-cultural and economic system of the world (Uzawa, 2003). Despite the fact that there are many people over the world who would readily associate United States as the whole sole perpetrator of emission of greenhouse gases and global warming, United States has been among the leading campaigners to instituting policy change and corrective actions on the most comprehensive and global level to tackle the problem. The threats arising from global warming are bound to affect US’ economic and public interests with same intensity as they would affect that of any other country (Fleagle, 1994). Changing sea-level, intensification of storms, and climatic change have presented real threats for the United States and it is pressed for a domestic as well international solution (Uzawa, 2003). The problems with US are that its complex economic interests, industrial structure and societal framework doesn’t allow it to implement any drastic measures that may force a possible economic collapse (Victor, 2001). Under these strenuous complications, the US government is trying to come up with a policy for large scale institutional change and economic streamlining that aims to incorporate environmental costs as part of the economy and the society.

Community Assessment Essay

A community assessment gives emphasis on evaluating agencies, community members and systems so as to learn more about circumstances within such community. The goal of community assessment is to gather pertinent information from a personal walk or drive through the community, from different people and groups within the community as well. This paper will focus on a community in the state of New Jersey called Parsippany Troy Hills aka Troy Hill Parsippany, Parsippany. The goal of this paper is to assess the Parsippany Troy Hills community and the assessment will focus on aspects of the community including health and safety. Parsippany Troy Hills lies in the Newark piedmont basin in a county called Morris county. The community was first formed by European settlers in the 18th century which before was occupied by Native Americans. The name Parsippany came from a Native American word â€Å"parispanong†, which means â€Å"the place where the river winds through the valley. Parsippan y-Troy Hills township is located at 40 °51†²35†³N 74 °25†²24†³W40.859636 °N 74.423348 °W (40.859636,-74.423348). According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 25.394 square miles (65.771 km2), of which, 23.563 square miles (61.029 km2) of it is land of which is covered with city streets, restaurants, parks, shopping centers, schools, houses that range from old and condemned to new and expensive and 1.831 square miles (4.742 km2) of it (7.21%) is water. As of 2010, the population of the community was 53,238 reflecting an increase of 2,589 from the 50,649 counted in the year 2000 census which had in turn increased by 2,171 from 48,478 counted in the 1990 census. As of the year 2000 which marked the total population mentioned above, 19,624 households and 13,167 families were residing in the community. The population density was 2,115 people per square mile. There were also 20,066 housing units with the density of about 838.1 per square mile. The Township usually has a humid climate with cold winters and very warm hot summers. It is usually cooler compared to other communities in the state of New Jersey at night and early in the morning with record lowest temperature recorded at -29 Í ¦ F and record high of 104 Í ¦ F. The township of Parsippany has everything a community needs to survive so most people do not even travel outside the community. Most of the businesses in the community are independently owned and run by the members of the community. Troy hills have been a very quiet and peaceful community according to community members apart from the issue of domestic violence among a focused group in the community. My overall impression about the community is a positive one because my family owns a house there and I visit there often and from my experience, it is very peaceful and quiet compared to my other community in New York. Most people have lived in the community for years without travelling outside their township. When I asked some â€Å"why†, the response I got was there is everything in Parsippany so why go outside the community to get something. There is pretty much every store and restaurant that one can think of in the township, lining up along the towns major street (route 46). Driving along route 46 I came across supermarkets like Shoprite, Wall mart, Costco, Bravo and a couple of other small supermarket s. There is also a long stretch of department stores like TJ max, marshals, Sims, Burlington coat factory and many others. There is also a mall (Morris Hills Mall) which is 10 minutes drive that has other shops like clothing stores, and movie theaters. Also along route 46 and Beverwyck road which are the 2 main roads of the community, I came across some Laundromat’s and dry cleaners where some members of the community do their laundry. There weren’t many people in these Laundromat’s because most people in the community own washers and dryers in their homes so they do their laundry at their homes which I think was very good because it prevents overcrowding in the Laundromats. I also came across some beauty salons and barber shops in the community where some people were getting their hair cut and done and others were getting their nails and feet done (manicure and pedicure). Parsippany also has multiple parks where people go exercise, play sports, host picnics and barbeques and also hung out. At one of the parks that I visited, I saw a group of Indian residents playing volley ball and another mixed race group of blacks, Latino and Chinese young adults playing basket ball which I joined to play with them. There were other people also exercising, some running others doing push and pull ups. Parsippany also has a lot of organizations whose leaders are stakeholders in the community. Most of these organizations are there to offer help and support to community members in need. Three out of the many organizations that really gained my interest were the Women’s Club of Troy hills, Puzzle Pieces – A divorce and separated support group and the Panic and Anxiety club. I became very interested in these three organizations because they hosted a joint meeting at the united Methodist Church which is located at 903 S Beverwyck road, to talk about issues on domestic violence. I found it very shocking that host of the leaders and members were actual victims of domestic violence. I had the opportunity to attend that joint meeting and was very shocking to hear some of the stuff these women actually go through. They were very supportive of each other. In terms of religion, Roman Catholicism is the largest faith followed by Anglican Church and other Christian faiths including Baptist, Church of God and Pentecostal. Other religions include Islam, Hinduism, Jewish, Buddhism, and some Eastern religions. The community has incorporated all these different faiths and has helped provide places of worship for these various religious groups. When it comes to the issue on transportation, the main means to get around is by driving so therefore most residents own a car. The community also has a free transit system for residents which operates Monday to Friday from 9am to 4pm. Two buses run on the hour starting from the main shopping center (Morris Hills Mall) to Brookside senior center. The buses run both East and West routes respectively. Troy Hills Parsippany host educational facilities starting from elementary level to college level. These are some of the schools I came across in the community: Troy Hills elementary school, Rockaway Meadow elementary school, North Vail elementary school, Mt Tabor elementary school, Mt Tabor elementary school, Lake Parsippany elementary school, Littleton elementary school, Knollwood elementary school, Lake Hiawatha elementary school, Intervale elementary school, Central middle school, Brook lawn middle school, Parsippany High school, Parsippany Hills high school and Morris County Community college. Also the community has an adult learning center which provides adult and community. In Parsippany, health authorities see to it that they provide quality service to ensure quality life among the residents. Parsippany benefits from an extensive medical area, world class medical institutions and research facilities. The objective of Parsippany healthcare system is to ensure the health of its residents. Parsippany public health system conducts different programs and activities to integrate relevant health indicators. Parsippany has two major healthcare facilities which are the Hillside Medical center and the Morris Town medical center. Hillside medical center provides great care in cardiac services that includes heart stat, an interactive heart center and arrhythmia treatment center. They also have an emergency department that handles level 2 trauma cases. The Morris town medical center is a facility that provides urgent care, workers compensation and a board range of occupational health and preventative services. They also specialize in burns, wound healing, animal bites and dermatological problems. The community also has other healthcare centers which focus on specific areas of health. I came across health centers like Immediate Care Psychiatric Center and Greystone Park psychiatric center which focuses only on issues related to mental health. The community also has agencies both private and government run who provides care for the elderly and sick in home settings and nursing homes. As mentioned earlier, the community covers about 29.394 square miles of city streets, shopping centers, parks, schools, healthcare facilities and houses. Parsippany is a unique area because of the diversity of land usage. Most of the houses have large yards and are neatly kept by landscaping companies. Going west, the houses reduce in size but still appear well kept. In the northwest area which is along route 46, the houses turn into stores and fast food restaurants. Almost every street I came across or drove on in the community was tarred and the sidewalks were neat and well maintained. Sanitation in the community was a big problem 5 years back according to one local resident due to the increase in restaurants along N Beverwyck road which is occupied mostly by the Indian population in the community. According to a resident who lives among the Indian population, â€Å"there has been a rapid increase of the Indian population which led to increase in businesses being opened, most of which are restaurants†. This led to increase in roaches and rats around that vicinity due to left over foods form the restaurant not being properly disposed and less garbage pickups. The usual trash pickup in the community used to be twice a week (Mondays and Fridays). This problem was brought to the mayors (Mayor Barberio) office and a meeting was conducted with restaurant owners and policy makers which led to a decision being made to increase pickups. The community was the divided into 6 districts and a schedule for pickup was developed. The schedule changes month to month. Below is the actual schedule for garbage pickup for the month of December; The Parsippany police department is a civic service organization consisting of over 100 sworn in police officers. The department is divided into four main divisions: Patrol, investigative, support services and professional standards. Each division is led by a captain and supported by the following chain of commands: lieutenants, sergeants, patrol officers and civilian personnel. According to one police officer I spoke to, most calls the department receives were linked to domestic violence which he mentioned is high among the Indian population in the community. The Parsippany fire department is also working 24/7 to protect the lives and properties of the people of Parsippany and surrounding communities as well. The primary responsibility of the Fire Prevention Bureau is to enforce the New Jersey State Fire Code, ensuring that the residents and firefighters of Parsippany are given the proper level of protection. The Bureau, through public education, code enforcement and emergency respo nse, provides the public with protection of life property and the environment. Troy Hills Parsippany is a multiracial and very cosmopolitan in many ways. The racial makeup of the community is about 74% white, 4% African Americans, 0.5% Native Americans, 18% Asians (mostly Indians), 2% pacific Islanders and about 3% Hispanic. Herein English is the official and most common language and other languages spoken include Hindi, Bengali, Chinese, Spanish, French and Akan. The most people I men in the community were adults between the ages of 22 to about 45. I also met some teenagers who were between the ages of 13 to 18 and also children ages 3 to about 8.Most of these people were among the group of people I met on the playground. I walked to one of the community’s playgrounds and I met a large group of adults (mostly Indians) playing volley ball. I also saw a group of African American and Hispanic teenagers and adults playing basket ball which I joined to play with them. In Parsippany the difference in economic status lies in a wide range of educational levels income and occupation. About 68% of the population is employed with about 2 1,000 males and 12,000 females holding some form of employment status. The most popular profession if the community is in management of professional occupations. Second largest career field is in sales and secretarial work. Other occupations include maintenance, healthcare, transportation e.t.c. The median household income is about $107,144. According to the residents, living in the community makes them feel safe and secure. In addition to the financial stability of the community, the residents are enjoying a state of the art with regards to their healthcare facility needs. Each service offered is given efficiently and responsible healthcare workers see to it that patients or healthcare seekers are satisfied with service offered. According to one senior citizen I came across, living here has given him the security when it comes to assuring health and quality living. Most of the local business owners (restaurant owners) were also happy with living in the community because business is good as most of the m responded due to the increase in the population a long the location of their businesses. Troy Hills Parsippany offers numerous service organizations in the community. Mew Directions in an organizations that helps with providing housing and career developments for the unemployed and needy to find jobs whiles Partners in placement another organization helps everyone over 18 years in finding employment. The Upper room Empowerment helps senior citizens with low income, nursing home residents and orphanage children by providing financial assistance, food and clothing. The Parsippany Troy hills women’s club offers assistance to women in the community especially victims of domestic violence or abusive relationships. Puzzle Pieces – A divorce/ separated support group also helps people faced with divorce and separations in their marriages who were mostly victims of abusive relationships. Other organizations consist of Lifeblood, Lupus foundation of America, National alliance of the mentally ill (NAMI), YMCA and YWCA. Not only are these service organizations but most of these organizations are also allowing community volunteer. For example, vo lunteers can be counselors to help guide the YMCA and YWCA, The Upper room for Empowerment and the New Directions. These organizations bring to the attention issues in the community and make change by involving the community. One organization that has a large impact not only on the Parsippany community but communities all over is Lifeblood. Lifeblood is a nonprofit blood center with objectives to reduce dependency on paid donors, establish a pre deposit blood assurance program, work toward a more even flow of donations and develop roster of donors with rare types of blood. The two main healthcare facilities which are The Hillside Medical center and Morristown Medical center are being operated by the state government. So is the Graystone park Psychiatric center. There are also a large variety of privately owned and operated clinics and agencies that also provide care for the community. The Song Medical clinic owned and run by an Asian physician Dr Song who also is a resident of Troy hills. The mobile diagnostic testing of NJ LLC is also a private organization whose main focus is diagnostic testing . There is also a private rehabilitation center called the Morris rehabilitation and physical therapy center which specializes in chiropractic, physical, speech and occupational therapy, automobile accident care. They also provide treatments for lower back pain, neck pain, headaches, motor vehicle accident injuries, sports related injuries etc. The Morris Pediatric Care LLC is another healthcare agency found in the community which is committed to providing excellent medical care for infants, children and adolescents. This healthcare facility is privately owned and run by Dr Aradhana Rajkumar. The facility although is privately run, has affiliations with other hospitals. There are also homecare agencies that help provide assisted living and total care for older adults both in nursing homes and patient homes. Some of these agencies are A Place for mom and dad, Synergy home care, Brookside senior center, Cheshire home etc. There is also a door to door and fixed route transportation offered by the Morris area paratransit system (MAPS) to senior citizens and the sick for them to go up and down, to doctor’s appointments and so on. There is also Access a Link transportation system offered by the NJ transit which operates in the same manner. Being able to live in a community which is considered to be a quality and stable community not only in the state if NJ but the country as a whole is a great honor for its members. With great healthcare system which sees to it that the community members and neighboring communities receive quality care. Even though the residents are happy in their community, there is one big problem which causes a strain on the community and that is the rise in domestic violence among a specific focused group which happens to be the Indian population in the community. Domestic violence in short has been part and fabric of many societies and culture worldwide. It is so commonplace, in fact, that is has often gone unnoticed and failed to receive the level of attention it deserves in light of the devastating effects it can have on children and families. It is normally hard to get a clear picture when it comes to issues on domestic violence since most cases go unreported in the community with common reason relating to issues like immigration status and cultural beliefs. According to the Parsippany police department, the number one crime in the community is domestic violence. Between 06/12/0212 and 10/28/2012 there has been 12 reported cases leading to three deaths which were linked to domestic violence. Domestic violence is rising so rapidly to the extent that the next lines of businesses are law firms focusing on cases of domestic violence. Just by walking through the community, I came across about 15 different law firms with their banners stating almost the same thing â€Å"We specialize in domestic violence and abuse cases†. Most of the cases in the community have to do with physical forms of abuse but domestic violence in general can be psychological, emotional and sexual as well. As a nurse in this community, working with victims of domestic violence to resolve and eradicate this strain will be my number one priority and this can be done using the different levels of population health care (primary, secondary and tertiary prevention) and health promotion. Primary Prevention: The goal of primary prevention is to intervene before domestic violence occurs by removing the cause and preventing the development of risk factors. This is mostly done through teaching. My main focus will be introducing the Indian population in the community to new thinking processes, coping mechanisms (since stress is a causative factor), and relationship skills that does not incorporate violence and that’s will promote healthy non violent, trust and supportive growth of relationships. Also using the media and hosting forums in schools, churches and community centers to create awareness and the effects of domestic violence and also to show community how to respond to domestic violence situation if they should face it. Secondary Prevention: This level of prevention is very beneficial because as a nurse in the community I would arrange home visitations high risk families and provide support for family members identified as being at high risk of preparing or becoming victims of domestic violence. Also offering crisis support and individual counseling to individuals exposed. Also identifying exposed individuals at earliest possible level and providing appropriate services essential. Provision of services for children exposed to domestic violence, including age-appropriate counseling, supportive services, and services for the nonabusing parent that support that parent’s role as a caregiver, which may, as appropriate, include services that work with the non-abusing parent and child together. Also providing assistance in developing safety plans, and supporting efforts of victims of domestic violence, to make decisions related to their ongoing safety and well-being is very essential. Tertiary Prevention: At this level, special services will be offered for those identified with domestic violence example home visitations with abuse victims and their children, and also providing temporary housing for victims and protection orders against abuser because they need some time off from those abusive relationships to heal emotionally. Children who bear witness to domestic violence often show emotional and behavioral problems and it is my responsibility as a community nurse to provide mental health services to address underlying trauma. Also involving the community is very relevant to addressing issues on domestic violence. Intensive police, court and community collaboration to address situations on domestic violence is very beneficial. Also referring victims to support groups in the community such as the Women’s Club Troy Hills, Puzzle pieces and The Panic and Anxiety groups which provides support for domestic violence victims. I strongly believe that with these measures in place, domestic violence which it the biggest strain of the people of Troy Hills Parsippany will be a thing of the past just like the sanitation issues on the community has become.

How has the world changed for hospitals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How has the world changed for hospitals - Essay Example Based on that, the existence of technological gadgets such as smart phones, tablets and other smart devices has had an impact in the overall running of hospitals. These gadgets not only act and/ or are used as mini computers (small computers) but they can also be used by medical staff to report immediate issues; send emails to other colleagues; chat online; communicate through instant messaging; make urgent calls and even do online research. With regard to online medical research, the dawn of the internet as well as the information age has enhanced all forms of research to be conducted online. For example, if a medical student or a registered nurse (RN) wanted to conduct online research, they could be in a very comfortable position to use their hand held gadgets to perform these tasks. A number of medical technologies have also taken the form of â€Å"smart† equipments. This means that the medical equipment being utilized by practice not only undertakes its usual tasks, but it also tends to perform computing requirements, evaluation as well as analytical operations to the data and information provided to it by the practitioner in the hospital. A good example is the implementation of electronic health records (EHR). These digital health records have the capability to capture all of patient information. In addition to that, they also have the ability to evaluate the data and information that doctors feed to their database. That is, they can be in a position to evaluate whether the prescription given to the patient is valid or not. If not valid, EHR can be in a position to notify by sending messages to the user informing them that the information provided is incorrect. Hence, the user can be in a position to correct the information provided. More to that is th e fact that each time better equipment is unleashed by medical equipment manufacturers that promises to work and perform even better and faster than the previous equipment. As

Environmental Issues and the Industrial Revolution Coursework

Environmental Issues and the Industrial Revolution - Coursework Example In the course of production, gases such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons among others that are produced as waste material by industries are released into the atmosphere. The result is massive air pollution. The most far reaching effect of these emissions is changes in climate. The average temperatures in the world increase every year, there are more floods, and the desserts are expanding among other deviations from climate as it were in the past. Air pollution also has negative impacts on plant and animal species as well as humans. For instance, acid rain increases the acidity of the soil which damages plants while inhalation of these gases causes health complications to humans. Industries also release chemical effluents in liquid form which when released into rivers and other water bodies and this has resulted into the decrease of fish and extinction of some species. The first locomotives used steam engines. In the present age, majority of automobiles use gas. Increased use of automobiles degrades the environment because it necessitates mining of oil. Combustion of gas to propel vehicles results in emission of gases which causes air pollution. The major pollutant from cars is carbon dioxide which is a green house gas that depletes the ozone layer and also contributes to global warming. Emissions such as nitrogen and sulfur oxides are part of the reason why the number of cancer cases is on the rise. Air pollution from locomotives also causes acid rain which is detrimental to plants. Industrial revolution has necessitated continued mining of oil and gas which is used to power motor vehicles, factory machines and in cooking. Mining and transportation of oil poses a danger to the environment through the possibility of oils spills on water bodies and also on land. Oil spills result in both short and long term

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DIFFICULTIES OF PROVIDING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER Essay

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE DIFFICULTIES OF PROVIDING EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE - Essay Example This essay will explicate customer service and its recent trends, its good and negative practices, the disadvantages of bad customer service, its difficulties and how to improve this as a profession. Customer Service: The Basic Customer service relates to marketing and sale of product to a customer from manufacturer to targeted end-user (La Londe and Zinser, 1976). In this service, there is so much need about worker’s availability, reliability, quality delivery of services, responsiveness, organizational ability, communication skill and flexibility. While valuing customer, the customer service representative (CSR) should integrate quality service to develop customer retention and to inculcate competitive advantage in the marketing arena. As such, this means that the CSR is able to contribute improve the profitability of the company. Positive Customer service It is perceived that positive customer service is characterized with sensitivity to buy and sell transactional relations , sufficient knowledge on the crossing-points in the supply chain viz-a-viz marketing orientation, organization in performing tasks and good cognizance of the factors relating to buying-and-sell situation. The customer must therefore be knowledgeable on standard product or service delivery system; immediately recognize critical service problems; develop customer communication system; and have ability to build relations with clients. Kano, Seraku, Takahasi,& Tsuji (1984) explained that positive service is obtain whenever customer satisfaction and marketing strategies are achieved through quality management. Kano et.al (1984). This refers to the ability of the customer representative to meet the six quality attributes. These factors are basic entry threshold toward customer fulfillment, excitement factor, and performance ability (Kano et.al, 1984). Other factors are the indifferent, questionable and reverse attributes. The latter are not much regarded by customers though (Kano et.al., 1984). It is essential however that the customer service representative is able to articulate to customer the basic features of the product or service sold and relate with flexibility, simplicity, adjustability and cost (Kano et.al,1984). As workers, they must be able to balance the financial, customer, business processes and learning perspectives while tending to clients. Financial factor refers to an attribute of being knowledgeable on company’s financial data, including automation of financial processing, to keep them abreast on market risks and to ascertain cost-benefit of investment (Kano et.al,1984). On customer sensitivity, performance management CSR must be able to meet reasonably the customers’ needs and satisfaction (Kano et.al,1984). On the business side, CSR should know how to contribute in strategic management because his task is ultimately linked with the overall goal of the company he or she represents (Kano et.al,1984). He is part of the support process es. Balancing views on these factors can help bolster the performance of the company. It assists in integrating quality and customer service programs for profit, reliability, influence, customer empathy and to ensure quality assurance (Kano et.al,1984).

Filmography of Matt Damon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Filmography of Matt Damon - Essay Example Apart from being the titular character, he also co-wrote the screenplay of the movie with his friend and actor, Ben Affleck. The movie released in the year 1997 and the world saw the birth of another star. Damon’s career graph rose steadily with other movies like The Departed and the Bourne series where he proved his versatility with different kinds of roles. His ability to emote with his fans and the viewers was accepted by the masses and the critics alike and he remains one of the few actors who have received both critical acclaim and commercial success almost equally. Matt Damon has also received a fair share of the awards that matter. He was nominated for the Academy Award for the best actor for essaying the role of Will Hunting in the movie Good Will Hunting. There were several other nominations that Damon received for the role. Apart from the excellent acting that he did in the movie, it is also not to be forgotten that he co-wrote the screenplay which won the award for the best screenplay at the Golden Globes Awards and the award for the best original screenplay at the Academy Awards. With these feathers in his cap, it was inevitable that Damon would go on to cement his place in the annals of Hollywood. This place that he had cemented became a permanent place in the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. This reflects the tremendous achievements that he had made during the ten years that followed the movie Good Will Hunting. He had received the academy award for the best supporting actor in Invictus in 2009. Apart from this, he had gathered a tremendous following among the masses of America and other parts of the world through his portrayal of the title character in the Bourne series. Damon plays former CIA agent Jason Bourne who is shown to be suffering from a loss of memory. The series was adapted from the trilogy that was written by the writer Robert Ludlum. The series was a part of the action genre and was different from most of the movies that were created in this genre and was noted for this very reason.     

New Technologies and Documentary Storytelling Essay

New Technologies and Documentary Storytelling - Essay Example This paper discusses that the new technologies upcoming in the media industry such as video editing and digital camera software, have made documentary filmmaking a product of storyteller’s persistence and vision, the storyteller is normally the director of such documentary. Many viewers have had a stuffy perception of what constitute documentary storytelling; however, the impact of the new technologies on documentary storytelling has changed the perspective on documentary storytelling, which has become a short form of digital media production due to the presence of digital camera software. This has allowed people to across the world share the elements of their life stories. Video editing software has also enabled documentary storytelling to include film techniques that are digital equivalent, animations, motion video with sound, and other kinds of non-physical media. This report stresses that new technologies are changing documentary storytelling very fast in the way they are produced, experienced, and distributed. Many media scholars have come up with numerous digital camera and video editing software that has seen documentary storytelling hit a higher notch. Production and directing has become more effective and efficient. Because of this, many people share their life stories and the natural situation of the world and real circumstances facing the world. Although media industry previously had difficulty applying media techniques to documentary storytelling, the rising technologies has made it much easier for their production. Effective documentary storytelling by storytellers is a result of personal desire to explore real life situations and share nonfictional motion pictures on televisions. The new technologies has changed documentary storytelling through the availability of photography, audio, video, and digital camera software, which has cre ated a shift from passive media users to active media consumers. Due to these new technologies, media consumers are currently playing main roles as agents of interaction that transform media uses. Through the new technologies that acknowledge the present state of documentary storytelling in terms of production, experience, and distribution, documentary storytellers can now shed new lights when developing experiences of non-fiction media (Rony, 2007). Being a documentary filmmaker, storyteller means more than journalism profession in the media industry. This is basically because documentary storytelling involves a wide sort of motion nonfictional pictures that are intended to document some reality aspects majorly for the purposes of maintaining a record of history. This needs utilization of quite a number of media principles and regulations such as fair use of stories involving people and the world. Documentary filmmakers create an easy, clear statement of reasonable and fair approac hes to fair use through their professional associations. Fair use, in some circumstances, is the right to quote materials that is copyrighted without paying for or asking authority and permission for it. Being a storyteller demands a understanding of the essential feature of copyright law. This is because copyright is very important in the profession and is applicable to the production of any kind of media

Homevestors of America franchise profile Research Paper

Homevestors of America franchise profile - Research Paper Example Kenneth D’Angelo created HomeVestors Company, with the main aim being to utilize franchised services as the route towards sustainable real estate business. Indeed, the franchising operations of the company began in 1996, where the company’s initial venture involved the buying of worn out houses, repairing and selling them at a profit. On this note, the company embarks on buying houses of people who are moving due to job transfers, retirements or shifts and renovating the houses to be resold to potential buyers who may want to buy the houses. To date, the company has purchased more than 45000 homes in the United States since it began operations, and its high-ranking services will continue to boost its operations and create better avenues for franchising. One of the most profound benefits of franchising operations is the fact that the capital requirements are much lower when opening new departmental stores or branches. Indeed, a company seeking to expand its operations through franchising incurs fewer costs, as opposed to committing funds and get new stalls (Campbell, and Lafili 93). On this note, the business creates independent owners who assume all the costs associated with operations, only leaving fewer responsibilities to the parent company. Further, the parent company experiences increased rates of expansion, mainly due to the facts that the costs of such a venture are reduced. As opposed to commitment of huge amounts of cash in budgets as capital requirements to open up new businesses or branches, companies under franchise can reopen many times the number of stores or businesses with the same amount of capital, which may facilitate rapid expansion even into the untapped markets in the industry. Looking at the disadvantages of such an idea to the parent company, it is evident that setting up branches in diverse geographical locations may require increased variation of products.

The Various Pros And Con of the Issue About Environment Changes Essay

The Various Pros And Con of the Issue About Environment Changes - Essay Example This essay stresses that global environment change is the most important issue of the contemporary times because it affects everyone, whether they come from rich country or belong to the under developed economies. It cuts across race, culture and nationality. The various international conventions and global bodies have acknowledged it as priority area that must be addressed urgently and collectively. The growing dependency on cross national resources has intrinsically linked the nations which have come together to tackle the global problems of climate change. Indeed, it is true that local economies and domestic interests highlight sovereign rights but Kyoto protocol, Rio Summit and the current Doha climate talk are testament to the fact that nations are willing to negotiate for mutually beneficial outcome which are also able to address the current issues of climate change. National interests would be overcome or atleast negotiated for the broader objectives which address global conce rn. This paper makes a conclusion that it is important that local, national and international policies and framework must address demographic needs of the region. They must evolve ways to facilitate resources to match the increasing population through mutual negotiation that caters to the universal goal of safeguarding environment for future generation. The survival of human race is at danger from myriad fronts that also threatens the ecosystem. These are vital issues in climate change that would unite the global community.

Status Consumption as a Factor in Product Demand Research Paper

Status Consumption as a Factor in Product Demand - Research Paper Example Evolutionary economists contend that the current status of economic systems has been largely driven by growth of knowledge over time (Loasby 135). Choice, which has been a factor in retail economics, is therefore not so much about preference, but a function of knowledge and rules controlling the knowledge itself. As such, preferences are just but a subset of the knowledge-controlled rules. Noteworthy, rules and knowledge in consumer consumption, unlike the conventional idea of preferences, are imperfect. Thus, the consumers are ever in a decisional trap of â€Å"knowledge of what to want†; a trap that often leads to coerced consumption (Earl and Potts 626). Generally, there are two preconditions that must hold for consumption to be considered status consumption. First, there must be a sense of belonging, often referred to as â€Å"degree of commonality† concerning relative desirability of association with certain products or brands. Secondly, consumption of such products or association with such brands must be socially visible, that is, openly displayed (Deaton 34). In other words, status consumption follows â€Å"demonstration effects." Social visibility is particularly essential because of the moral hazard effect related to socially non-visible commodities. Consumers acquire incentives to amplify their consumption with the intention of gaining positions in social settings. For those that show their consumption patterns externally (self-reporting), individual's concern with status is one factor that has been identified to motivate such actions.

The Battle of Britain Essay Example for Free

The Battle of Britain Essay ‘Never the Master, Always the Servant. ’ How Accurate is this Statement in Regard to Wolsey’s Conduct of Foreign Policy 1513-29? â€Å"Had I but served God as diligently as I have served the King, he would not have given me over in my grey hairs. † Cardinal Wolsey c. 1472-1530 Here Wolsey himself professed his obedience to Henry VIII, but historians of the previous century and a half claimed that between 1513 and 1529 foreign policy was governed entirely by Wolsey, some suggesting that Henry gave only perfunctory approval to his decrees. Modern historians dispute this, the king’s aspirations and decisions being of fundamental importance. The matter remains unsettled however, regarding the extent of Wolsey’s influence and manipulation. Contemporaries argued that Wolsey was effectual ruler, â€Å"Alter Rex† during particularly the mid 1520s, his palatial home eclipsing Henry’s in political importance. Wolsey was clearly very cunning; he won Henry’s favour by shrewdly encouraging him to enjoy leisure activities and leave the mundane politicking to him – exploiting the mistakes of his predecessors. Cavendish declares, â€Å"Thus the almoner ruled all those that ruled before him†. However, Wolseys desperation to gain Henry’s esteem is evidence merely of the need for Henry’s approval – as Wolsey clearly appreciated. Henry intervened less in politics before 1529 than he did afterwards, but as Peter Gwyn recognises; this was only due to his sincere satisfaction and comprehension of Wolseys loyalty. From 1512 Wolsey climbed the political ladder very swiftly; utilising the opportunity of the French invasion to exceed Henry’s expectations and impress the king with prizes in Tournai and Therouanne. By mid 1514 Wolsey was receiving all the king’s important business affairs, and exploiting Henry’s need for an authoritative chief servant fully Wolsey admittedly used his persuasion to gain himself numerous offices – Dean of Lincoln, Bishop of Tournai, Bishop of Lincoln and Archbishop of York. Although Warham still held the most senior church office, as Archbishop of Canterbury, Wolsey had won himself Lord Chancellorship by 1518, making him head of the legal system. However Wolseys ascendancy was resultant from Henry’s appreciation of his talents, by the time of the treaty of St. Germaine-en-Laye with France in 1514 Randell recognises Henry’s apparent disinterest with routine diplomacy, â€Å"He was still keen to win glory, but was content for someone else to arrange it for him. † His connections with the Papal authorities brought about suspicion that he had tied England to Roman foreign policy, such as Pollard’s insinuation that Wolsey considered his duty to his spiritual master over that over the king – In 1518 he was appointed ‘Legatus a latere’, a position he was guaranteed for life in 1524. Scarisbrick however discredits Papal loyalty, acknowledging Wolseys disregard for Papal instruction as frequently as it was adhered to. Although England and the papacy had common interests, it was merely coincidental for the Pope’s wishes to be followed, and the king himself had the same attitude to Wolsey towards the pope. Henry wanted to become ‘Defender of the Faith’ and did so, in 1521, and there is more proof that it was he who encouraged Wolsey to pursue the office of Pope than vice versa. As Palmer asserts, â€Å"Wolsey was no more or less a servant of the Papacy than Henry himself. † Wosley required the position of ‘Prince of the Church’ (gained 1515) because he had not won such approval from the Papcy as he had from his royal master. He did not wish to rival Henry’s authority by becoming ‘Prince of the State’ because he was assured of Henry’s support. Although Wolsey bragged of being â€Å"author of the peace† at the Treaty of London in 1518, and despite evidence for him formulating his own policies by 1517; as Gwyn defends – he was winning glory for his master. Scarisbrick recognises Wolseys desire to become arbiter of Europe, but his dependence upon Henry is undeniable. As Randell recognises, Wolsey often hid things from Henry and considered ways in which he could put things to him in order to provoke a desired response, to push contenders away and get away with more than he officially should. Vergil even suggested that Wolsey bribed Henry with gifts to distract him whilst he was making demands and to gain further favour. All these efforts, however, merely emphasize Wolseys dependence upon the king and his desperation to maintain his support. Randell suggests that Wolsey made independent decisions – often trivial but sometimes-major ones, but Henry could and sometimes did intervene. Wolsey always needed to appear to be implementing Henry’s decisions even if it was not always strictly the case. Skelton and Palsgrave, authors of articles in the House of Lords December 1929 attacked Wolseys arrogance and misrule during parliament and regarding matters of foreign policy, alleging he bestowed himself excess authority and wrongfully excluded other councillors from attending court, but evidence suggests that they were pursuing a ruthless campaign to get him dismissed. Although, as Guy points out, up until 1927 â€Å"more than the details were left to Wolsey† Henry was nevertheless broadly responsible throughout all matters of foreign policy. Wolsey may have organised much of the minor details, such as the essential transport arrangements and food supplies during invasions, but it was under Henry’s direction and command. The king would instruct Wolsey and provide details of the task, which Wolsey undeniably fulfilled exceptionally and often made fitting amendments to Henry’s broader schemes. Henry’s certain dominance was clear throughout a number of issues. In 1518 Henry backed the Holy Roman Emperor despite Wolseys disproval and efforts to persuade him oppositely. Scarisbrick identifies disparagement between Henry and Wolsey throughout the events of 1520 and 1521; the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520 was extremely expensive and Wolsey discouraged Henry from spending such vast amounts of money on what he anticipated to be a political fiasco, yet the event went ahead with no expenses spared – regardless of Wolseys advice. In 1521 Wolsey wanted peace in contrast to Henry’s desire for warfare, but Wolsey was made to journey around Europe; negotiating with Charles in Bruges that England and Spain should ally against France, and then returning to Calais. His consolation being that war would be delayed until 1522 – but Henry’s leadership is clear, the attack was still launched and Wolsey left disregarded once more. As Gwyn appreciates, Wolsey realised the importance of bringing honour to his master through dominating affairs – which his desired neutrality would not bring. Wolsey deceived France against his own wishes to preserve Henry’s major international role. In 1525 the Battle of Pavia saw the capture of King Francis and the strengthening of Henrys desire to become Imperial Ruler. Wolsey was then unable to act as an Imperial Arbitrator, Henry VIII wanted an Imperial Alliance and Wolsey was forced to attempt the Amicable Grant for Henry to invade France, but this was impossible and in August the Treaty of the More was signed after the French war. The reversal was extremely embarrassing for Wolsey, who went through humiliation and dispute to please Henry VIII, eventually gaining an annual pension of 100000 gold crowns. Historian Dana Scott Campbell understands Wolsey as being motivated to tread the path necessary to ensure personal advancement and power in England. By satisfying Henry VIII with international glory and prestige his support was ensured; although his power was enhanced by the Papal authorities, Roman influence was limited – his self interest, over all else, forced him to please Henry primarily and the Pope if possible. He acted with more alacrity for Henry, and with more determination, joining the Anti-Imperial League of Cognac in 1526 and declaring war two years later. The Treaty of Cambrai in 1529 was a desperate attempt by Wolsey to retain Henry’s partiality, and was signed by the leaders of England, France and the Holy Roman Empire. Wolsey underwent mortification and infringement of his own desires in order to please his King, both in the matters which he may have seem to control and in those which were quite obviously of Henry’s design. Whether due to arrogance and untamed ambition or merely a desire to satisfy the King – Wolsey routinely aimed to please him in all aspects of foreign policy. Grossel appreciates Wolseys desire to serve the king; convictions in Wolseys vanity are now outdated as Wolsey clearly wanted to maintain the honour and influence of his own position through that of his king. Henry’s absolute dominance is evidenced by the impossibility of Wolsey sustaining esteem as European Arbitrator because of Henry’s belligerence (as well as the treachery of the European Kings). His independent decisions occurred only when permitted, or occasionally unknown, by Henry. Wolseys position was secured for the most part because of Henry’s satisfaction with his conduct – had it not been so (as in later years) Wolsey would have been rapidly dismissed. However, Randell recognises that the evidence for both supporting and admonishing Wolseys loyalty is in the form of letters written only to deceive the recipients, disparate word of mouth and untrustworthy third parties – all of it unreliable.

Choosing between mischel and rotters explaining personality

Choosing between mischel and rotters explaining personality Both Julian Rotter and Walter Mischel proposed the social cognitive approach to personality. Known as social cognitive theorists, Mischel and Rotter suggested that conscious thoughts and emotions determine the difference between people and guide the way they behave (Mischel, 2004). The social cognitive approach is not based on the description of an individuals personality rather than on the principles of human learning. Thus, they believe that our personality is formed through the learning processes such as observation and interaction with the family and others in social situations. From an interactionist point of view, peoples interaction with their environment predicts their behavior. Rotter suggested that changes in personality can occur at any time but the basic unity that it has prevents it from changing as a result of minor experiences. Rotter talked about the law of effect, as such, he believed that the way people act is a determinant of an anticipated goal. According to Rotter, four variables predict human behavior: behavior potential, expectancy, reinforcement value, and the psychological situation. Behaviour potential is the first component of Rotters theory. Behaviour potential refers to the possibility of engaging in a specific act in a particular situation. A person has a choice of behaviour to acquire in a given time and place. The second variable is Expectancy which refers to the a persons expectancy that a given behaviour will lead to a reinforce. Expectancy can either be General or specific. A specific expectancy is the belief that a particular behaviour at a certain time and place will lead to an outcome. General expectancies are the beliefs that anything a person is doing will make a difference. Rotter believed that the combination of the specific and general expectancies lead to reinforcement. The effort a person devote to achieve his goal will be determined by the total expectancy. The third variable is the reinforcement value. Reinforcement value is Rotters conception of motivation. The thing a person wants to attain has high reinforcement value. The constancy of expectancies and situational variables when there is preference of reinforcement shape behaviour. According to Rotter the perception of people known as the internal reinforcement influences behaviour. The fourth variable considered by Rotter is the psychological situation which is in his prediction formula. He believed that peoples interaction with their environment result in their way of behaving. He suggested that different people will interpret the same environment differently. Moreover, Mischels cognitive affective theory does suggest that individuals behaviour is characterized by the beliefs that they learn, expectancies and feelings but along with that he claimed that these particular characteristics make them different from other people. He termed these characteristics as cognitive person variables which shows the dimensions of the difference between people differ (Mischel, 2004, 569). Mischel named some important cognitive person variables that affect a person when adapting to an environment (Shoda and Mischel, 2006) : Encoding strategies are a persons belief about his environment and other people. Unlike the social learning theory, people make use of their cognitive processes to form personal constructs from the external stimuli. The way people encode an event is different which shows their individual differences in personal constructs. Also, Mischel suggested that stimulus can be altered by how people interpret experiences and to what they attend selectively. Expectancies refer to the persons belief of his capacity and what the person expects from his previous behaviour. Affects refer to feelings and emotions. Affective responses emphasize on a persons behaviour is determined by the interaction of peoples cognitive processes with a specific situation. The affective responses are not separable from cognitions and they influence other cognitive-affective units. Goals and values are what the person want to achieve and believe in. Competencies and self-regulatory plans refer to the persons capacity in terms of his thoughts and actions, his ability to engage in goal directed behaviour. As people do not attend to all stimuli in the environment, they selectively create the world in which they live. Also, the self regulatory plans make people to plan and maintain their behaviours. According to Mischel, these cognitive variables as well as the features of the situation have to be identified to predict a persons behaviour in a given situation. Hence, the interaction of the person and situation lead to behaviour. Mischel suggested that only if a person come upon a specific behaviour, then his behaviour will reflect the characteristics he has learned in that particular situation (Kammrath, Mendoza-Denton and Mischel, 2005). Rotters social cognitive theory was based on the locus of control whereas Mischels cognitive affective theory was based on situation versus person variables. Mischels theory was an extension of Rotters social cognitive approach. Just like Rotter believed that peoples reaction to environmental forces are more determined by cognitive factors than immediate reinforcements, Mischel claimed that behaviour is determined by both situation variables (environmental factors: rewards and punishments) and person variables (internal personal factors). The two person variables : expectancies and subjective values in Mischels theory have the same meaning as in Rotters model. As an extension of Rotters social cognitive theory, Mischel added other person variables like competencies, encoding strategies and self regulatory systems and plans. Mischel strongly believed that the interaction of both environmental and personal factors develops behaviour. He claimed that we have to take into account what we know about a particular person and the present situation to predict the latters behaviour. Furthermore, he laid emphasis on how emotions and person variables interacted. He argued that negative emotions like depression affects peoples interpretation of their experiences and expectancies they hold about the future (Mischel and Shoda, 1995, p.498). Also, Mischel suggested that emotion variables just like cognition depend on how people interpret and label their experiences. The cognitive-affective personality system proposed the consistency paradox which refer to the variability across situations and stability in a persons behaviour. Mischel believed that variations in the behaviour pattern is neither caused by random error nor the situation alone. He rather believed that these variations in behaviour patterns predict behaviour that mirror stable patterns of variation within a person. Mischel and Shoda (1995) devised the Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦then framework which they believe can conceptualise the variations in behaviour. The relationship of the ifà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦then in this framework is as such: If A, then X; but if B, then Y. A and B are taken as situations in which the individual is in and X and Y are the ways people behave as a result of the situations they are facing. For example if Mark is provoked by his wife (situation A), then he will react with aggression (X). if changes and so, then also changes. In the first situation If Mark is being provoked by his wife (situation A), he will react aggressively (X). In a second situation (B), if Mark is being provoked by his boss then he will obey with submission (reaction Y). In these two situations we can see that Marks behavior is inconsistent, but Mischel and Shoda believed that being provoked by two different persons is not the same stimulus. Instead, they suggested that Marks behavior reflects a stable behavior pattern. Thus this framework claimed that the way people react to situations depend on cognitions( for example : perceptions, illusions) and affective (for example feelings) related with them. Mischel and Shoda (1995) proposed a second example where two persons are qualified as irritable but their irritability is caused differently. In the example he said that 2 persons are irritable: Person 1 likes to be the center of attention and likes interaction with others. Thus, Person 1 gets irritable when no one pays attention to him/her. Person 2 likes to be alone and gets irritable when people start to relate their lives. In addition to, there are two situations: Situation A reflects no interaction among people (e.g. Business meeting), It is just a boring situation. In situation B, such interactions are mostly frequent (e.g. parties). Therefore, based on ifà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Then Framework, Person 1 will feel irritated in situation A and not B, whereas Person 2 will feel irritated in situation B and not A. The Ifà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦then framework is based on the Behavioral Signature of Personality. The Behavioural Signature of Personality is the variation in an individuals behaviour in specific situations. In the example of Mark; his Behavioral Signature of Personality is his consistent manner to vary his behavior across situations; that is he will not react aggressively in all situations (Feist, 2004). M ischel took traits into consideration and contend that some basic traits are persistent over time. Mischel himself argued that the idea of consistency of personality across situations is not right. Mischel and Peake (1982) examined the consistency of conscientiousness and friendliness in college students. The result was that students responded inconsistently across situations. Mischels social cognitive theory maintains that peoples behavior is specific to the context of the situation. For example, somebody can be honest at work but can cheat on taxes. This approach does not predict depends that behavior will be consistent across situations. Behavior depends mainly on the consequences of the actions (such as rewards). However, according to Mischel, consistency can occur when the same behavior is reinforced in a variety of situations or if a person is unable to discriminate among situations. For Mischel traits can be useful as they provide summaries of multiple behavioral observation s and as such have descriptive usefulness. Traits affect behavior differently in different situations under certain conditions. For example, the trait of aggression will be apparent only under circumstances like when a person feels frustrated or angry. People with the trait aggressiveness act differently from those who are low in this trait. Moreover, Mischels theory considers the prior experiences in life. The prior experience play a role in situational context. Thoughts and emotions activated by a particular situation are the results of prior experiences with the particular situations. Therefore, situational variables as well as experiences play a role in the occurrence of any behavior. Rotter, on the other hand, attaches great importance to needs of people, as needs indicate the direction of behavior. Mischel talks goals only. Whereas Rotters theory speaks of goals when the focus is on the environment and speaks of needs when the focus is on the person. Rotter and Hochriech (1975) listed six categories of needs: recognition-status, protection-dependency, love and affection and physical comfort. In my own view, Mischels theory is better off than that of Rotters. Mischel even took into consideration the personality traits which he believed account for little of the variance in human behaviour. His aim was to replace traits like sociability or dominance into traits of his own invention. His theory was closely based on the social learning theory of Rotter but he combined the social learning theory with the knowledge about mental processes from cognitive psychology. Mischel with the help of his student, Shoda issued an updated version of his original theory. His new version had five variables instead of four and the new variable was affects, feelings or emotions. The addition of the new variable was due to the research made in 1995 which found that social information and processing and coping behaviour was influenced by affects and emotions (Mischel and Shoda, 1995, p.252). Another aspect which Mischel included in the new version of the theory was the description of personality as a cognitive-affective system. According to his new theory, he claimed that the importance in the five cognitive social learning person variables lie in their simultaneous interaction. Therefore, personality is a stable system that mediates how the individual processes, chooses and constructs social information and produces social behaviours (Mischel and Shoda, 1995). The cognitive affective personality system further claims that a persons behaviour will change based on a particular situation but in a meaningful manner. Mischel and Shoda (1995, 1998, 1999) even devised a framework and suggested that variations in behaviour can be predicted from it and he took into consideration the consistency paradox in explaining peoples behaviour. Moreover, Mischel places his cognitive theory against the traditional trait theory. As such, he argued that his theoretical cognitive person variables are superior to the traits as they express scientific rather than understanding. Unlike Rotter, Mischel and his colleagues believed in the importance of moving from a theoretical perspective of personality out of conceptualizations like irritability to a more scientific conceptualizations like encoding competency. Mischels theory is an advance over the trait approach as well. His person variables focus on the psychological processes in shaping behaviour rather than on the behaviours itself. Another advantage of Mischels theory is that individual differences in behaviour become conceptualized as patterns not as average levels.

Past And Present Challenges Facing Wardens Criminology Essay

Past And Present Challenges Facing Wardens Criminology Essay Wardens are responsible for the organization and operation of prisons. To accomplish this, prison wardens are usually assisted by several deputy wardens, typically one each for management, custody, industry, and treatment programs. One of the main goals for them is to promote public safety and to insure the safety of inmates and staff inside. However, wardens also tend to face outward in their daily duties, dealing with politicians, administrators in the central office of corrections, the media, and interest groups (Allen, Latessa, Ponde, 2010). A complex job, wardens are trained both as correctional officers and administrators. George A. Neotti is the warden at Donovan State Prison in San Diego, California. He is responsible for 4,400 inmates and 1,700 staff. Mr. Neotti claims that disciplining employees and making them do what must be done to enforce the prisons rules is one of the biggest challenges in his position. Another challenge is budget cuts. Since we all know prisons are p aid with the public funds, and Neotti has to use these funds appropriately and responsibly to operate the prison. Unfortunately because of budget cuts, many prison programs have been significantly decreased or have totally disappeared. Among these are substance abuse programs, educational programs, and vocational programs. Neotti has faced in the past and is currently facing many lawsuits against him by inmates, he challenges threats among inmates and employees at the prison. He also deals with contraband such as drugs and cell phones. He said that heroin, cocaine, meth contraband is often smuggled in by mail or visitors, volunteers or even employees, often through the rectum. This really jeopardizes the employees safety, for prisons can be quite violent. Another big and complicated challenge is the overcrowding of prisons. Even though many new prisons have been built throughout the nation during the past 20 years to accommodate the growing number of inmates, prison overcrowding is still very much a reality in many jurisdictions. Some of the most crowded prisons are those in federal system, which recently stood at 34% over capacity (Schmalleger, 2010). To fix this problem, lawmakers across the nation are trying to save money with a drastic potentially dangerous budget-cutting proposal releasing tens of thousands of convicts from prison. Among these inmates include drug addicts, thieves, and even violent criminals (Schamalleger, 2010). If officials acknowledge that the idea carries risks, then why are they doing this? Do they not have any other choice? They must find a better way to manage the overcrowding in prisons instead of just releasing them. The appropriate sentence or punishment has to be equally proportionate with the crime c ommitted, but if punishment is the intentional infliction of pain on a person that is convicted of a crime, what is the appropriate punishment for a criminal behavior? There are several types of punishment in criminal law. A guilty defendant is punished by either period of incarceration in a jail or prison, a fine paid to the government, or in exceptional cases, life in prison or even death penalty. Crimes are divided into two broad classes: Felonies that have a maximum possible sentence of more than one year incarceration, and Misdemeanors that have a maximum possible sentence of less than one year incarceration. Defendant can be found guilty or not guilty. The purpose of in criminal punishment has divided into two schools that have battled for five centuries Retribution and Prevention (Samaha, 2008). Wardens and administrators will continue to face many challenges among jails and prisons until they find a solution for a better life among inmates, employees and volunteers members. Correctional Officers In the past, staff members were called guards. Today, if we call correctional officers guards, it is more likely to offend them. According to Allen at al. (2010) Correctional Officers represent women and men charged with control, movement management, and observation of the inmates in jails and prisons of America, they also found that by 2007, more than 250,000 uniformed custody staff members were working in state, federal, and local adult prisons in America. Harold Lilly, who worked for the North Carolina Department of correction from 1950-1986, stated that in his early career, prisoners used to work on the roads, ate and slept, and that was it. There was no classification, no rehabilitation; there was a state law that every prisoner must work preferably on the highways and thats what they did. He also mentioned that todays correctional facilities are complex because among other things they provide substance abuse treatment, medical services, job training, education and other rehabil itative programs. He concluded that in this complex environment, correctional officers who play a critical role in the safe and secure operation of todays correctional facilities have replaced the old guards. In the past, correctional officers did little documentation. For example, if they locked and inmate up, they reported it verbally to the captain on duty. They did not write reports. Harold (2005) said that in old days, you had what you referred to as a guidebook. Today correctional officers must follow standards, policies and bureaucratic regulations and obligations for corrections staff members. If correctional officers use force today, they have to do an official report with videotapes and corroborating evidence along with it. The training programs are more drastic than before even that this career does not require a degree, correctional instructors should explain the mission of the training, which is to protect the state from further inmate litigation, and they should inform their students that future responsibility for courtroom resolutions rests with corrections personnel (Allen at el. 2010). In my opinion Correctional Officers must obtain a higher education than just high school or a GED. Having a degree in sociology or criminal justice helps to obtain positive values and understand the meaning of this position leading to accomplish the goal, but the state must increase the salary to encourage people to pursue this career but because the cost for training programs are very expensive, and also correctional officers with a lack of education or knowledge tend to resign this position within a year or two, this salary will continue to be very low. Correctional officers are the ones that interact with inmates 24 hours a day, and an increase of violence, due in part to a rise in prison gangs, put many officers in the trenches or our nations prisons; prison violence, crime, and drug trafficking are ways of life for most inmates in high-custody prisons (Allen at el. 2010). According to Beck T. (2005) in the old days, a guard told a prisoner what he wanted him to do and that was that. Today, a correctional officer must be able to understand and enforce a complex system of rules and regulations. Beck also stated that in the old days, a guard might inflict corporal punishment if an inmate disobeyed an order. Today, an officer must be able to diffuse potentially dangerous situations without the use of force. Beck concluded that in the old days, guards orally reported the days happenings to the next shift. Today, an officer must document significant incidents in a specialized computer database. Punishments and Remedies To make punishment efficacious, two things are necessary. First, they must never be disproportioned to the offense. And second, they must be certain. The differences between civil law and criminal laws are as follow: Criminal Law: Those found guilty of violating the criminal law are punished. Retribution: the oldest justification for punishment is to satisfy peoples need for retribution that is an act of moral vengeance by which society makes the offender suffer as much as the suffering caused by the crime. Prevention: looks forward and inflicts pain to prevent future crimes. There are four kinds of prevention. General Deterrence: a goal of criminal sentencing that seeks to prevent others from committing crimes similar to the one for which a particular offender is being sentenced by making an example of the person sentenced. Special Deterrence: a goal of criminal sentencing that seeks to inhibit criminal behavior through the fear of punishment. Incapacitation: prevents convicted criminals from committing future crimes by locking them up, or more rarely, by altering them surgically or executing them. Rehabilitation: the attempt to reform a criminal offender. Rehabilitation Seeks to bring about fundamental changes in offenders and their behavior (Schmalleger, 2010).

French Tourism Essay -- essays research papers

France is a country of beauty, mystery, and intrigue. Paris has the most known tourist attractions in the world: The Eiffel Tower, L’arc de Triomphe, and the Louvre to name a few. Paris is called the â€Å"City of Light†; the lighting of monuments and buildings emphasizes the beauty of the architecture in the city.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris, if not the entire country. It is one of the most known monuments in the entire world, and definitely one of the most photographed. It began construction in 1887, designed by the engineer Gustave Eiffel, and was finished in 1889 for the International Exhibition of Paris. It was build to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French revolution. At first some French people were very much opposed to the large metal monument, and about 300 people signed a petition opposing it. But now it is a large part of Paris, and can be seen from many places in the city. The tower is 310 meters, and was the world’s tallest building for many years after its construction. The tower was saved from being torn down in 1909 by its antenna that was used for telegraph transmission. It has been used for French radio and then later for French television broadcast. In 1986, new lighting was added to accentuate the metal frame. Some interesting events have happened on the tower over the years: in 1954 it was scaled by a mountaineer, parachuted off of in 1984, and in 1924 a journalist rode a bicycle down from the first level. T...

My Philosophy of Education :: Educational Teaching Teachers Essays

My Philosophy of Education While thinking about my personal philosophy of education and such questions as "What is the purpose of education?' or "What is the role of the teacher?" I have come to realize that my personal views can only be described as eclectic. I find that I agree with some (but not all) of the tenets of many of the major philosophies so far as education is concerned. My personal belief is that there is no single "way" of educating or education that is correct for every child, and as a future teacher I believe that I must be willing to be flexible and adaptable to any given situation , utilizing my knowledge of the various philosophies of education to create an approach to education that will provide each student with a learning environment and a learning experience that is best for him or her. When it comes to the curriculum taught in schools, I agree with the Perennialists' view that the curriculum should include the works and ideas of the Great Thinkers of the past, the fine arts, and philosophy, as well as the view that teachers should also instruct students in both character training and positive moral development. This is not just a job for the parents of children but for all adults in society as well, and since teachers spend almost as much time with children as their parents it is foolish to think that children will not look at the teacher as a role model whether or not the teacher intends for them to. I also agree with the Essentialist point of view that the curriculum should include such subjects as reading, writing, history, mathematics, sciences, foreign languages, computer skills, geography, social studies, and government. I feel that students who have a strong background in the basics of a variety of topics will have a better school experience and will be better prepared not only for higher education experiences, or experiences in the job market, but for life experiences in general. I also feel, like the Social Reconstructivists, that students need a curriculum that addresses the topics of cultural pluralism, human relations, social problems, and global issues as well. Students need to be aware of what goes on in the world, of their role in it, their responsibility to it, and of the ways that they can bring about changes in a positive way.

Island Of The Blue Dolphins :: essays research papers

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell In the Pacific there is an island shaped like a big fish sunning itself in the sea. Around it, blue dolphins swim, otters play, and sea elephant and birds abound. A young Indian girl lives and waits for her people to return for her, from the land to the east. Karana with her long black hair and her dark skin, held her own on an island after her people had left for a new place. She was sure they would come back the next spring, but after two springs she learned to live on her own. I really admire her strength and her will power. She faces so many different adventures that you can relate to your life in a different fashion. Living on your own brings in many new ideas and adventures. Karana has many hard decisions to make, when she has to decided to go with childhood teaching or fending for herself. " I wonder what would happen to me if I went against the law of our tribe which forbade the making of weapons by women†¦ would the four winds blow in from the four directions of the world and smother me as I made the weapons? Or would the earth tremble, as many said, and bury me beneath its falling rocks?" The choice to build weapons saves her life and brings her a wonderful friend. "He stood facing me, his front legs spread as if he was ready to spring. The arrow struck him in the chest." This dog had been her enemy he killed her brother and she had vowed revenge on him she had gotten what she wanted, yet she had not killed the dog just wounded him. "Why I did not send the arrow I cannot say. I stood on the rock with the bow pulled back and my hand would not let it go. The big dog lay there and did not move and this may be the reason. If he would have gotten up I would have killed him. I stood there for a long time looking down at him and then I climbed off the rocks and picked him up." This dog became her friend and he salvation. It must have been lonely and she made many friends, otters, she had birds anything to keep her busy. Each spring she hoped that her people would return and take her to the far off land which they had left for.

Noram Foods

Noram Foods Noram Foods is considering changing their current policy on package weight standards. The current policy states that 95% of packages are to be greater than the stated net weight. However, management believes a more accurate control policy could reduce costs for Noram foods while insuring net weight does not fall below the stated amount. Current issues: Specifically regarding the pre-cooked cereal line Noram Foods has initiated the 95% weight policy to ensure stated weight specifications are met.This relatively high percentage is due to increased regulations, undeveloped technology, and negative consumer response towards under weighted packages. This has motivated Norman to establish reputability by choosing this control policy. Additional considerations include: * Addressing flexibility of a 95% standard * Updated, precise technology is expensive – What is the ROI? Is there on marginal value added? * Keeping norms within government specifications * Preservation of positive company reputation Lower product deviation without falling under stated weight * Overweight packages creates higher cost and decreased profit margin * Underweight packages leads to consumer and governmental reaction and inefficiency due to under-utilization of capacity Current Policy Analysis Option 1: Keep Current Control Policy(=95%) With Option 1, Norman Foods will be able to maintain the 95% weight policy and seek cost reduction in another area to increase their profit margin. Potential Cost Reducing Opportunities: * Reduce the rotation schedule of control operators – i. . rotate every ? day instead of every ? hour * Leads to improvement in efficiency due to less shifting of human resources * Increased total output * Mid-shift change could assist control operators dealing with redundancy * Seek possible technological improvements with the weighing instruments * Decrease inefficiency Potential Consequential Issues: * Probable high turnover rate to due mundane * Co uld led to an increase in HR costs due to recruiting and training new people Option 2: Reduce current standard (< 95%) Graph 1 Retrieved from: www. ublicecon. com With Option 2, Noram Foods would be required to test and analyze various percentage points below the current 95% standard and, as Graph 1 demonstrates, doing so until an equilibrium is achieved between costs incurred and control not falling below LCL. Possible Consequential Issues: * Reducing the current standard would result in a decrease in standard deviation * Increased risk of falling below the lower control limit * Additional problems may be created * Additional value through cost reduction is added through the rectification of arising issues.Our Analysis Moreover, the company shuts down the operation when outliers fall below the LCL. However, when the process produces outliers that are above the UCL, the machine continues to operate. Noram Foods should develop a cost/benefit analysis to conclude at what level of uppe r outliers creates excessive costs. Based on Exhibit 4 that concerns the Consumer Packaging and Labeling Act, Noram Foods should have a warning system that signifies that the package has exceeded its required tolerance level of ~7. 5 grams. This will reduce unnecessary cost.The operator working at a particular station should be in charge of making sure the weight is within control limits. The company should create incentives to keep control operators motivated while performing these mind numbing tasks. We propose that for every year that a control operator completes their processes while staying in the specified range, they receive personal recognition from the company. This could take the form of an award or plaque offered by the manager. The added incentive can increase employee productivity and moral, thereby reducing turnover.

Attitude Toward Power Essay

Both Ulysses and Macbeth were able to accomplish power of kingship, but the way they gained the powers ar different. In this essay I am going to comp atomic number 18 how they regard power, two differently and similarly. I intend to practice Heinemann, (1994), version of Macbeth by Shakespe atomic number 18 and the ramify expiration of Ulysses. The main focus of Macbeth will be from Act1 flick 7, lines 1-28 and Act 2 Scene 1, line 33-61, whilst I will as well as take account of other think part throughout the play.Since Lord Tennyson and William Shakespe atomic number 18 are from different era in the history, their place of the macrocosm will be different, then I will also summon about Shakespeares and Lord Tennysons different perspective towards power and talking to they used. Most great writers reflect their billet to life on their work, so it is measurable to consider the social and historical accentuate of the Jacobeans- the time when Shakespeare wrote the play, and the Victorian time, when Lord Tennyson was alive.In Victorian times, Britain was a powerful country. in that respect were unlimited opportunities for mainly the upper class pack to broaden their knowledge by going to new places and experience the irrelevant cultures. When Lord Tennyson wrote this poem, he was grieving everyplace his best friends death. By writing this poem he was able to express his emotional feeling as well as to persuade him to let it go. He also had the opportunities to tell people that it is neer too late to try out a newer humanness.For causes, Ulysses new domain of a function would be the later on life world and Lord Tennysons new world would be the world without his best friend. At the end of Macbeth, the moral we get is that never to cross the line of overlord Order. During Jacobean time, they believed that the duty of the King is chosen by God They believed that every living organism has an order and it is decided by God, this is shriek th e Divine Order. If one decides to go against the Divine Order, like killing the King to be the monarchy himself then, he had done something that is very unwholesome during the Jacobeans going against God.Shakespeare tried show that by the cost of Macbeth have to face after he had murdered the King, one example is that he lost his respects from his courtiers and at the end he was all by himself. Jacobeans were also very superstitious they believed that witches are evil because they worship demon, so if in that respect was a plague or a natural disaster, they blamed on the witches they are first put to trials and then was executed, mainly hanged or burned. Because Shakespeare made Macbeth associate with the witches by talking and worse of all believe them, that made Macbeth evil.Shakespeare did this to please his King, King James, as he was against the supernatural and was able ease King James to spread the iniquity of the witches through his play. The poem, Ulysses started by a obtuse rhythm. Lord Tennyson managed this by using the lyric with long vowels such as, hoard, and sleep, and feed. These haggling give us the sense of bluntness and mundane, which was how Ulysses feels at the beginning. However, as we go nurture down the poem, the dullness was decrease as he started to talk about his brave days.