Pharmacy School Personal Statement Essay

As one of the aspiring pharmacists in the country, my personal and career goal is to be in line with the top-rated practitioners in pharmacy. Hence, it has always been my dream to serve the public, most specially those who are sick and in need of appropriate pharmaceutical assistance. I am aware of the fact that this career demands more of my time because serving these people matters the most. As such, I can say that the work environment in this occupation would never be easy. Moreover, as a postulant in this line of work, I hold on to my oath by rendering quality services for those people who require pharmaceutical aid. As one of the aspiring professionals in pharmacy, I am well guided by my mission and desire to render my quality service for the patients and for this profession. Likewise, assisting people with their pharmaceutical requirements in the most effectual way is one of the most efficient sources of motivation in performance of my duties and responsibilities as medical personnel. Certainly, witnessing people and patients receive the ample service they deserve serves as my primary source of inspiration to move forward and feel optimistic in this field. Ever since I was young, my dream of being a pharmacist in the future is clearly evident as I usually envision of this dream every time my mother gave me medicine to take when I am sick and eventually I would feel a lot better after being administered with the correct type and dosage. Since then, the question of how such specific medicine could work in the human body to cure diseases and other health problems had guided me to find out more about pharmacy. In addition to this, I just attended a program in University of Texas at Arlington and received quality training that would definitely be helpful for me. Apart from this, my enthusiasm in pharmacy is already evident during my younger days as I have broad interest in science. As such, I have been through different formal courses about science in order to improve my medical capabilities and broaden my knowledge, skills, and abilities, which could definitely help me in the achievement of my goal in the field of pharmacy. Particularly, I would state that I am ready to undergo the rigorous training under the doctoral degree program in pharmacy in consideration of my work ethics and actual hours of rendering pharmaceutical services. Thus, I acquired useful and relevant experiences in pharmacy through my former training where I worked as a pharmacy technician. Thus, through these experiences I learned how to work closely with my colleague in achieving a unified goal in pharmacy. Nonetheless, this actual work had taught me how to get along with the patients that I consider a key factor to achieve success in the work place. As I undergo a series of actual pharmaceutical practices, it is perceived that these practical experiences have taught me meaningful insights for this specific line of work. Apart from being well-equipped with formal academic knowledge in pharmacy, being into various actual pharmaceutical practices has helped me well in improving and developing my sense of responsibility and enthusiasm as a pharmacist. Hence, this opportunity to work as a pharmacy technician had given me the chance to experienced valuable actual practices that would be advantageous for me when the time comes that I apply for doctoral degree program in pharmacy. In addition to this, getting involved in various civic activities that has the goal of helping other people enables me to combine work, passion, and volunteerism. Nonetheless, I am given the sense of pride and worth through these activities. In the end, in able to achieve this specific goal of mine, I accept the fact that I have to undergone formal doctoral pharmacy degree. Certainly, I truly believe that through this higher level of learning, I would be able to acquire necessary knowledge that could help me in improving and developing positive characteristics in order to become an outstanding and well-rounded pharmacist. Nonetheless, I hereby submit myself to receive the needed degree in pharmacy in aid of my pursuance to my career and personal goal.

National Health Care Expenditures Essay

Health care costs are much higher in the United States than anywhere else. It does not matter if it is measured in total dollars spent, a percentage of the economy, or per capita basis. The United States has the world’s largest health care market. Health care accounts for 40% of all health expenditures and the United States obligates to just 5% of the world’s population. Considerably higher health care costs do not seem to make U. S. citizen’s appreciably healthier (Getzen & Allen, 2007). U. S. health care costs continue to rise notably faster than any other segment of the economy or the population’s incomes for more than the last 40 years. Americans cannot endure this forever. The condition of health care economics is the United States’ gravest crisis, and this gridlock commands a solution. Finding one will not be simple or pleasant (The High Cost of Health Care, 2007). This means the government has to come up with plans that help contain costs while preparing for the future, and the population will likely continue to endure rising costs that place hardships on their household finances. In 2011 US health care spending grew 3. 9% to reach $2. trillion, marking the third consecutive year of relatively slow growth. Health care expenditures grew 3. 9% consecutively 2009 through 2011, indicating three years of slow growth. Health care spending reaching $2. 7 trillion in 2011, also shows in a share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) remaining stable at 17. 9 % for the same period. Last year, 2012, finishes out with a little higher annual rate of 4. 3%. For 2012, national health expenditures grew at an estimated annual rate of 4. 3% in 2012, a bit higher than the 3. 9% experienced for each of the years 2009-2011. While this assessment is subject to adjustments, it foreshadows a fourth consecutive year of record-low growth encompassing the previous 50 years of statistics. The showing of slow spending at the national level does not denote the same regarding spending in the personal level. Personal health care in fact accelerated in 2011. This spending level went from 3. 7% to 4. 1% because of more growth in spending for prescription drugs, physician fees, and medical provisions. Personal spending grew because of slowing Medicare and Medicaid spending and the increasing rates of private insurance. With slow growth also reporting in the population’s incomes, new jobs, and the GDP, some are questioning if US health care will rally after this three-year decline (Hartman, Martin, Benson, & Catlin, 2013). Director of the Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending, Charles Roehrig, believes that the slower growth in health care spending incites by slower health care price growth, which follows the slower economy-wide inflation. Altarum’s research proposes that the recession continues to press on health care expenditures, reducing growth by a percentage point or further. And while the figures are clamorous, health care providers ultimately may be cutting back employment in light of reimbursement coerces (Altarum Institute, 2013). An average family in the United States with typical full coverage health insurance through their employer currently spends more on yearly health care than on a year of groceries. The specialists at Milliman Inc. , examined the costs of health care for a U. S. family of four and found that the yearly cost of employer sponsored benefits through an employer-sponsored insurance organization increased 6. 2% to $22,030, compared to $20,728 the previous year (Glynn, 2013). Government is running into a number of major difficulties in attempting to provide health care. One of these difficulties is how to efficiently earmark resources amid hospital-based services and preventative, community-based services. Government also considers what particular preventative measures to promote (Bedkober, 2012). In the long haul, government’s decision to promote healthy lifestyles may be the best choice. For example, if the population navigates toward healthier lifestyles and preventative measures, hospitals would not have the need to continuously fund for more beds. The question is can the citizens of the United States endure the price it will cost to get to a better place that is economically sounder and healthier? Healthier people would drive health care costs down, but it definitely will take some time. During the decades it would take to get people healthier, national spending would need restructuring. It is a known fact that poor people are generally not healthy people. Currently, the high cost of health care is making more people poorer. Costs must come down in order for people having difficulties gain better access to health care. In some instances, too much money is spent in some areas and not enough in others. One of the most profitable industries, according to Fortune magazine is the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry’s profitability in 2005 stands at 15. 7% of sales and stands as the fifth in most profitable U. S. industry. The costs in relation to high-technology treatment, for example in-patient treatment, leads government to believe that preventing the advent of diseases rather than simply treating it when it appear is the best financial strategy for the future. Rather than funding to increase hospital bed numbers, government should fund preventative health measures that will lead to a healthier and more cheaply serviced population (Bedkober, 2012). With this funding, many want to know who actually pays for health care. The U. S. Government drew in more than over 2. 16 trillion dollars in revenue in 2010. The American public supplies this revenue. The same year, 2010, signifies the Federal Government becoming the largest financer of health care with 29% of spending. One actually could say that the American public is the financer of health care. One could also say that the public uses various federal programs to distribute health care fundings. These programs are Managed Care Organization (MCO), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) or point-of-service plans (POS), Medicare, and Medicaid, takes a 24% share; National Defense, including Foreign Policy, Veteran’s Administration, and Foreign Aid, is 23% of spending; pensions and disability through Social Security, take a 24% share; and Welfare takes 12% of spending. All other spending, including interest on the national debt, takes 18% of federal spending. The chart below shows the Federal Government (29%) exceeding public households (28%) for the first time. Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Office of the Actuary, National Health Expenditure Data, 2012 release. Contributors finance the nation’s health care bill by paying insurance premiums, out-of-pocket expenses, and payroll taxes, or by directing general tax revenues to health care. The federal government and households contributed nearly equally. The following chart breaks down how each contributor directs their spending. Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Office of the Actuary, National Health Expenditure Data, 2012 release. Another perspective in answering the question of who genuinely pays for health care is to look at the bottom line to see where all funding actually comes from. All funding comes from taxes. Taxes comes from the citizens of the United States. The whole U. S. population pays for funding. When a patient does not pay cash out of his or her pocket for his or her medical care, every dollar spent on medical care is paid through taxes and insurance premiums everyone. The government and insurance companies do not â€Å"pay† for anything, the population does. The government distributes the money they receive form people’s taxes to other agency payors. This is why individual taxes rise and net wages are lower. Even when many individuals choose to opt out employee benefit deductions, called a tax advantage, individuals still pay. This tax is allocated from other places. Nothing is â€Å"free† when the bottom line starts with the population. When receiving less money from wage taxes, more money is necessary from other taxes such as fuel taxes, property taxes, income taxes, and Social Security taxes to make up from the shortcomings. One thing is certain, there is a future. The U. S. government agencies may be on the right track, time will only tell. Health care reform is on everyone’s mind as it will affect every part of the individual’s life. Other than costly, there are other population needs that require addressing now before it is too late. The United States is in the midst of an aged population explosion. These are people who have or will be leaving the workforce soon. Take into account that the government receives their money from individual taxes on wages. The revenue from these taxes will increase shortcomings that fund the agencies that take care of U. S. health care. This dilemma is a â€Å"catch 22. † Any reform plan must be an attempt to fix both. This may cause strategically proposed cuts in many areas. The U. S. government must decide on what is highest in priority. Some industries that receive government funding may need to decrease their profits to help the nation. Pharmaceutical companies are among the highest in profitability. It is this author’s opinion that dropping the company’s price of a bottle of medicine would not hurt them near as much as the current high cost of medicine hurts the population. Another area that could help reduce costs would be unnecessary grants to some research organizations. Again using the pharmaceutical industry as an example, this industry conducts much research only for its primary need – to fulfill its dominating obligation to shareholders to make a profit. The obligation to patients comes second. There are many researches that would not hurt progress if they were dissolved. However the United States plans to reform health care will not take overnight to accomplish. Reform should have been placed into action years ago, but it is hoped that it is not too late. The government’s spending of the population’s money must go through restructuring with the constant reminder of keeping the people first priority. The people must have protection and good access to health care or nothing else will matter if the United States is to remain the greatest nation.

Journal summary Essay

Organizational Assessment : Effectiveness vs. Efficiency This journal is being chosen related to the Organizational Theory, Design and Change for chapter 1 about the Organization Effectiveness. i. What was the aim of the study? An organization had its own goals and mission. There were many ways that could be implement in order to make sure that the organization will achieves whether it short or long term goal. The term effectiveness and efficiency was always being the indicator of the organization performance. This study will determine the differentiation, features, proximities or values of the effectiveness and efficiency. There were some people believe that there is no difference between effectiveness and efficiency, but according to Mouzas (2006), each of these terms have their own distinct meanings. ii. Model that being used in this study. As stated in the chapter 1, under â€Å"How Does an Organization Create Value? † there is value creation. Value creation takes places at three stages which are input, conversion and output. To differentiate the meaning of effectiveness and efficiency, the authors of this study has adapted a model from Frey and Widmer (2009) regarding effectiveness and efficiency. Figure 1 Chain of effects Based on Figure 1, we can see that efficiency information provides different data compared to effectiveness. As we can see, under the effectiveness it concern about output, outcome and impact. It measures the on how the organization will achieve their goals or the way outputs interact with the economic and social environment. For the efficiency aspect we can see it concern about the input and output. According to (Low, 2000), the efficiency will measure on how successfully the inputs have been transformed into outputs. iii. What is the result of the study? This study was using the obstructive measure approach where the authors had collected finding from other resources. In order to come out with conclusion, they had gathered many findings related to the effectiveness and efficiency. They highlighted few points such as the meaning, differences, characteristics, and how it will be dependence toward each other. According to the study by Pinprayong and Seingthai (2012), they suggest that return on assets (ROA) is suitable measure of overall company performance, since it reveals how profitable organizations assets are in making revenues. Total assets turnover will measure the ability of a company to use it assets to efficiency generate sales; therefore it can be treated as effectiveness. As conclusion, they had come out with formula of: Organizational performance = effectiveness x efficiency; iv. Limitations In some cases effectiveness concept is being used to reflect overall performance of the organization, since it is a broader concept compared to the efficiency. It gets challenging to explore the efficiency factor if it is included under effectiveness assessment v. Conclusion The characteristics of effectiveness and efficiency Figure 1. 1 shows that the organizations cannot survive without effectiveness policy. Even though the organization is an inefficient but effective, organization still have a chances to survive. Usually, organization that in high effectiveness and high efficiency are well known as high performance entities. Effectiveness is a much broader perspectives, which touch about quality, value, satisfactions, output and environments. Efficiency is on how well the input was transformed into output. Effectiveness and efficiency, they influence each other. In order to achieve all the organizations goals and had an excellence in competitive performance, organizations should find way on increasing the efficiency and effectives evenly. 2. Impact of Employee Adaptability to Change Towards Organizational Competitive Advantage This journal is being chosen related to the Organizational Theory, Design and Change for chapter 4 about the Basic Challenges of Organizational Design i. What was the aim of the study? A change in the most understandable way is the moving process from one point to another. It’s not a must to do things for an organization, but in order to make sure the organization in can compete and achieve the better performance, changes should be made. Although changing is the good things to do, but it have own limitations and it cannot easily made, so that why this study had being conducted. The purpose of this study is to know how the competitive advantages have the significant effect on training and development, empowerment and maintaining in the organization. It is stated in this study, that their aim is to identify and to discuss the reasons why employees didn’t easily adapt the changes than those eager to adapt the change in any case. ii. Model that being used in this study. There were three variables that being used for this study which are training and development, empowerment and culture. These variables will tested in order to know the relationship of the variables towards the employee adaptability to change which is a moderator and competitive advantage being a dependent variable. iii. What is the result of the study? Before come out with a conclusion, data must be collected and analyze. For this study they had distributed 80 questionnaires towards employees within service sector organizations and others. On the basis of the data conducted from the person engage in the executive, supervisors and staff position. Table 2. 1 Descriptive Analysis The findings were analyzed by using descriptive statistics. Based on the result gathered by questionnaires, the authors will use the correlation of the statistical interference in order to identify the hypothesis had being developed this study and relationship between the discussed variables. Above we can conclude that training & development is good for the employee to adapt the change and organizations leads it competitive advantage. For the empowerment, they score greater mean that training & development which is good to the employee. Lastly, from the table its show that good culture has influence on the organizational competitive advantage. iv. Conclusion In order to make an organization competence, they should a changing process toward the better environments. But, changes are not easily made. They will be some people that against on the changing process. That is why, the adaptability is important. As being stated in this study, employee adaptability is more dependent on the parallel activities that preceded along with the others activities in the organization and these activities helps the employee to perform more enthusiastically and impatient to demeanor any challenge or adapt any change whatever it will be. 3. Organizational Culture and Its Themes This journal is being chosen related to the Organizational Theory, Design and Change for chapter 7 about Creating and Managing Organizational Culture. i. What was the aim of the study? Organizational culture is a about sharing value and norms that will help on controlling organizational members interactions within each other and with people outside the organization. As written in this journal, culture within an organization acts as a critical role in the organizations everyday operations. In order to validate this statement, a study about an organizational culture had being conducted. The purpose of this study is to know in deeper what is an organizational culture, models related, themes and the importance toward an organization. ii. Model that being used in this study. As being stated earlier, organization culture can be described as a set of theory consist of values, beliefs, and understanding that members share in common. It also helps in the ways of thinking that could help while making decision. From the perspective of Andrew Brown (1995, 1998), the organization culture: â€Å"Refers to the patters of beliefs, values and learned ways of coping with experience that have developed during the course of an organization’s history, and which tend to manifested in its material arrangements and in the behaviors of its members†. One of those models that being adapted in this study is the Onion Diagrams, by Hofstede. He was dividing culture into four layers which consist of symbols, heroes, ritual and values. Figure 3. 1 Onion Diagram Based on the Figure 3. 1 above, the core level in the culture level is value; values are intimately connected with moral and ethical codes which determine what people ought to be done. The second level is rituals, which is describing the collective activities that considered essential. The next level is heroes. According to Deal and Kennedy (1982), hero is a great motivator; heroes are also persons who possess characteristic which are highly prized. Symbols are the most overt element of culture and are the gestures, objects, words or acts that signify something different or wider from the others, and which have meaning for individual or group. iii. The importance of this study In order to have a rapid organization development, organization culture can be used as a tool to help the organization reach success. It also can be a management tool, which managers can use some values to control and direct employee behavior. In addition, the importance of the organization culture toward the development of an organization seconded with statement from Campbell and Stonehouse (1999) said: â€Å"Culture can also have influence on; employee motivation; employee morale and ‘good will’; productivity and efficiency; the quality of work; innovation and creativity and the attitude of employees in the workplace†. iv. Conclusion As stated in this study, they highlighted that in order to achieve a successful culture, managers shouldn’t ignore organizational culture and its themes, because culture can be used as a competitive advantage during organizational development, and a strong culture (one in which beliefs and values are widely shared and strongly held) can also offer many advantages, such as cooperation, control, communication or commitment. 4. Re conceptualizing Organizational Role Theory for Contemporary Organizational Contexts i. Aim and introduction of the study. The purpose of this study is to know deeper regarding the organizational role theory and to identify what are the issues related to the organizational theory that will limit it usage. In this study, they were several issue that being listed out regarding organizational theory. Based on Katz and Kahn (1966) state that the assignment of work-roles prescribes the behavior of employees are expected to comply, so that they are able to perform their speci? ed tasks and duties effectively. He also mentions that organizational role theory (ORT) is help to de? ne a â€Å"role-set† for the individual, employee and determine the speci? c role-behaviors the employee. Beside that according to According to Biddle (1986), George (1993), and Smithson and Stokoe (2005), the diminishing usefulness of classical ORT can be traced to three part. There are the limitations in its role-taking, role-consensus and role-con? ict assumptions. The theoretical issues discussed indicate about the development of ORT has failed to keep the change in the organizational context. Data Collections This research consists of two-stage qualitative data gathering process. The ? rst stage included the questionnaire-survey to a sample of employees and the second stage data collection process to collect the data required to answer the second research question. The uses of semi-structured interview allowed the researcher to strengthen the investigation. The respondent reported that charity, education, social are the important impact on their working life. iii. Result Summary To simplify the results for this study it can be divided into two summaries: Research Summary 1 Although the research findings supported the relevance of the â€Å"work-family/work-life balance† literature to ORT, there was evidence that at least four other categories of non-work roles needed to be considered for the effective management of human resources. In terms of work-roles, academics and practitioners must remain aware of the work-roles currently recognized by classical ORT. In terms of work-family roles, they need to recognize the specific impacts of the work-family interface, and become aware of the limitations of â€Å"family-friendly† practices that serve only to enable workers to spend more time at work Research Summary 2 There were two things that will be highlighted in these summaries. First, the recognition that employees (both actual and potential) are multi-faceted is incorporated into the model in three important ways. In the pre-employment phase, the model now requires the employer to attain a level of understanding of the potential employee’s family and non-family roles that they need to enact for their self-validation, self-recognition and overall wellbeing. In the initial employment phase, it requires that employers consider the interaction between the most important non-work-roles (as identified by the employee) and the work-roles to be bestowed on them. iv. Conclusion Finally it can conclude that, this research suggest the employees perceived had a signi? cant impact on their working-life. ORT needs to incorporate for an effective HR policy framework. It also recommends that further investigation into ORT’s role in the workplace and further exploration. 5. Organization Theory and Methodology This is a summary of the article â€Å"Organization Theory and Methodology† by Michael C. Jensen in Harvard Business School. In this research the researcher find the relation between positive and normative theories, the importance to the research effort of the choice of tautologies and definitions, the nature of evidence, and the role of mathematics. The author mentions that, the major reason for the early successes of operations research and its later failure can be traced to the nature of the theories. In addition, According to Alchian (1950), organization need not assume that agents are engaged in purposeful activity for the models to work. Besides that, Hayek (1979) emphasizes most of the complex phenomena that make up human culture were never consciously invented by any individual and much of human culture is still not well understood. Furthermore, there is evidence in Chandler’s (1962), work that the organizational innovations that led to the large, integrated, multi-divisional firms in the early 1900’s were accompanied by substantial innovations in accounting practices. Moreover, the behavior of the organization is the equilibrium behavior which made up of maximizing agents with diverse and conflicting. The Construction of a theory of organizations involves creating a theory that describes the equilibrium behavior of these complex contractual systems where the individual agent is the elementary unit of analysis. On the other hand, the choice of tautologies or definitions has a large impact on the success or failure of research efforts. As a conclusion, the researcher says that the competition in research is an important element for innovation and makes progress at product markets. He also mention that, ideal process described about the important aspects of the environment, monitoring and bonding technology that derive a theory that is consistent with those contracts.

The Impact of Studying Abroad on Graduate Employability Coursework

The Impact of Studying Abroad on Graduate Employability - Coursework Example Students may acquire abilities that are highly valued as a result of studying in foreign nations. While it is often believed that foreign language skills are the most visible advantage of studying abroad, there are other factors that can result in a graduate being considered in different workplaces. Skills and knowledge gained from studying abroad that are valued in the jobs marketplace In the first place, the exposure to distant cultures increases one’s cultural sensitivity and tolerance, both of which are cherished values given today’s diverse labour force. Employers are always searching for potential workers who are able to interact and communicate with persons of different cultures and nations (Orahood, Kruze, and Pearson 2004). Also, internationally experienced students are also more open to espousing different kinds of change. This means that they can readily adjust to new situations without needing too much help. Study abroad programs also help in making graduate students more positive and self-assured when facing different situations (Parey and Waldinger 2011). Such skills serve them well during job interviews. Internationally experienced graduates acquire a number of skills that other students cannot replicate. For example, they acquire the ability to handle constant change while also being informed about different working regulations in different countries (King, Findlay, and Ahrens 2010). They are also big risk takers and are not easily scared away when encountering unfamiliar situations. Internationally experienced graduates learn easily how to conduct themselves diplomatically in all situations and thus build relationships with people from different ethnic backgrounds. In some cases, these students are also able to execute leadership in spite of religious or cultural differences. They tend to have good cross-cultural skills, are mature, and self-motivated (Jones 2009). Positions/jobs graduates who studied abroad are more likely to sec ure There are many positions that internationally educated graduates have access to. For example, they can be appointed as their organisation’s representative to foreign nations or as leaders of foreign branches (Varghese 2008). Due to their people skills, they can also work in the public relations division, or human resources department in various business organisations (Fielden, Middlehurst, and Woodfield 2007). They can also function as consultants for issues concerning international business. Internationally experienced graduates are also usually quite proficient in written speech. This is because they had to write often during their studies in order to communicate with family members or correspond with universities. Such skills give them the ability to be able to apply for jobs which require a lot of writing such as journalism (Cai 2012). There are also numerous jobs in the internet such as being a social media manager, which calls for one to have good communication skil ls and proficiency in various internet skills. They could also serve as online content creators, where they update the business’s status and write blogs. They could also successfully serve as customer service representatives and represent their companies. This job calls for people who

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 16

Case Study Example 4. Competitors focus on low-price broadband and phone services has been the main competitive advantage of BT’s competitors such as TalkTalk. Low cost broadband and phone service providers such as TalkTalk is a potent threat to BT’s market position that in March of 2010, TalkTalk announced a  £115 million profit before tax while BT suffered a loss for months. Being a first mover does not ensure an edge in the local market because subscribers will readily switch to low cost providers. 5. Price and technology is always a challenge for BT in international market. Low cost broadband providers and technologically advanced broadband providers put pressure on BT in local and international markets that makes it less competitive and/or erodes its market share. Being a first mover nor its size does not ensure its dominance in international market because there are also numerous players who could provide the same service (and even better) at a price that is lower than

The Purpose,Scope and Context of Interprofessional Collaboration Essay

The Purpose,Scope and Context of Interprofessional Collaboration - Essay Example   This paper is a personal learning and reflection of this health service provider about interprofessional education, collaboration and working while working with teammates. This interprofessional collaboration is happening among professionals, organizations, service users, carers and communities. The association of health providers work over critical matters on education, health and social care to deliver the necessary quality services to improve peoples’ quality of lives and for healthier communities. Among the many concerns they dealt are issues on nutrition, public health, policies, medical standards, medication of all illnesses or on the need to strategize development to better social services in complementation of health responses to communities. Consideration of the nature of communication within health & social care teams.   Communication is fundamental interaction and in nurturing understanding between the management, health providers, and with the patients. Peopl e who are seeking medical attention came from varied experiences, places, and bear different kinds of illnesses and thus, it is important that all of these are communicated so that the contexts, causes and surrounding circumstances of a case can be understood. From this study it is clear that appropriate medical remedies can only be provided when health cases are clear from all vantages. Communication also strengthens positive relation with co-workers and with management, especially in managing changes and health reform program . In fact, people will only come to understand hospital’s goals and programs by imparting and receiving communication. Moreover, work relations can only be understood through communication. This can be done either formally and informally; verbal or written; recited or in a journal; online or via telephone; by facial expression or by symbol; and by raising a picture or by simple touch. It’s aimed at bridging gaps, resolving issues, bringing toget her all partners for a meeting, and drawing all stakeholders to specific goals or in delving on issues though evaluations and monitoring. Sometimes communications bring along with it some misunderstanding because human beings, as social persons, exchange ideas in foreign language, in a jargon, in emotional distress, or in cultural differences.  

Joy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Joy - Essay Example The translation also took some improvement as other authors also tackled the complicity of its meaning. As one author puts it, â€Å"joy is a trickier thing to talk about . . . because it is a responsive state or disposition often defined by category of stimulus - there is for example, spiritual joy, erotic joy, leaving for London joy (Potkay, 2010). â€Å"Joys are modifiable in a way that "happiness," a noun without plural, is not (Potkay, 2010). But regardless of how others define joy, their description can only account so much of that state or feeling of delightful bliss. The description of that agreeable emotion or that delight of the mind can only say so much of that state when I want to open up to the world out of joy; when everything feels so good that the heavens seem to be bluer and the grass seems to be greener. Joy is a feeling that is very personal to me. Such that it would be very difficult for me to rationalize it for it defeats the very purpose and intent of the word. Because joy appeals to my emotion; of how I feel, not to what I think. I experience joy, not think about it. Joy is not only the opposite of grief or dejection. Nor a transient state of mind that ratifies and approve something amiable. Joy is what life is; of how should I live my life. Joy is an expression of that appreciation of the chance that I exist and â€Å"enjoy† my existence. Above all, it is joy that makes me a complete human being. It is that experience of joy in my everyday life that affirms my humanity. Perhaps, there are no other creatures that can experience that same bliss and rapture than I do. The beast may satisfy its hunger and be moved by its instinct to procreate, but there is no joy in that. It was moved by the instinct to survive. It is just nature taking its natural course. But I am moved by motives that go far beyond the instinct. I do things because I â€Å"enjoy† doing it. I, as a human being, experience joy whether

Wireless telecommunication + matlab program Assignment

Wireless telecommunication + matlab program - Assignment Example Then Angle modulation is discussed with its two types i.e. frequency modulation and phase Modulation. Advantages and disadvantages of each technique are discussed. Generation of modulated signals is also discussed briefly along with useful equations and figures. In the end an appendix is presented in which MATLAB program is presented for Amplitude Modulation with the snapshot of the resulting graphs of signals. A similar program for Frequency Modulation is presented with resulting graphs of signals. In today’s communication, wireless communication has become the main area for researchers and has become an industry and also the governments of different countries are interested in it as wireless sensors have an enormous range of both commercial and military applications. Commercial applications include monitoring of fire hazards, stress and strain in building, carbon dioxide movement and gases at a disaster side. Military application includes identification and tracking of enemies target, direction of chemical and biological attacks, support of unmanned robotic vehicles, and counter-terrorism. There are many factors of growing of this field. One of which is the tremendous increase in demand for tether less connectivity, driven so far mainly by cellular telephony but is expected to be soon eclipsed by wireless data applications. Wireless communication has also captured the attention of media and imagination of the public. Not only this, the Cellular systems have experienced exponential growth over last decade and there are currently about two billion subscribers around the world and cellular phones have become critical business tool and part of everyday life and are rapidly replacing the wired systems in many developing countries. In addition, wireless local area networks are currently replacing the wired networks in many homes, businesses and campuses. This is because by using wireless things it is easy to move and to get

Criminology- compare 2 key thinkers, cesare beccaria and cesare Essay

Criminology- compare 2 key thinkers, cesare beccaria and cesare lombroso, and their competing ideologies - Essay Example During the eighteenth and early nineteenth century, the notion of studying crime as well as criminals was linked to that of making governance more efficient. Intellectuals from Europe considered the unpredictability and brutalities of authoritarian rule as threats to the social order. Cesare Beccaria who was among the Italian illuministi further developed these views. He vehemently and concisely developed the argument that the punishment of lawbreakers should be done publicly, is compulsory and should be the minimum possible depending on the circumstances and the proportion of the crime that has been committed. At around 1830, efforts to explain government societal regulation using the law supported research on what was considered the dangerous classes. This lead to Cesare Lombroso’s quest for the people who had been born criminals as well as the representing of associations between crime and a variety of pointers of ethical moral deficiency. This paper seeks to compare the conflicting and opposing philosophies that are associated with the two main theorists in criminology namely Cesare Beccaria and Cesare Lombroso. Cesare Beccaria was born in 1738 and puts emphasis on deterrence as the best way of preventing crime (Outram, 2006). He fits into the classical school of thought and wrote his work during an era when torture was utilized in obtaining information from people and capital punishment was used for any kind of offence. Punishment depended on retributive means in that the harm that was given to the offender was equal to the harm that had been caused by the perpetrator. In contrast, Cesare Lombroso considered the bodily and psychological attributes of the appearances of the person committing the crime. Lombroso was a doctor who was born in 1835 and he developed the opinion that some criminals were biologically determined, placing him in the positivist school of thought (Hayward, Maruna & Mooney, 2010). He research un derscored the

Patriotic Sentiment in the Interwar Essay Example for Free

Patriotic Sentiment in the Interwar Essay The creation of the British Empire and its â€Å"contributions† to the welfare of its colonies was used by many English historians as a source of justification for its existence and future. Needless to say, many English historians would naturally put the British Empire as the â€Å"empire† that aspired for assimilation and multiculturalism, which had been absent in previous empires (although this is debatable) (Aldrich 1988:24). Added to that, because of the perceived inferiority of the colonized peoples, many of these historians usually attached to the â€Å"white man† the significant role of guardian (Aldrich 1988:25). In recent years however, this notion of racial superiority was replaced by the principles of equality and self-determinations. This was in lieu of the increasing surge of patriotic sentiments of the colonized peoples and a general compromise of the colonial powers over the future of the former colonies, as mandated by the United Nations. Modern English historians, while continuing to justify the existence and foundation of the British Empire, admitted some of the mistakes and grave errors usually attributed to the British Empire. Nonetheless, they argued that these mistakes were committed out of necessity. Other colonial powers were greedily aspiring to replace Britain in its role as a superpower. Germany for instance, before the onset of the First World War, was building a powerful navy to replace Britain as a sea power. France was busy eyeing British colonies in Central Africa for its own exploitation. In short, the errors committed by Great Britain to its colonies were a result of self-defense. Added to that, in order for the colonies to benefit from British colonial rule, the colonized peoples would have to sacrifice some of their outdated or â€Å"primitive† institutions and adopt institutions that are characterized by efficiency and commitment to public service. These justifications made by English historians on the role and future of the British Empire were imbued in the study of history. History as a Tool for Application of Theoretical Knowledge The use of history to justify the existence and foundation of the British Empire was not born out of prejudice or unsubstantiated truths. In fact, early English historians noted that history should be as scientific as possible in order to represent the true nature of world events. Added to that, these English historians viewed history as an application tool for upgrading the political, social, and economic systems of the world today. Specifically, knowledge of the end of the British Empire would naturally pave to greater solidarity and understanding between former colonies and the mother country (the colonizer); that they have a common history, and to some extent similar social, economic, and political structures. Although for the common viewer this might seem a little idealistic and devoid of historical verification, this was the practical side of the scientific discipline of history, if we accord them to these English historians. Thus, the extensive use of history as a tool for the political understanding of countries with a â€Å"common† history was the result of theoretical justification of English historians on the existence and rule of the British Empire to about a large portion of the Earth’s population. This was though a problem for many local historians in the former colonies. They extensively used history as a tool for demonizing their colonial oppressors: the justification of independence movements and revolutions. This dialectic aspect of history, depending on the one who views it, disoriented historical data, making the discipline of history itself the vantage point of uncertainty (Aldrich, 2000). Herein, we shall examine the various practices that were incorporated in a large, common society. Nonetheless, we shall also examine power relations between the mother country and its colonies as well as the issue of tolerance and cultural differences. Cultural Toleration in the British Empire When England finally defeated France and Spain in a series of colonial wars, it was able to establish colonies in North America and Asia (Africa was not the target of colonization since it was viewed as an inhabitable and inhospitable continent – although commercial bases were established to streamline trade and commerce with other European powers) (Baldwin, 2007). England was able to acquire Malacca from the Portuguese in the latter half of the 16th century. India and Canada fell into the hands of the British after France’s defeat in the Seven Years War (called French and Indian Wars in North America). The eastern coast of the present United States was colonized by England (the Thirteen Colonies) to foster greater trade between North America and England (it was known as New England). Australia and New Zealand were colonized to provide the British Empire penal colonies for the rouge elements of British society. Rebels and political prisoners were deported to these penal colonies. In the latter half of the 19th century, Britain was able to take possession of several Chinese ports after a series of wars with China, then under the rule of the Manchus (known as Opium Wars). In South America and the Caribbean, some islands were colonized by the British to offset Spanish and French power in the area (although in the early part of the 19th century, Spain controlled at least 2/3 of the land area of North, Central, and South America). In the European partition of Africa, Britain controlled a large portion of North, Central, and Southern Africa. These colonized areas minus the 13 colonies were known as the British Empire. The British fostered a policy of cultural toleration to discourage the native population from revolting. Moslems, Hindus, Taoists, Buddhists, and other Oriental religions existed side by side with Christianity in matters like trade and commerce. Temples of different religions were treated with respect and dignity by British authorities. Nonetheless, British rulers especially Queen Victoria even traveled to the colonies to inspect and inspire the native populations to support Great Britain in its economic undertakings, for the benefit of the mother country and the colonies, and its colonial wars with other European powers (especially France and Germany). Religious festivals were declared as holidays, with some exceptions, to foster greater solidarity with the native population. English was not an enforced language. This was done to preserve and enrich the culture of the native populations. The â€Å"British† educational system was introduced to stimulate greater economic efficiency in the colonies. The British parliament, in its sessions, declared that education was the only plausible and least risky way of opening the colonies to true development. The British parliament and to some extent the British rulers knew that there were form of British economic exploitation in the colonies, thus the only way for them to recreate the image of the â€Å"British Empire† was to encourage education. English was taught in the universities (other European powers loathed this type of strategy) established outside Britain. Economic and maritime schools were also established to stimulate the natives to increase their productivity yield and to participate in naval undertakings. Nonetheless, the British army was remodeled in order to include natives in the soldier payroll. At a specified rank, a native could rise to a prominent rank in the military. Needless to say, to fit in the global economy, Britain also created institutions that would politically and socially integrate the mother country and the colonies. The old models of exploitation and oppression were replaced by systems of mutual cooperation and commitment to a common economic goal. Thus, these contributions of the Britain to its colonies became the framework of early English historians for justifying the existence of the British Empire. Patriotism and Nationalism: The Beginning of Decline Nationalistic sentiment in the colonies grew in the latter beginning of the 20th century. Because of the relative prosperity of the colonies, some of its natives were able to study in European universities and able to acquire the increasing surge of ultra-nationalism (nationalism in Europe differs from the nationalism of the colonies on one count: nationalism in European countries focused on the acquisition of colonies to bring glory to the country, whereas in the colonies on independence) in Europe. When they returned to their homeland, they established organizations which aimed of attaining independence or self-governance status of their homelands. The British authorities naturally would quell these â€Å"uprisings† since this put into question the status quo, and generally the legitimacy of the British Empire. Power Relations But because of the involvement of Great Britain in the two World Wars, it was forced to grant self-governance status to many of its colonies in exchange for economic and military support (in India, Gandhi urged the Indians to fight on the side of the British). However, because of the changing political atmosphere in Britain at that time, the British authorities once more crushed these independence movements. Many were forced to go underground. Some seek political asylum in America or The Netherlands. Added to that, political theory and political education were deleted in the course curriculum of many universities for fear that the British might close the institutions. The purpose of the British authorities was always to preserve the rule of the British Crown on the colonies. All means were therefore necessary in order to dissipate these independence movements. Thus, while the British were open to cultural toleration, they loathed political development in the colonies. Political development is the measure of citizen participation in the affairs of the government. Political development is largely a relationship between the citizenry and the country to which they owe their citizenship. The British authorities were enforcing a policy of â€Å"mother dependency†, that is, the political, social, and economic future of the colonies should depend on the mother country. Later Vladimir Lenin expanded this concept and renamed it as the â€Å"dependency relations. † The mother country, according to Lenin, when its reaches the height of economic development experiences shortfalls and recessions due to overproduction. The surplus produce of the mother country is â€Å"dumped† to the colonies since colonies are potential markets. In this way, economic recessions in the mother country are kept in check, and the laboring class enjoys relative prosperity, at the expense of the colonies. This is a uni-directional type of development unlike the so-called â€Å"mutual development† that Britain was preaching (as exemplified in Africa, in Ramsay, 2000/1784). Practices and Institutions that Became Part of the Colonies’ Society: The Tragedy British colonies can be classified into two categories: 1) those that fully accepted British practices and institutions, 2) those who only accepted British political and educational institutions. India, Pakistan, former British African colonies, and former British Asian colonies adopted the political and educational institutions of Great Britain because of its efficiency and relative good organization. The parliamentary system became the standard system of government of most of the former colonies of Great Britain. It was noted that this type of government adheres to the principles of public accountability and stability. Most of the former colonies of Great Britain using this type of government experience relative stability and effective governance (Toynbee, 1987:401). The tragedy lies on the second type of former colonies. These colonies fully adopted British practices and institutions at the expense of native practices and customs. In Australia and New Zealand for example, most of the population is classified as of British or European descent. When the British came to New Zealand, they dispossessed the Maori through fraudulent land contracts and generally through war (that severely reduced the Maori population by 1/8. The British authorities encouraged immigration to these places (Australia and New Zealand) to reinvigorate economic activities to these places. The result was that New Zealand and Australia became an extension of British society: mirror images of England. The Maori who were the true owners of the country was exploited and dispossessed by the British. In the case of Canada, because of strong French influence (former French colony), the British authorities had the difficulty of making Canada a cultural sphere of influence of Britain. In fact, cultural differences in Canada serve as the marking definition of power relations in Canada. Conclusion While many English historians talk endlessly of a Commonwealth under the banner of Great Britain, they were not able to pinpoint the opportunity costs of the colonization on the part of the colonies. There is no such thing as a common society, for the British Empire created two types of societies in its sphere of geopolitics. The only intersection of these societies is the institutions bequeathed to them by the British Empire. Socially, these societies differ significantly because the British Empire was not able to fully integrate its customs and practices to most of its colonies due to the onset of nationalism and patriotic sentiments of the native populations (in Australia and New Zealand, there was no such thing as a â€Å"political† native population since they were able to reduce their populations through wars and enforced immigration policies). References Aldrich, Richard. 1988. Imperialism in the study and teaching of history. In Benefits Bestowed? Education and British Imperialism. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, pp. 23-38.

Celebrities And Human Obsessions Media Essay

Celebrities And Human Obsessions Media Essay Have you ever had favorite superstars as idols in mind that you dream to become just like them? The more we visualize ourselves as a celebrity, the more obsessions we have. We all enjoy hearing the latest celebrity gossip from time to time. Who doesnt enjoy hearing about the hottest celebrity wedding of the year or the worst celebrity makeover? What do you think about these topics on the news headlines? Jessica Lowndes wears a see-through dress. For Jakey, probably., Sparkles wants to start a family. Awà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, Pillow-fight! Hailee Steinfeld, etc play around in Vogue (The Gossip Wire). Media has been following a lot of celebrity actions and spread it in the public. The causes of having too much media attention towards celebrities could lead to negative effects of being bad examples for audiences, wasting peoples times, and interfering with celebritys privacy, and lead to positive effects of giving people an opportunity to be famous, providing benefits for media organizations, and being good examples for audiences. Have you ever wondered why people are so into celebrities? Have you ever thought of why it is that we spend our times studying celebrities bibliography and possibly their every action? According to Jake Halpern, the author of the book, Fame Junkies: The Hidden Truths Behind Americas Favorite Addiction. Kids see fame as a cure-all for problems, he said (Gilsdorf, The Christian Science Monitor). Secondly, it is because celebrities are always there wherever people go, on Television, newspaper, magazines on sidewalks, or even posters in restrooms. According to Star Struck New Internationalist, Celebrity worship syndrome (CWS) is an obsessive-addictive disorder in which a person becomes overly involved with the details of a celebritys personal life. Celebrities worship syndrome is consisted of three types. Entertainment-social is when people are attracted to their stars for entertainment, such as I like watching and hearing about my favorite celebrity when I am with a large group of peopl e. Intense-personal is when fans feel attracted to celebrities with an deep feeling or bonds themselves to stars such as When something bad happens to my favorite celebrity I feel like it happened to me , and borderline-pathological, which is when fans mix fantasies with realities and lead to an uncontrollable behavior such as I have frequent thoughts about my favorite celebrity, even when I dont want to (Maltby, 1157-1172). First of all, too much media attention on celebrities could give bad examples for audiences. Not all celebrities act and behave appropriately despite of them being observed by the media therefore it is then possible that celebrity fans, especially kids who do not have much life experiences would absorb and follow those inappropriate actions and behaviors. For instance, partying is one of the very well known lifestyle that celebrities have. Paris Hilton a very popular celebrity that almost everyone would notice the name, not only because of her works, but also because of her personality and social behavior. Apart from the partying lifestyle, celebrities are also easily exposed to drugs. Some use drugs to help them maintain their work efficiency, to gain fame, or even to stay in shape. Also, celebrities generally possess a great amount of financial resources to support their will just to purchase anything they would like. According to Daily Mail Reporter, Britney Spears spends  £11,000 monthly to stay in shape and look good, including the costs for nutrition, personal trainer, and a private dance choreographer (Daily Mail Reporter, Mail Online). Moreover, the incident when Michael Jackson committed suicide led to twelve deaths of his fans who died from committing suicide following their favorite star. According to The Sun News, one of Michael Jacksons fans named Pà ¡vel Talalà ¡yev was found and rescued from his attempt to commit suicide several hours after the news of Michael Jackson committing suicide broke out. One of the ambulance men said: He was in a terrible state and kept on saying: Its all the same to me. Im going to kill myself. Its the worst tragedy of my life and I dont want to live any more. I dont know why you saved my life, I want to be with him. (Soodin, The Sun) These inappropriate behaviors could then mislead her fans toward downward paths of living. Having celebrity worship syndrome could lead to unhealthy and unsteady mindsets. Celebrities are considered to live in a world that very few can hope to emulate. This then sometimes drives celebrity worshipping kids to feel like their own individual personalities are worthless because these kids could potentially form and develop unrealistic expectations in their minds about becoming a celebrity. Additionally, there are celebrities who became popular without using much of a specific requirement in recent days. However, these kids often realize the very unlikely possibility once they mature and finally cause them become to be lost and unhappy. Secondly, another negative effect is that people waste too much times once media gives out too much attention to celebrities. When media focuses too much on the celebrity headlines, people tend to overlook the important information needed in their lives. According to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, 87% of American Adults admit that Americans pay  too much attention to celebrity news and not enough attention to news that has real impact on their lives (Rasmussen, Rasmussen Reportsà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢). Imagine when the news paper headlines are filled with celebrity topic headlines and the news of stock market are put in a very small column of the newspaper that people hardly recognize. This has happened countless of times especially in newspaper, and it distracts people from the reality of their lives and causes their works to suffer. Elizabeth Farrar, a teacher from a primary school in Scunthorpe in the United Kingdom, said that too many pupils thought that they could become successful in the future by spending times trying to be famous and wealthy via media and that it would be unnecessary to have an academic success. They believe that they are much more likely to achieve financial well-being through celebrity than through progression to higher education and a proper career. (BBC News). Thirdly, keeping eyes on the celebrities is also interference to them. Everyone has the right to have secrets in their lives and keep in their minds, including celebrities. However, celebrities usually have to live their lives with public eyes targeting at them almost all the time. According to an interview with Jessica Biel on a question on how it is like to live in a public eyes Its wonderful to do what I do, but everything that goes with it? Its bizarre. She said, The invasion of privacy is very tough. I am followed all day, every day. Going to the dentist, the cleaners. I guess I could look like sh-t giong to the dentist, but only if I didnt care what I saw in the papers. ( OK! Magazine). Being celebrities would loose the time and opportunity to being herself because they all have to be concerned about how their appearances, choices of words and actions all the time because the media only focus on drawing their spectators and increase their revenue. In such competitive environmen t, celebrities normally would have to live with a lot of stress, and with an addition of paparazzi, press media, and all the public opinions which would become a workload of stress for these stars. Moreover, these media could also impact the celebrities by putting pressures on them to change themselves to be something that people would want to see. For example, Emma Watson, a very well known actor as Hermione in Harry Potter, said that stylists had been trying to put her in mini-skirts to make her look sexy. If I do a photo-shoot people desperately want to change me dye my hair blonder, pluck my eyebrows, give me a fringe. She said, Then theres the choice of clothes. I know everyone wants a picture of me in a mini-skirt. But thats not me. I feel uncomfortable. Id never go out in a mini-skirt. Its nothing to do with protecting the Hermione image. I wouldnt do that. (Sutrathada, The Celebrity Cafe). It can be seen that by putting too much attentions on celebrities could lead to many negative effects. However, sometimes these media sources could give out positive feedbacks to many in the society as well. Firstly, people could have more opportunity of becoming famous from media, rumors, and scandals. Many people try to or were put in a certain circumstance that creates rumors or stories throughout the media and allow them to eventually become well known in the public. For instance, Paris Hilton was originally known as a great-granddaughter of a billionaire Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotel, one of the most famous hotels in the world. Then there was a sex tape of Paris Hilton, 1 Night in Paris pornography film released into the media in 2004. This sex tape was one of the top gossip topics of the year, but ended up boosting her fame to become one of the celebrity stars (Morgan, Associated Content). People with talents might also find the surging of media industry as an opportunity to become famous. With a modern technology in the current world, media has become so easily accessible for people including video channels on internet like Youtube and Myspace. Justin Drew Bieber, a v ery popular Canadian singer and actor have become one of the most well known celebrities by uploading his recorded singing performances on Youtube. His popularity on the site kept growing larger and larger until Scooter Braun, an American manager found Justins videos on the site (Dutta, Buzzle Web Portal). This then allowed Justin Bieber to get an opportunity to become a singer and eventually a very famous celebrity. It could be seen that people could become celebrities by using media as a tool that allows them to be well known and eventually a celebrity. Secondly, media organization could also gain benefits from mass producing media relating to celebrities. In yearly basis, media organizations that are based on celebrities, such as celebrity magazine industries could gain large amount of incomes from people. For instance, According to Marketwire in 2006 People Magazine had a circulation of 3.73 million and its revenue was expected to top $1.5 billion on that year (Marketwire). The more celebrity news spread throughout the world, the more money the media would be able to raise because many people have got a celebrity worship syndrome. Thirdly, the media could spread the messages of generous works that celebrities committed to the world as an example for people. Generally celebrities have always been seen as an ideal for people, especially teenagers and kids and set an example for them with their characteristics of being hard workers, diligent, and all good actions they committed like charity involvements. Media then becomes the source to provide these good deeds that celebrities commit throughout their careers via different channel communications; televisions, newspapers, magazines, and etc. This allows the good messages to be sent to an audience and therefore gives out positive effects to the society. For instance, Samuel Dalembert, currently a NBA basketball player of Sacramento Kings in the United States tried his best to give out and provide supports for his hometown Haiti from the chaotic incident that happened in January 2010. Look at me, Im living in a beautiful place. Im blessed to be doing this. But a par t of me said, You can help; you can do more,' he said. He has committed at least $2 millions to donate for Haiti, and since he is a famous basketball player in the United States (Tomasson, AOL News), his fames would provoke the media to take recognition, and automatically spread the news of his actions throughout the world via media, and that people can see his actions. Not only basketball players commit themselves to charity, super stars like Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt also established their own charity organization named Jolie-Pitt Foundation. The Foundation was established in 2006, and the purpose of the organization is to aid people throughout the world. According to Look to the Stars, Jolie-Pitt Foundation has provided aids to people whose lives are in trouble, whether the cases of violences, armed conflict, health care, and many more in nearly 60 countries (Look to the Stars). These good deeds that the celebrities comitted are spread throughout the world through medias, and could  ­motivate people to follow them as examples to help the society. In conclusion, the impact media focusing too much attention on celebrities could have both negative and positive effects. Some audiences waste their times becoming addicted and obsessed with what media is trying to inform about their favorite celebrities, and some celebrities are facing hard time being threatened by media. On the other hand, some people can see an opportunity of becoming a celebrity by using the media, media can also gain some benefits from celebrities, and some celebrities are being a good example for the audiences. While some of their behaviors are not appropriate for audiences, personally I think that there is nothing wrong with consuming media, but all audiences have to be careful not to get too obsessed with them and consider what the media is trying to inform because part of it might contain inappropriate information. Therefore, I think it is crucial to be aware of the contents and messages that the media provides, follow the behaviors of the good celebrities, then learn and stay away from the inappropriate actions.

Anglo American Model Of Corporate Governance Finance Essay

Anglo American Model Of Corporate Governance Finance Essay Corporate Governance Models In many countries, companies are run mostly for the benefit of the shareholders, the rightful owners 0. However, there are circumstances in which the corporation is also run for the benefit of other interest groups such as customers and employees or the general public at large -1. This is the substantive difference between the two primary models of corporate governance namely the outsider model, which is used in Anglo-American countries such as the United States or United Kingdom 1 and the insider model, which is used predominantly in European countries such as Germany or France 4343. The outsider model, also known as the Anglo American model of corporate governance because it is predominantly used in Anglo American states like the United States and United Kingdom, is consistent with the narrow definition of corporate governance in that it has a bias towards shareholders over other stakeholders in the corporation 2. This bias is justified on the premise that in most instances, other stakeholders have recourse to protect their interests through contractual agreement, whereas the shareholder remains unprotected as corporate decisions and activities cannot be predicted in advance 3. Since the shareholders carry the risk of the investment decisions made by the corporation, it is argued they should have the primary say in corporate governance. The justification for this ideology is that the primary function of a corporation is the creation of wealth 4. Permitting corporations to focus on profit maximizations as their primary function ensures that businesses create economic growth as oppose to dealing with social considerations which distract them from this objective. It has been argued that directors are not sufficiently experienced in balancing social interests with economic ones and as a result to require them to do so would result in an inefficient system, which would not promote the economic welfare of the market. The Anglo American model starkly contrasts to the stakeholder-oriented approach which is commonly associated with European countries such as Germany and France 5. Under this model, corporations must not only take into account the interest of shareholders but also those of a wide range of constituencies, as well as of the communities within which they operate 6. This helps to assure that corporations operate for the benefit of society as a whole and not solely in the interests of its shareholders. Such a system places less emphasis on the interests of shareholders for the benefit of the wider community 7. There are several characteristics which distinguish the Anglo American model from the stakeholder-oriented approach. Those unique to the Anglo American model are discussed below. Responsibility for Corporation Management The effective functioning of a corporation is dependent on the interrelationship and interaction of its various institutions 1. These institutions consist of the board of directors, the executive management and shareholders 2. The shareholders of the corporation are the owners who have financially invested in the corporation and the board of directors, as well as executive management, are responsible for the operation of the corporation 3 . The Anglo American models primary focus is on maximising profits for the benefit of its shareholders 4. This model does not facilitate input into the corporations affairs by other parties nor does it permit the managers of the corporation to prioritize issues, such as employees or the environment, unless they are compatible with the profitability of the corporation 5. The executive management is charged with the responsibility of operating the company with the view to maximising shareholder profit. The essential role of the management team, who is lead by the corporations Chief Executive Officer (CEO), is to perform the day-to day operations of the corporation 5555. The CEO plays a critical role in administering the companys affairs. The CEO chooses the management team and, from a practical perspective, has the final say in many issues relating to the corporation despite the provisions of many corporate statutes and procedures. The Board exists primarily to be an effective corporate governance mechanism for hiring, firing, monitoring and compensating management 6666. The Board, by legislation and corporate by-laws, are delegated a wide variety of responsibilities which enable them to set the companys main objectives and monitor their application by the executive management. The Board of Directors is therefore the main organ of the company and acts as agents for its owners by supervising the actions of the managers. There are two popular forms of boards of directors namely, the unitary (one-tier) and dual (two-tier) boards 6. The Anglo American model favours the unitary board 7. Under this system of management, the number of directors is usually set in the corporations by-laws and they are elected by the shareholders at the AGM for a set period of time, normally a one year term 8. The Board consists of executive directors (EDs), who are considered employees of the corporation, and non-executive directors (NEDs), who tend to be professionals or experts that are independent of the corporation 9. While an EDs sole responsibility is to increase profits for the shareholders, there is a potential risk that their interests may conflict with those of the corporation 10. The function of NEDs is to strike a balance between the interest of the shareholders and EDs 11. As independent third parties, they should have no conflict of interest and are therefore equipped to monitor the performance of the EDs impa rtially to the benefit of the shareholders should EDs try to deviate from their principal objective. The success of the Anglo American model is dependent on the extent to which the Board can effectively supervise the actions of the executive management 12. While legislation and regulations seek to ensure a balance between the two entities, in practice the executive management is by far more powerful than the Board 13. The nature of publicly held companies is that the executive management has a great deal of flexibility in determining how they discharge their responsibilities in attaining the objectives of the corporation 14. To encourage them to do so, they are more often than not enticed with substantial compensation packages with performance based remuneration. It has been argued that such compensation packages encourage the executive management to concentrate on short term results as oppose to the companys overall or long-term interests 15. This problem is further compounded by the dominant role the CEO plays in the relationship between the executive management and the Board. Whi le in board meetings the Board is technically supervising the CEO and his management team, the former have a large degree of control over the meetings. The CEO sets the agenda for board meetings and decides what information is to be provided to other directors. With this sort of control, it is very easy for the CEO to limit the powers of the Board 16. However, over the past few years, the dominance of the CEO has been challenged not only by the increasing influence of the board of directors 17,but also by legislation. A clear example of this can be seen from the requirement for the CEO to certify personally in quarterly and annual SEC reports that as far as they know these contain no untrue statements or omissions of material facts which might mislead shareholders and that the firms financial condition and results have been fairly presented 18. The Rights of Shareholders The ability of a shareholder to exercise its ownership rights and protect its investment is a key to the Anglo American model of corporate governance. Due to the fact that the focus of the Anglo American system focus is on the interest of shareholders, this model tends to focus on the nature of ownership and the ability of that ownership to protect its investment 0. One of the clear challenges which arise from the separation of ownership and management is to strike the right balance between the rights of the owners with the control of the managers 1. There are several mechanisms which the Anglo American model utilises to deal with this issue 2. These come in the form of rights which are afforded to the shareholders which enable them to monitor and control the managers of the corporation 3. The Anglo American model utilizes an outsider/arms length system of ownership and control, where share ownership is widely dispersed. Most of the largest corporations in the US and UK are quoted on the stock market and offer their shares to the general public 4. This sort of dispersed ownership is a main feature of this type of model. According to one study, less than one-fifth of the Britains publicly traded companies have an owner who controls more than 25% of the shares 5. It has been argued that the reason for this is because the general public in these co mmunities prefer not to own a high percentage of equities in large firms 6. Having said so, even countries who share a similar trend in ownerships are not always identical. For example, one major difference between the US and UK in terms of ownership is the stronger presence of institutional shareholders in the UK 7. This trend towards ownership by institutional shareholders has an impact on the efficiency of the Anglo American model. The institutional shareholder represents a large number of smaller investors and therefore has the clout to effectively monitor and address managerial misconduct 8. In the UK context, it has become conventional wisdom that prompting institutional investors to consider their responsibility as an important corporate constituent is an additional way to improve managerial accountability 9. Unfortunately, this has not always been the case primarily because many institutional shareholders are driven by short term strategies which may not have as their paramount concern the long term welfare of the corporation. As Hutton says, the consequence [of tax arrangements] has been a flood of institutional savings and acute demand for dividends and the foreshortening of investment time horizons 10. In addition, it has been shown that when dissatisfied with the performance of a corporation, many institutional shareholders would prefer to sell their shareholding than to play some sort of supervisory or monitoring role in the corporation 11. Another problem facing institutional shareholders is how to reconcile their roles as shareholders owning shares in many listed companies with their role as investors of funds 12. Given that their primary motivation is to make profit for their investors, they compete fiercely with each other to attract funds in order to ensure a high return on their investments 13. Consequently, when faced with mismanagement it is easier for them to sell than to hold management to account. Further, it has been argued that even when institutional shareholders were willing to intervene in the corporations affairs, there are practical obstacles which make it difficult for them to do so. One of these is what is commonly referred to as the motivation factor. Proctor and Miles define it as follows There is a disincentive for single institutional shareholders to expend time, effort and resources correcting what they perceive as bad management if other fellow institutional shareholders do not also support this action. Institutional shareholders have different priorities and agendas at any one time. It may be difficult to pool resources to tackle together what to some institutional shareholders may not be a problem at all. 14 In light of the challenges institutional shareholders face in monitoring management of companies, the Anglo American model can only be successful if there are other mechanisms in place which can be used to protect shareholders 15. The main focus of the Anglo American model is in the protection of shareholders 16. In this respect, both the UK and US system are similar in the way corporate directors and senior managers are held accountable to their shareholders 17. Both systems encourage shareholders to work as monitors over managers and senior executives 18. To facilitate this monitoring process, shareholders have many statutory rights and common law rights. The main right afforded to shareholders that provide them with a means of controlling the management of the company is their statutory right to vote on decisions at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) 19 . The AGM is an annual meeting which shareholders are entitled to attend 20. At this meeting, the shareholders are informed about the previous and future activities of the corporation 21. It is an opportunity for them to receive copies of the companys accounts as well as review fiscal information for the past year and ask any questions regarding the directions the business will take in the future 22. In addition, the shareholders are able to elect the Board of Directors 23. This right is designed to operate as a check on the managerial actions of the Board of Directors and executive management. Shareholders are able to participate in discussion regarding the companys welfare and vote on important affairs relating to the company 24. While the right to vote at a corporations AGM may at first glance appears to be an effective means for shareholders to protect their interest, in practical terms this is often not the case. Publicly held companies usually consist of a large number of small owners who own very small fractions of the corporations shares 25. Having a small proportion of the corporate equity means that shareholders have little influence on managerial decisions 26. Furthermore, due to the fact that their shareholding is insignificant, it is unlikely to give them any real power at AGMs where they are suppose to be able to exercise their legal rights. As a result, many shareholders are not incentivised to attend AGMs. For this reason, the Anglo American model has additional mechanisms which are designed to enhance the control of the managers by shareholders. Most, if not all, of these legal and organisational safeguards have been devised in response to abuses of corporate power by managers who fail to put t he interests of shareholders first. These mechanisms are intended to encourage minority shareholders to be active in protecting their rights and holding directors accountable for actions 27. The three main mechanisms which will be discussed below are cumulate voting, appraisal rights and shareholders derivative action 28. Cumulative voting is a process by which minority shareholders are permitted to cast all their votes in the election of directors for a single candidate 29. Through this process, the power of the minority is strengthened because they are able to pool their votes together and secure a member of the Board who they feel confident will look after their interests in the corporation 30. Shareholders are also given the right to seek appraisal of their shares in certain fundamental transactions for example where a merger takes place. In these circumstances, a shareholder can seek a court valuation of their shares based upon fair value and be paid in cash 31. This right to sell ones shares can be seen as a protective measure for shareholders, because it encourages directors to seek the highest price in such transactions so as to avoid several shareholders exercising this right 32. Having said so, there are some disadvantages to this right. In most cases the methods of valuation are conservative and therefore shareholders do not necessarily benefit in real terms. The process is time consuming and payments need not be made until the process is complete. Attorneys and experts fees can be high and interest is not assured. Of all of these rights, the derivative suit against directors is probably the strongest tool which can be used by shareholders, particularly minority shareholders. A derivative suit is a claim brought by a shareholder on behalf of the corporation against parties allegedly causing harm to the corporation 33 . This right strengthens the position of shareholders, in particular minority shareholders. As a common law country where case law principles are well developed and where shareholders are said to be better protected, judicial intervention is believed to be an essential element of good corporate governance. A derivative action would not be effective unless the management of a corporation has a duty to its shareholders. The board of directors is a critical part of the corporation and as a result must be held to account to the corporations owners if good corporate governance is to prevail. In the UK, directors are subject to common law fiduciary duties and case law still plays a central role in holding managers and board of directors accountable to the corporation as a separate legal entity. Seeing the relationship between the directors and shareholders as one of agency implies that directors should be elected by shareholders and can be dismissed by them at the AGM. The focus therefore is clearly on ensuring that those who manage the corporation are always acting in the best interest of the corporations shareholders. The lean of the Anglo American system to protect the interests of shareholders is most evident when looking at the manner in which it deals with takeovers and acquisitions of corporations. In instances where there is a takeover bid, shareholders need to be given an opportunity to decide on the merits of a takeover so as to ensure that shareholders of the same class are afforded equivalent treatment by an offeror and thus are being treated fairly. The Anglo American model therefore provides a degree of protection to shareholders in instances where a corporation is subject to a takeover bid. For example, in the UK, the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers 7777 (the City Code) ensures that shareholders are treated fairly and are not denied an opportunity to protect their interest 8888. The City Code essentially essentially all defensive actions when a takeover bid is pending or when the target has reason to believe that a bona fide offer might be imminent 9999. Once a bid is made, any defensive action requires shareholder approval. This means management of the corporation cannot supersede the interests of its shareholder, who so ever it shall be. UK case law emphasises that the fundamental decision on takeovers belongs to shareholders, not incumbent managers and generally holds that management actions which go against shareholders rights are not pursuant to a proper purpose and therefore fall outside the scope of the delegated management authority afforded by the common law. Disclosure and Transparency Disclosure and transparency are important in managing the relationship between shareholders on the one hand and the executive management on the other. Shareholders have a right to make decisions in relation to the corporation based on information that is accurate and correct 1. This is the only way they can be sure that the corporation is being managed properly. Financial reporting frauds have attracted high-profile attention recently provoked by widespread irregularities at large corporations 2. It is managements responsibility to prevent such problems before they begin 31. To do so, it is necessary to establish a control environment designed to identify and immediately stamp out any fraudulent reporting that does occur 32. One of the tools which is used to protect shareholders interests in this respect is the audit committee 3. An audit committee is an operating committee of the Board of Directors charged with oversight of financial reporting and disclosure 4 . Committee members are drawn from members of the companys board of directors, with a Chairperson selected from among the committee members 33. To be effective, the committee must be composed of independent outside directors with at least one qualifying as a financial expert 34. The audit committee plays an important role as a board subcommittee. The Smith Report 5 explains its role as follows: While all directors have a duty to act in the interests of the company, the audit committee has a particular role, acting independently from the executive, to ensure that the interests of shareholders are properly protected in relation to financial reporting and internal control. An analysis of the corporate governance codes of twenty European countries by Collier and Zaman (2005) 6 showed that their codes assign a set of functions which should be fulfilled by an audit committee as follows: a) oversight of external audit; b) oversight of internal audit; c) involvement in external auditor selection or dismissal; d) oversight of risk and internal control reporting by the board; and e) oversight of financial reporting quality. In carrying out these functions, the committee operates as a liaison between the Board, external auditors, internal auditors, the finance director and the operating 7 . They are for all intents and purposes the final safeguard in ensuring the financial statements of the corporation which are released to shareholders and other stakeholders are accurate. The Board often relies on the audit committee to notice and question any unusual business practices, aggressive accounting methods or violations of the companys code of business conduct. But at many companies audit committee members may not have the expertise in matters of internal control 8. In addition, some people serving on audit committees have very little accounting or financial experience 9. Accordingly, audit committee members need a reference guide to their responsibilities. That is the function of an audit committee charter 10. A comprehensive charter enhances the effectiveness of the audit committee, serving as a road map fo r committee members 11. A well-thought-out charter also should describe the committees composition and specify access to appropriate resources. OECD PRINCIPLES Good corporate governance is key to the integrity of corporations, financial institutions and markets 1. They also play an important role in promoting the health and stability of a states economy. Many international organizations have come to understand the importance of good corporate governance including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 2. To this end, the OECD established the first set of internationally acceptable standards of corporate governance, known as the OECD Principles, which have become a reference point used by both developed and developing countries not only for self-assessment but also for issuing and developing codes of best practice 3. The OECD work in corporate governance is centered on promoting the implementation of these principles throughout the world. They are arguably one of the most substantial efforts made to highlight the importance which should be given to corporate governance. The OECD Principles were first released in 1999 and revised in 2004 4. It sets out the key standards of corporate governance which are required for international financial stability. The Principles are intended to assist governments to evaluate and improve the legal, institutional and regulatory framework for corporate governance in their own countries 5. The Principles primarily focus on publicly traded companies, but provide a good guideline for other forms of corporations. The main principles of the OECD Principles 6are: The corporate governance framework should promote transparent and efficient markets, be consistent with the rule of law and clearly articulate the division of responsibilities among different supervisory, regulatory and enforcement authorities. The corporate governance framework should protect and facilitate the exercise of shareholders rights. The corporate governance framework should ensure the equitable treatment of all shareholders, including minority and foreign shareholders. All shareholders should have the opportunity to obtain effective redress for violation of their rights. The corporate governance framework should recognise the rights of stakeholders established by law or through mutual agreements and encourage active co-operation between corporations and stakeholders in creating wealth, jobs, and the sustainability of financially sound enterprises. The corporate governance framework should ensure that timely and accurate disclosure is made on all material matters regarding the corporation, including the financial situation, performance, ownership, and governance of the company. The corporate governance framework should ensure the strategic guidance of the company, the effective monitoring of management by the board, and the boards accountability to the company and the shareholders. In addition to the OECD, business-related organizations like the Centre for International Private Enterprise have also considered corporate governance to be important in the promotion of good business practices 7. The Centre has an affiliate located in Egypt which was established to educate, raise the awareness of the importance of establishing suitable corporate governance standards in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. 8

Science vs Religion Essays -- Human Evolution vs Relgion

â€Å"Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. When we recognize our place in an immensity of light†years and in the passage of ages, when we grasp the intricacy, beauty, and subtlety of life, then that soaring feeling, that sense of elation and humility combined, is surely spiritual. The notion that science and spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both.† -- Carl Sagan Students bring with them many assumptions about science, about religion, and about their relationship. These assumptions may impact, positively or negatively, their willingness and ability to engage the scientific study of human origins. This essay is provided as a guide to begin thinking about science and religion in the context of the possible interactions of religious worldviews with a scientific account of human evolution and origins. In other words, this essay will explain how human evolution and religion can peacefully coexist. What is science? Science is a way to understand nature by developing explanations for the structures, processes and history of nature that can be tested by observations in laboratories or in the field. Sometimes such observations are direct, like measuring the chemical composition of a rock. Other times these observations are indirect, like determining the presence of an exoplanet through the wobble of its host star. An explanation of some aspect of nature that has been well supported by such observations is a theory. Well-substantiated theories are the foundations of human understanding of nature. The pursuit of such understanding is science. What is religion? Religion, or more appropriately religions, are cultural phenomena comprised of social institutions, traditions of practice, literatures, sacred texts and stories, and sacred places that identify and convey an understanding of ultimate meaning. Religions are very diverse. While it is common for religions to identify the ultimate with a deity (like the western monotheisms – Judaism, Christianity, Islam) or deities, not all do. There are non-theistic religions, like Buddhism. What is the difference between science and religion? Although science does not provide proofs, it does provide explanations. Science depends on deliberate, explicit and formal testing (in the natural world) of explanations for the wa... ...e is practiced without reference to religion. God may be an ultimate explanation, but God is not a scientific explanation. This approach to science is called methodological naturalism. However, this method of isolating religious interests from scientific research is not an example of the separation approach. Historically, this bracketing out of religious questions in the practice of scientific inquiry was promoted by religious thinkers in the 18th and 19th centuries as the most fruitful way to discover penultimate rather than ultimate explanations of the structures and processes of nature. A third possibility for the relationship between science and religion, one of interaction, at minimum holds that dialogue between science and religion can be valuable, more that science and religion can constructively benefit from engagement, and at maximum envisions a convergence of scientific and religious perspectives. Generally, this view encourages an effort to explore the significance of scientific understanding for religious understanding and vice versa. With this approach science remains relevant beyond the classroom for many people who might otherwise ignore scientific findings.