Saturday, December 28, 2019

Financial Crisis The Fiscal Crisis - 1355 Words

The second week of October in 2008 was the worst week for stock market during 75 years, Buckley (2011) state that the worst record was the Dow Jones Industrial Averages dropped 22.1%, but it fell 44.3% then. In general, a financial crisis is not an accident; it may take several years and has complex and interlaced causes (Claessens and Kodres, 2014). The 2007-08 global financial crisis is a typical case due to long-term non-intervention policy and loose regulation for financial market from government. Moreover, it involved the complex relationship between government and financial institutions. In order to look at this issue in particular, this essay first goes though the timeline of the 2007-08 financial crisis, particularly in U.S. and†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, financial institutions, such as Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, AIG and Moody’s, designed some new credit derivatives which were subprime lending. Subprime lending is a special loan for low- income workers and lower credit people to help them buy housing, but the loans resulted in a debt crisis. Another huge area of debt was a result of other instruments. For instances, CMO’s, CDO’s, SIV’s and MBS’s are kinds of financial derivatives that millions of people paid trillions of dollars for. However, there were not the only reasons for crisis, government has responsibility for the market as well, but the American government implemented policy to support financial institutions, and permitted loose regulation of the market. Consequently, the risk in financial markets was intensifying. Ameriquest collapsed on 31 August 2007, the largest subprime lender in America. Reuters (2007) reported that â€Å"Ameriquest downsized in the current housing cycle, deciding in May 2006 to close all 229 retail branches and cut 3,800 jobs†. There were several mortgage companies and banks failing followed by this; Others were bailed out by governments. The U.S. Federal Reserve injected 41 billion dollars for banks to borrow at a low rate and to support whole financial market. But this was

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Teaching And Learning During The 21st Century - 1733 Words

Teaching and learning in the 21st century has changed dramatically from a traditional education. There has been a major paradigm shift to effectively support and prepare students for current and future work, social and school expectations. 19th century traditional education was designed to develop industry based workers that required basic skills and performed menial tasks. However, students need new skills and capabilities to ensure their success in the global market. Teachers roles have also been redefined to guide students and the skills teachers now need are more complex than ever before. The effects of globalisation and the shrinking world highlights shortcomings and also creates new ones, this has also began a wave of change to†¦show more content†¦Prensky (2001) states, students today are no longer the people our schools were designed to teach. Fundamentally, students today process and learn differently. Reforming education from a constructivist view such as Vygotskyà ¢â‚¬â„¢s Theory of Development (1978) which centres children at the heart of education and holistically views each child as capable through the introduction of personalised learning and outcome orientated. Children learn best through doing, discovery and collaboration. Teacher’s roles have also changed to guide students learning rather than direct instruction focusing on the process of learning rather than the correct answers from rote memorisation. Butt (2014) states that teachers and schools are no longer the primary source of information. However, 21st century teaching and learning is best described as an emerging cluster of new ideas, beliefs, theories and ideas, some of which are used in schools today and others yet to be implemented. Moving sharply from the one size fits all model to personalised learning. (Bolstad et al, 2012) Robinson (2010) stated that, previously the role of schools was to prepare students for industry based work in production and hands on work and that has changed dramatically where companies seek employees that possess intellectual skills. In order to adequately prepare students for future job

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Features Of Modern Professional Sports Sector Essay

Sport has been renowned for being an important activity people ever practiced, starting with the organisation of the Olympic Games that held to elaborate basic sports skills, as well as celebrate them. Sport unites people and encourages them to enhance their organisation and community. People choose to launch their career in sports in order to remain healthy and earn good money. Professional sport, no matter where played, is the most affluent and observed sporting activity. It grabs the lions offer of media scope, and additionally all sponsorship income and incorporate backing that is accessible. The sports industry appears to be an attractive sphere for investment in the modern business world since it provides a variety of opportunities for shareholders. The sports industry, especially its professional sector, experienced some changes in the last few years, which made an impact on employment and technology. The main goal of this paper is to outline key features of the modern professional sports sector, outline existing opportunities and identify all the challenges for revenue which investors may face while working in this industry and link those challenges to the business structure of the professional sports sector. 2.KEY FEATURES OF THE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS SECTOR In 2015, the professional sports sector was at the centre of public attention which brought a profit for its stakeholders. According to the study conducted by Hills and Maitland, the sports industry broughtShow MoreRelatedThe Commercialisation, Professionalization And Equity Of Sport1714 Words   |  7 Pagesprofessionalization and equity of sport has changed from the 1950s to today. This piece of work will also discuss the different techniques and strategies that organisations within sport used to commercialise, professionalise and set social stratification. The worldwide interest in sport is phenomenal, regardless of your skin colour, religion, health, social status, gender and home nation. Sport is a universal platform for happiness, revenue and success. Even though sport has made the leap from just loveRead MoreInternational Sport Of Choice The Rich And Powerful Essay1046 Words   |  5 Pages NAME: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX COURSE: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX DATE: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX PROFFESSOR: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX As the international sport of choice the rich and powerful, golf is viewed as a leisure activity and also as a source of economic development as. Golf’s challenges as well as opportunities are difficult. They are almost all the time linked in one. There isn’t lack of strategic challengesRead MoreSegmentation, Targeting Positioning1463 Words   |  6 PagesUniversity of Zimbabwe Graduate School of Management *Marketing Ma*nagement Question: Kotler (1988) has stated that: â€Å"The heart of modern strategic marketing can be described as STP – segmenting, targeting and positioning.’’ Discuss this statement using appropriate examples. Introduction Market segmentation By definition market segmentation is the division of a market into different groups of customers with similar needs. Or to express it in another way, market segmentationRead MoreUnit 3 P1 M1 And D17271 Words   |  30 Pagesto high competition, they have experienced, each sector, a number of times. In contrast, the Sony and their PS3 have also experienced similar experiences. For example, due to this specific console being one of the most successful and exclusive gaming consoles of all time, the overall competition has been reasonably low, and due to this, this certain product has seen the product life cycle at a very different perspective by experiencing each sector at a much slower rate. Product The diagram presentedRead MoreThe National Hockey League ( Nhl ) Revenue Has Grown From $ 2.27 Billion Us Essay2069 Words   |  9 Pagescoached, and the way players are scouted and traded. Almost everything on the operations, media, player, and fan experience side have gone through changes and alterations because of technology. Technology has opened up a plethora of doors within the sport and has had such a big impact on not just revenues but other areas as well. One of the largest affects come on the fan experience and involvement side. Changes outside of actual gameplay such as this one are often driven by revenue but are ultimatelyRead MoreBurj Al Arab4747 Words   |  19 Pagesexceptionally high staff-to-suite ratio. All suites are laid out over two floors and the smallest of these starts at a spacious 170 square metres. Every suite enjoys unobstructed and enviable views of the Arabian Gulf and is furnished with the most modern amenities and specifications with a private guest services and butler service available on every floor. Burj Al Arab enjoys the benefit of a private beach, the Assawan Spa Health Club and guests are able to use all the facilities of the adjoiningRead MoreTriumph Launching Event5211 Words   |  21 Pagesadventure, and look for versatile motor accompanying them in different environment. Touring : People who like sport and travel, they look for a powerful motor having grater practicality in touring or sports touring. Cruiser: People who like cruisers look and embrace attitude of the hotted up motorcycles of the  60s. Classic : People who like vintage style and look for a motor presenting modern interpretation of a timeless classic. Roadster: People who take speed and agility seriously and look forRead MoreChanges Within Urban Chinese Lifestyle Over The Last Thirty Years Essay3398 Words   |  14 PagesRepublic of China (PRC) has undergone a number of significant changes in policy and ideology during the course of its Communist leadership, and the economic transformation it has experience represents arguably the most significant revolution in its modern history. The changes in China’s economy can be traced to between 1976 to 1978, when the Cultural Revolution had effectively ended and widespread social, economic, and political conflict that accompanied it. The Culture Revolution was motivated inRead MoreCorporate Social Responsibility in Sports3830 Words   |  16 PagesCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY 1. INTRODUCTION Over the past several years the sports industry has grown phenomenally, and it now ranks among the largest industries in the world. Concomitant with its growth is an increase in the importance of a element of value which is the corporate social responsibility which has become a necessity in terms of the bottom line. Illegal and immoral activities in all settings have emerged to the point that some factions of the society have made efforts toRead Morevisitor attraction4188 Words   |  17 Pages Contents Introduction The visitor attractions sector is an important component of the travel and tourism industry. It is the sector that provides the interest, excitement and activity for tourists when they visit a destination or when they venture out on a day trip. In this assignment I am going to investigate the importance and the impacts of visitor attractions. The definition of a visitor attraction is: â€Å"..An attraction where it is feasible to charge admission for the sole purpose of

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Improving the Health and Nutrition for Students Essay

There have been a lot of theories written on how we develop from birth to adulthood; the basis of it is explained within the three domains, physical, cognitive and social – emotional development and although they seem like three separate areas they in fact relate closely together. Arnold Gesell a theorist wrote a theory on physical development and explained how a child develops using age norms, he noted how a child grows and changes from a baby to a teenager going through puberty, how a brain develops, which in turn develops gross motor skills, which are running, skipping, jumping, throwing and catching, and fine motor skills are described with writing, threading and using scissors Cognitive development refers to how the brain develops,†¦show more content†¦As a teacher we can assist with a student’s physical development by creating a classroom where the student can interact while learning, allowing free time to play with sand or play dough. Just these two activities can assist with fine motor skills and including free time to play in the playground can encourage gross motor skills to continue growing, As a student becomes older and goes through puberty and other changes it is important that we as teachers address this issue by explaining it all and making sure they realise they can contact the teacher or a student counsellor for help. To assist a student’s cognitive development a teacher must provide a bright and cheerful learning area, organise a reading area for the students to have, and realize that different students are at different levels with their cognitive abilities. Reading to young students every day can encourage their imaginations to grow and encourage their listening skills. The physical activity level of young children has received increasing attention nationally because of the rapid rise in children’s obesity. Research tells us that the percentage of obese children ages 2 to 5 has doubled in the past 30 years (Ogden, Flegal, Carroll, Johnson, 2002). Physical activity is important for every age group, I have chosen the ages six to ten years, (middle childhood). At this age we find students are very active while playing, always running around and role playing, however withoutShow MoreRelatedU.s School Food Regulation For Public Schools Essay1543 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican public schools have poor nutrition, and it causes obesity in teenagers. As a former student of the American public school systems, the condition of the food has been a problem for years. Over the past two decades, obesity has been an issue in the U.S, and it is due to poor school nutrition. The public schools lack a variation in the healthy meals they contain. Inadequate nutrition can lead to an abundance of health problems. Although spending money on food can be expensive, the governmentRead MoreThe Importance of Developing Nutrition Programs for University Students in Halifax1665 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction and Background This research will try to use quantitative method to find the associations among fast food consumption, body weight and nutrition education level. Aim of this research is to understand determinants that contribute to this education situation in Halifax. Furthermore, result of this paper may provide the direction of public health promotion. Literature Review In recent years, studies have focused on factors which may influence fast food consumption and weight gain among youngRead MoreEffects Of Nutrition Information Inclusion At Fast Food Restaurants Essay1532 Words   |  7 PagesEffects of Nutrition Information Inclusion at Fast Food Restaurants Philadelphia’s menu labeling law has required chain restaurants like McDonald’s to include nutritional information about the food they serve on their menu boards. For the law to be effective in changing the health condition of citizens in Philadelphia, it is crucial for citizens to fully understand the nutrition information listed. â€Å"In order for fast food consumers to respond to calorie information on menu boards it is necessaryRead MoreChildhood Obesity : A Growing Problem922 Words   |  4 Pages The childhood obesity epidemic is a serious public health problem that increases death and illnesses, and has long term economic and social costs. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that in teens ages 12 to 19, overweight rates have tripled (5.0% to 17.6%) in the last twenty five years; this is a higher percentage than in any other industrialized country. Teen obesity leads to obese adults that are going to have poor health later like diabetes, cardi ovascular disease, or cancerRead MoreImproving Competitive Foods Schools For Creating A Healthy School Environment1182 Words   |  5 PagesImproving Competitive Foods in Schools to create a healthy school environment To: School Districts and School Administrators Seeing Spots: Addressing Competitive Foods Competitive foods are foods that are available in schools to purchase through venues such as a la carte lines, vending machines, snack bars, school stores and other fundraises.1 It has been estimated that nearly 30-50% of all school students consume their total calories at school.2 School lunch and breakfast programs meet the requirementsRead MoreImproving Child Nutrition in the Local Schools600 Words   |  3 PagesThe Case Study of Improving Child Nutrition in the Local Schools The Health Department has been approached by a small group of fathers who are interested in improving child nutrition in the local schools. †¢ How will you prepare for your first meeting with the parents? ï‚ § The first step for my preparation is to gather information from the school and the distract website about the menu and food options that kids have at their school. ï‚ § I will make sure to listen and write any concern and ideas thatRead MoreNutrition and Health893 Words   |  4 PagesNutrition and Health Programs tanisha sanders Strayer University ENG 115 Dr. Kirk The Chairman of the state school board has asked you (a consultant on health and wellness), to write an informative piece about the recent changes to the breakfast and lunch program. The information will be used improve nutrition and health. The content will turn into a brochure describing the four major issues: economic situation, special needs, health of the population being served, process and benefitsRead MoreImportant Predictors Of Nutrition And Physical Activity Essay924 Words   |  4 PagesFesharaki and Mohammed Reza Jafari studied factors predicting nutrition and physical activity behaviors with the concern of cardiovascular disease in Tehran University students. This study aims to identify the important predictors of nutrition and physical activity in relation to cardiovascular disease in students of Tehran University. (Rahmati-Najarkolaei, Tavafian, Fesharaki, Jafari 2014). Participants, Tehran University students studying in the majors of humanities, basic sciences, a nd technical-engineeringRead MoreObesity Epidemic : Obesity And Obesity1634 Words   |  7 Pagesresults into the many different health risk. With this in mind, I believe as a student, schools have the influence to help prevent young students from childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is a condition where a child has unnecessary grossly fat. Many children who are overweight suffer from medical to self-esteem issues. These issues can have a big impact on a child’s educational success. Therefore, there are ways that schools can get involved to help prevent young students of becoming obese and in theRead MoreThe Importance Of Nutrition On Our Daily Lives1683 Words   |  7 PagesOver the years we have come to discover the importance of nutrition on our daily lives. Our daily nutritional intake affects every aspect of our functioning, especially as we age. Unfortunately this factor is too often overlooked. It is imperative that we truly understand the impact of proper nutrition on our lives, as aging is a complex process. Over time the human body accumulates damage in many of its major systems. Countless hours of research have gone into studying the human body and how it

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Strategic Analysis Plays in a Business or Organisation

Question: Describe about the Strategic Analysis Plays in a Business or Organisation. Answer: Executive Summary Companies prior to formulating policies assess their own strengths and potentials, internal resources and capabilities. Internal analysis of companies helps them properly allocate resources such that they can be adequately utilized to render competitive advantage to the company. This part of the report is an analysis of British Airways internal resources and capabilities that the company employs to gain significant advantage in competing in the market. The company owns a substantial fleet size and has a stable base of employees. Internal resources comprises of financial, resources, physical assets, human resources, structural-cultural resources and intangible resources. Along with which it employs certain products and services that attracts customers and renders efficiency to the company. Introduction British Airways is an extremely efficient airline in terms of its resources and capabilities(Wright, 2013). Internal analysis of the company lies in realizing its resources, core competencies and capabilities. A comprehensive SWOT analysis will help analyze the companys strengths and weaknesses such that it can utilize its opportunities and act on its threats. British Airways aligns its internal competencies with its vision, mission and strategic objectives. Such alignment helps its to attain a strategic plan through which it allocates resources and attains competitive advantage in the market. It is the worlds leading premium airline and it is currently aiming to make the company more cost effective such that it can focus on customer service as a long term company vision. The airline is continually inventing products and services that enable it to service its customers well(Dollinger, 2008). Critical Analysis of Internal Environment Analysis British Airways mission statement is focused on delivering services that can matter to people, thus stressing on how they fly(Insight, Retrieved on 6th December 2016). Its vision has been to improve employee and customer satisfaction, maintaining competitive strength, improving fuel efficiency and develop equipments for disabled people. British Airways market segment has always been for long-haul customers, it is planning to enter short-haul routes as well by stretching its resources and capabilities. Its wants to provide low cost carrier benefits to customers in the short-haul segment as well. Internal analysis deals with the process of identifying along with evaluating company specific characteristics as resources, capabilities and core competencies. While comparing the companys vision, mission and strategic objectives. Strengths Resources : Resources comprise of assets of the company that it utilizes for carrying on work activities according to its defined objectives. British Airways resources comprised of financial resources, physical assets in terms of its fleet, intangible resources as its premium brand name and structural-cultural resources of British inheritance(Tassabehji, 2014). The companys resources are its inputs to provide capabilities for complex and co-ordinated network of its routine activities. In terms of resources it has a huge fleet size encompassing a large number of long haul routes. The company has an internal customer base and through its Executive Club flyer program it attracts more number of customers. It flyers program awards customers for flying repeatedly with the airline. It has bases for servicing at several parts of the world, where it has built its hub including Heathrow at London, UK. Human resources of the company are highly trained and have high levels of skills. There are divergent roles that are required for comprehending company functions(Harvey, 2009). The company generally hires British workforce, as they can comply with cultural standards provided by the company. The company indulges in employee engagement programs in order to further skills and knowledge levels of employees. The employees of the company enjoy high levels of motivation and job satisfaction, they are offered various perks and other incentives from the company. Such perks and incentives include free travel and other family benefits. Financial resources analysis reflects that the company has a steady flowing profits of about 10%, which is its operating margins(Metcalf, 2008). Its subsidiaries further generate business for the company. Open Skies and BA City Flyer has been providing alliance services with OneWorld, and has franchised some routes. The company has devised certain programs whereby it combines hotels, cabs and travel packages to customers. These offers have attracted immense customer base for the company as it offers attractive and lucrative deals. These resources have contributed to making the company gain sustainable competitive advantage given market conditions. These are often visualized by customers as distinctive advantages as they provide superior value compared to other airline in within long-haul routes. Competencies: British Airways core competencies lies in its ability to offer clubbed programs and premium facility to its customers. It offers business class and economic class passenger facility such as access to airport lounges, pick-up and drop facilities and so on. British Airways functions on high levels of operational efficiency and is extremely punctual in its services. Its high level of passenger servicing reflects its brand image amongst customers(Yarger, 2012). The company enjoys high level of brand recall value and image amongst its customers. Through its online portals and e-marketing initiative it has been effective in attracting a large number of passenger from world over. E-services are other competencies that the company has started and has helped it to greatly reduce costs. This service further enabled customers to book hotels, cab services through their website. Further the company introduced auto up-gradation facility for passengers between booking and checking-in to their flights. Value Chain Analysis : Another distinctive advantage that a company offers to its customers by way of providing value from products and services they offer(slideshare.net, Retreieved on 5th Decemeber 2016). British Airways provides value to its customers by packaging its products in attractive form, clubbing with various deals and offers. The company through its flyer programs also enables customers to take advantage of flying to more number of places by pairing with its alliance partners. It has an interactive e-portal that offers customer various services such as easy ticket printing, check-ins and so on. The company has a messaging system, where customer receives updates regarding their accounts and any offers provided by the company. It also has a help line number that responds to customer needs and queries. Weakness British Airways always suffered from high debt obligation, with increased incidence in debt servicing ratio. High amounts of foreign debts make it difficult to pay off principal along with interest amount. This highly reduces companys capability to generate fund flow for its existing activities and for expansion(Nicolini, 2006). Another major weakness of the company is its high dependence on the European market. Slowing down of the European economy in the recent past has highly impacted the company in terms of losing out on revenues. The company needs to change its focus market from Europe to grow further. Opportunities British Airways have immense opportunities from business agreements with other relines. Joint agreement with American Airlines, Iberia to operate in North America and Europe is a part of their global cooperation. This step enabled customers to have more flight schedule and options to fly anywhere in the world. Threats Global recession has had a major impact on the airline industry as well, with growth rates declining to 3.1%. Many airlines including British Airways experienced losses especially in the premium business class passenger segment(Mueller Loose, 2013). As the company primary focus 47% is on premium customer segment it got highly affected. Thus with major alliances taking place in the airline industry companies including British Airways is gradually recovering their revenues. Conclusion The internal analysis of the company provides several negative aspects of the company. Yet the company is developing multiple strategies and strategic policies in order to develop its revenues and business. Reports and data suggests that alliances and mergers have had a positive impact on the company. The company needs to divert its focus segment to developing counties in order to reduce risks of its business. The company also needs to introduce certain low cost careers such that it can compete in short-haul segments as well, stretching utilization of its resources and capabilities. References Cole, G. (2006). Management Theory and Practice.(6th Ed.) London: Book Power. British Journal of Management, 54-68. David, F. a. (2016). Strategic Management: A Competitive Advantage Approach, Concepts and Cases. Dollinger, M. (2008). Entrepreneurship: Strategies and resources. Marsh Publications. Graham, B. . (2006). Carriers within Carriers: A Strategic Response to Low?cost Airline Competition. . Transport Reviews, 105-126. Grundy, T. (2006). Rethinking and reinventing Michael Porter's five forces model. . Strategic Change, 213-229. Harvey, G. a. (2009). Employment Relations, Management Style and Flight Crew Attitudes at Low Cost Airline Subsidiaries::. The Cases of British Airways/Go and bmi/bmibaby. European Management Journal, 24(5), 330-337. Hill, C. J. (2014). Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Hill, C., Jones, G., Schilling, M. (n.d.). Strategic management theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Hitt, M., Ireland, R., Hoskisson, R. (n.d.). Strategic Management cases: competitiveness and globalization. Cengage Learning. Hubbard, G. R. (2014). Strategic management. Pearson Australia. Insight, S. M. (Retrieved on 6th December 2016). Competitive Forces of Analysis. https://www.strategicmanagementinsight.com/tools/porters-five-forces.html. Metcalf, D. (2008). Why has the British national minimum wage had little or no impact on employment?. . Journal of Industrial Relations, 50(3), 489-512. Mueller Loose, S. a. (2013). Impact of corporate social responsibility claims on consumer food choice: A cross-cultural comparison. . British Food Journal, 115(1), 142-166. Nicolini, G. a. (2006). Customer satisfaction in the airline industry: The case of British Airways. . Quality and Reliability Engineering International, 22(5), 581-589. professionalacdemy.com. (Retrieved on 5th December 2016). PESTLE. https://www.professionalacademy.com/blogs-and-advice/marketing-theories---pestel-analysis. slideshare.net. (Retreieved on 5th Decemeber 2016). British Airways Comepetitor Analysis. https://www.slideshare.net/tubui92/british-airways-brand-strategy. Steiner, G. A. (2010). Strategic planning. . Simon and Schuster. Tassabehji, R. a. (2014). Management use of strategic tools for innovating during turbulent times. Strategic Change, 23(1), 63-80. Wheelen, T., Hunger, J. (2011). Concepts in strategic management and business policy. Pearson Education India. Wright, R. P. (2013). How useful are the strategic tools we teach in business schools?. . Journal of Management Studies, 50(1), 92-125. Xu, S. C. (2006). The impact of strategic fit among strategy, structure, and processes on multinational corporation performance: A multimethod assessment. Journal of international marketing, 1-31. Yarger, H. (2012). Strategic theory for the 21st century: the little book on big strategy. Lulu. com.

Monday, December 9, 2019

Damien Cave Summary free essay sample

The article â€Å"On Sale at Old Navy: Cool Clothes for Identical Zombies! † written by Damien Cave explains how as a society we are swayed by the flash of big corporations and in turn are loosing what real culture we have left. Damien Cave starts the article off with a scenario showing a man named â€Å"Thomas Frank†. As Frank walks by a heavily decorated Old Navy he shows his disgust saying †Oh God, this is disgusting†. Thomas Frank is a pioneering social critic, writing articles on how businesses adopted â€Å"cool anti-corporate culture†. As the article progresses we find that these businesses offer nothing more than poor quality merchandise at a low price, and the consumer is lured in by the promise of quality for less. Stores such as Old Navy and Ikea use marketing tricks to keep its customer coming back for more. Ikea sets its store up like a maze where the exit is placed only at the registers, the room models persuade the consumer they need everything they see. We will write a custom essay sample on Damien Cave Summary or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Old Navy hands out extra large shopping bags as a gesture of good customer service but can influence over spending. Damien Cave brings these issues up so that we the reader are aware of such trickery used by certain chain businesses. Society is so accustomed to these marketing schemes we dont realize we are replicating each others homes but in different variations; we can all buy the same sofa and not notice. We are lead to believe that we can find happiness in our belongings but that is far from the truth. This merchandise is poor in quality and can cause us to spend more in the end on replacements and repairs. These companies are scamming the general public into believing they are getting a deal and in return we are getting cookie cutter home decor.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Cultural Competency Assessment and Intervention †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Cultural Competency Assessment and Intervention. Answer: Introduction: Medical sociology can be described as the study, which defines how the human being accomplishes the disease, illnesses, and disorders (Juckett 2013). We cannot think our health as given. It is more of a model, which is socially constructed to make the person to interpret reality (Mareno and Hart 2014). Culture can be described as the shared concept of the specific social groups. This further influences the whole process of healthcare. The biases of the patients and the healthcare professionals for their respective cultures gives rise to many health-related problems (Kirmayer 2012). When the healthcare authorities take the patients cultural viewpoint seriously and show respect to the background and beliefs of the patient, it promotes trust and a better outcome for the treatment (Long 2014). Hence, it is significant for the healthcare professionals to value the background and cultural beliefs of the patient to involve them in the effective healthcare management. During my duty hours in the hospital, I have encountered a 52-year-old male American patient from Mexican descent who is living in Hong Kong for the last one year. The patient is working in an MNC there. The patients cultural view is purely Mexican-American and he feels completely out of place in Hong Kong (Mareno and Hart 2014). The patient is suffering from Diabetes type II and hypertension for 10 years. The patient came to the hospital with very high blood pressure (180/110) and stomachache. To assess the effect of socio-cultural factors in his health, I have asked him some questions. He answered the following- The first question I asked the patient if he has experienced any discomfort during his stay here in the past months (McMillan 2012). He answered that the experience is still new for him and he is still trying to adjust to the system. When I asked him about his background, he said that he is an American of Mexican descent (Juckett 2013). He came to America when he was just five years old, and since then he was living there until last year he came to China for his job. He said that the assumed reason of the stomachache is the unfamiliar food. He also revealed that he does not know many people here and as a friendly person, he misses his friends. As he is of Mexican descent, he has a big family and he misses his whole family. He assumes that his loneliness can be a reason for the high blood pressure (Kirmayer 2012). When I asked about his medical history, he showed me some report, which revealed that he is a patient of hypertension and Diabetes type II for 10 years. The conversation revealed that the patient is the believer of western medicine but also respects for the beliefs of his culture (Morton-Miller 2013). Then I asked him, what his first response towards his problem was. He said that he tried the herbs the Curandero prescribed him at home apart from having the western medicine. He said he also believes some of the words the Curandero says, such as the imbalance in his life made his hypertension worse. He also said that the Chinese food here is also causing an imbalance to his body. My next question was to him about his family. He said that he has a traditional big Mexican family who lives under the same roof. In his family, his 80-year-old father still considered to be the head of the family. The wife of the patient, who lives in the US with the rest of the family, has advised him to consult a local doctor from a hospital. The patient told me that generally, his mother and his wife give the home care, but in China, there is no one with him to provide him the needed care (Dudas 2012). He said, in traditional Mexican culture, the women of the house take care of the family members in sickness. The patient does not have many friends here in Hong Kong. He said that his Chinese colleagues have told him to consult some local healers who practice the Chinese traditional medicine (Giger 2016). He did not go there; instead, he came to the hospital to have the westernized treatment, though he considered consulting one. My next question to the patient was, whether he had any specific actions to maintain his health in general (Dudas 2012). The patient replied that he had. For his diabetes, he takes insulin injection (14 ml daily) and for his hypertension, he takes one Nebivolol 5 mg tablet daily in the morning before breakfast. Apart from that, he also takes the traditional Mexican medicine to treat his condition. Then I asked the patient if the patient is taking his prescribed medicine daily, why he is also taking the folk medicine. He said that from his childhood, he went to the folk healers and sometimes he felt that their medicine also worked fine. However, he was brought up in a westernized social environment, which made him believe the westernized medicines also. My next question to him was whether he had experienced any cultural diversity during his stay in Hong Kong (Powell Sears 2012). He answered that his colleagues believe in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and goes to the traditional healers for their health problems. He finds it quite similar to the Mexican culture as the Mexicans also visit the folk healers before consulting a doctor. He revealed that there is a TCM practitioner in his neighborhood. He met the healer for a few times. The healer had invited him to see the therapy (Purnell 2012). In his request, the healer discussed the main points of Chinese TCM. The patient found similarity in the inner philosophy of the Mexican folk medicine and Chinese Traditional Medicines as the TCM also discusses the imbalance of the five elements inside the body. The whole experience with the healer is quite different for him (Ma et al. 2014). He said that the healer has many patients coming to see him regularly. He has observed that the tra ditional medicine the Mexicans use is quite different from the Chinese folk medicines. He also observed that the older patients come to see the healer for their problem. The next day, I met a British tourist of 48, who came with severe diarrhea and stomachache. When I asked him if he had encountered any problem during his stay here, he said he did not encounter any problem during his stay in Hong Kong. Rather, he found it intriguing and interesting. He said the cause of his illness is the spicy Chinese food. When I asked him his response to his illness, he told me that he came directly to the hospital. He also said that he went to the TCM practitioner who practices acupuncture for curing his arthritis. His wife responded that she brought him to the hospital in the first instance of the illness. When I asked about the previous case history and his general routine to maintain his health, he said that he has diabetes and takes insulin injection daily apart from running on a daily basis. When I asked him about the cultural diversity, he answered that exploring cultural diversity is the only reason he came here. Hong Kong is one of the topmost international cities, which is populated with people of various cultures. However, more than 90% of the population of Hong Kong is Chinese, many people from different countries also live there. These people have different histories, different illnesses, and different socio-cultural backgrounds. China has its own tradition of folk medicine and it has gained popularity over the year. This can create conflict between the cultures. To prevent conflict between the different cultures and to provide the people with suitable and competent healthcare, the healthcare professionals have to be culturally competent. The culturally competent healthcare is needed, as the nurses have to consider patients of every culture as equal. To give the culturally competent care the nurses have to increase their understanding level to know every culture. With their increasing knowledge about different cultures, the caregiving process would also be effective. The culturally compe tent nurses gain the trust and respect of the patients, which makes the treatment more effective. References: Dudas, K. I. (2012). Cultural competence: An evolutionary concept analysis.Nursing Education Perspectives,33(5), 317-321. Giger, J. N. (2016).Transcultural Nursing-E-Book: Assessment and Intervention management. Elsevier Health Sciences. Jeffreys, M. R. (2015).Teaching cultural competence in nursing and health care: Inquiry, action, and innovation. Springer Publishing Company. Juckett, G. (2013). Caring for Latino patients.American Family Physician,87(1). Kirmayer, L. J. (2012). Rethinking cultural competence. Long, T. (2014). Influence of international service-learning on nursing student self-efficacy toward cultural competence.Journal of Nursing Education,53(8), 474-478. Ma, F., Li, J., Liang, H., Bai, Y., Song, J. (2014). Baccalaureate nursing Students perspectives on learning about caring in China: a qualitative descriptive study.BMC medical education,14(1), 42. Mareno, N., Hart, P. L. (2014). Cultural competency among nurses with undergraduate and graduate degrees: Implications for nursing education.Nursing Education Perspectives,35(2), 83-88. McMillan, L. R. (2012). Exploring the world outside to increase cultural competence of the educator within.Journal of cultural diversity,19(1), 23. Morton-Miller, A. R. (2013). Cultural competence in nursing education: practicing what we preach.Teaching and Learning in Nursing,8(3), 91-95. Powell Sears, K. (2012). Improving cultural competence education: the utility of an intersectional framework.Medical Education,46(6), 545-551. Purnell, L. D. (2012).Transcultural health care: A culturally competent approach. FA Davis.

Monday, December 2, 2019

The Story Of El Nio Begins On The Eastern Margins Of The Pacific Ocea

The story of El Ni?o begins on the eastern margins of the Pacific Ocean. For centuries, Peruvian fishermen have known that the usually cold and nutrient rich waters from time to time become exceptionally warm, accompanied by collapsing fish stocks. At the same time, torrential rain and flooding of the rivers of the Andes occur. This abnormal situation returns every 3-7 years and, since the event usually peaks around Christmas, the fishermen named the phenomenon El Ni?o (el ni?o is Spanish for boy child). For a long time, El Ni?o was considered to be a weather phenomenon local to the countries of the western part of South America. Only early in the 20th century did scientists begin to realize that a relation exists between El Ni?o and monsoon conditions in Southeast Asia. El Ni?o is a result of interaction between the surface of the ocean and the atmosphere in the tropical Pacific. Changes in the ocean impact the atmosphere and climate patterns around the globe, which in turn, impact the ocean temperatures and currents. El Nino spread its effect around the world. It created a refugee crisis in northeast Kenya as tens of thousands of Somali, Ugandan, Ethiopian and Sudanese abandoned flooded camps. By November, the United Nations expected five million people in southern Africa would face famine in 1997/98. Parts of South America, particularly Ecuador, were hit by freak floods in November. Southern Californians were warned to prepare for one of the worst winters in recent history. El Nino drought is even blamed for helping to increase the cost of a cup of coffee, after affecting 1997/98 crops in Africa, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and parts of South America. But was this year of disaster simply a preview of more terrible El Nino's to come? Are we likely to see more El Ni?os because of global warming? Will they be more intense? These are the main research questions facing the science community today. Research will help separate the natural climate variation/changes from any trends due to mankind's activities. We cannot fully figure out global warming if we cannot sort out what the natural variability of our planet's weather is. We also need to look at the link between changes in natural variability and global warming. As mentioned above, as well as in the question, there are accounts of El Ni?o dating back several hundred years. El Ni?o is a phenomenon that is caused by natural variations in ocean and atmosphere, and not by man-made changes. Occurrences of El Nino are nevertheless of interest for the research on man-made climate change because the air-sea exchange of carbon dioxide is partially determined by the ocean temperature. Observed concentrations of the atmospheric CO2 content can thus undergo incidental changes in connection with protracted El Ni?o episodes. All the same, one often reads that the frequency of El Ni?o events has increased during the last decade, and that this is due to a global heating of the atmosphere. In a speech on emergency management in October 1997, Vice President Al Gore declared (but who listens to him? =) that we are experiencing an increase in both the frequency and intensity of El Ni?o events, and that this change may be caused by an increased supply of green h ouse gases to the atmosphere. It is important to realize that no such link has been established for the present day climate. Frightening scenarios associated with global climate change are popular in the media. The threat of global climate change (due to mankind) is a serious problem that our global society confronts today, but one must also be aware of the fact that there is a large natural variability in weather and climate. In general one should be cautious in assuming/presuming connections between this type of event and global climate change. The connection could also go the other way, although this is not often considered. The forest fires due to El Ni?o occurring these past few months in the Amazon and Indonesia are contributing strongly to the increase of C02 in the atmosphere, and also reducing the forest cover that absorbs C02. Therefore El Ni?o appears to be part of the problem of greenhouse warming. During the fall of 1997