Sports Nutrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sports Nutrition - Essay Example The sports enhancing drugs helps the athletes to enhance physically, increase their body mass, improve strength, aggressiveness, and endurance. These improve performance and helps athletes to recover quickly from injuries. These sports enhancing drugs lead to negative physical side effects, which cause serious medical issues. They may result in men losing their hair, acne, reduced sex drive, sterility, heart diseases and cancer while in ladies growth of facial hair and deepening of the voice experienced. Therefore, in as much as they lead to gaining of the edge in competitiveness, they may affect the athlete’s overall health and other long-term effects including addictiveness (Shore, 2008). As a result of the above, I can never recommend such supplements to an athlete. Anabolic steroids have synthetic molecules; its source is the natural hormone testosterone. Testosterone influences the building effects on the human body including muscle mass and strength, growing of facial hair and deepening of the voice. These drugs have been banned, but athletes still use them secretly, and this is why an anti doping test was introduced to discover those who have used them. Performance enhancing drugs may lead to off-field trouble and injury including unusual anger, which could lead to suspension (Shore, 2008). Androstenedione is a steroid hormone that increases production of testosterone and estradiol in both men and women, and adrenal glands, ovaries and testes produce it. It allows athletes to train harder, increase energy, keep the red blood cells and enhances recovery, but its use as a performance-enhancing drug is illegal because it is among the controlled substances and a banned substance by the National Collegiate Athletic association. A scientific research shows that they are converted to estrogen they do not increase testosterone, and it does not strengthen the user’s muscles. In men, it causes acne, reduced sperm production, shrinking of the testicles and

Fast Food and Obesity Essay Example for Free

Fast Food and Obesity Essay Now a days, fast food is becoming a cheap and yet a popular way for people who are too busy to cook. But the cheap price of the fast food is nothing in comparison to the true price that these people are paying. Every 4 out of 10 adults in the USA will become obese in the next 5 years if they keep eating this food the way they are. Eating fast food like this is causing major health risks. Since this food is so cheap, it makes it convenient for people to go out and get food instead of staying home to cook. In addition, fast food companies are trying to target kids. If the companies get to the kids at a young age, they will get hooked on the food. Because of all this, people need to stop eating fast food before it gets out of hand. This fast food world has spread tremendously around the globe, and obesity has shortly followed. In addition to this it has also brought heart disease, arthritis, diabetes and many other types of illnesses. Fast food isn’t only making people fatter, but its also increasing people’s chances of obtaining type two diabetes. People’s muscles and fat cells that have type two diabetes lose the ability to take in a sugar called glucose from their blood. The glucose builds up and reaches very high levels and because of this they get damage to the eyes, neuropath (loss of feeling), kidney disease and heart disease. Most of the people who have type two diabetes are obese or overweight. A long-term study between the link of fast food, obesity and diabetes were tested. It compared the people who would eat fast food at least twice a week to the people who ate it less than once a week. The results showed that the people who are more fast food gained about 10 pounds more then the people who are it less than once a week over a fifteen-year period. Eating fast food can cause many diseases such as Hypertension, Heart Disease, Cancer, Gall Bladder Disease and E. coli, which is one of the worst forms of food poisoning. E. Coli is spread through undercooked burgers and it is very difficult to cure. 4 % of the people who have this poison develop hemolytic uremic syndrome and close to 5 % of the kids who develop this die. E. Coli is now becoming the major reason for renal failure for American kids. People would rather spend their money on a cheap burger that tastes good compared to a burger that tastes just as good for six times the price. The great thing about fast food is that over these many years their products taste hasn’t changed. â€Å"The whole experience of buying fast food, has become so routine, so thoroughly unexceptional and mundane, that it is now taken for granted, like brushing your teeth or stopping for a red light.† Says Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation. Millions of people a day are buying fast food because it’s so convenient to get to. Today’s economy is also dropping and because of this going out to buy fast food has become easier to feed people’s families. Instead of a family going out to a restaurant to feed the family for 60 dollars, they can go to a fast food restaurant and spend about one third of that. These fast food restaurants are making a lot of money off this cheap food With the money they make, they spend some of it for advertising to grab people’s attention Since most kids watch TV they are the ones that are affected most by this McDonald’s spends billions of dollars on advertising each year. Most of the kids know Ronald McDonald more than they do their own president. Just about 30% of all children each day eat fast food according to a Harvard study. This is part of the reason why America is the fattest country in the world. According to Alan Green, on average, kids who eat fast food gain an extra 6 pounds in weight each year. â€Å" The numbers, though alarming, are not surprising since billions of dollars are spend each year on fast-food advertising directed at kids, â€Å" said lead author Dr. David Ludwig, director of the obesity program at children’s Hospital Boston. Borzekowski says that most people prefer the branded fries compared to unbranded fries and the same results were found about branded chicken nuggets and non-branded chicken nuggets. â€Å" Its no surprise that branding works,† says Borzekowski. In another test done by Borzekowski, they took two burgers from McDonalds and put one in a non branded wrapper, Borzekowski had the kids try both and astonishingly most kids tasted a difference in the two burgers. The majority of the preferred the McDonalds wrapped burger. McDonalds also finds ways of getting to the kids, because in Seminole County, the kids are rewarded with Happy Meals if the have a nearly perfect attendance or it they do well on their report cards. In fact, Stuart Elliot of the New York Times says that the Florida schools are â€Å"using children’s report cards to help stimulate sales { at McDonalds }.† Kids can get a number of Happy meal choices such as four chicken McNuggets, a Hamburger and small fries or a cheeseburger with apple dippers. These kids are being rewarded with fast food, which is part of the reason that they are becoming obese.

Learning Outcomes Assessment for Student Nurse

Learning Outcomes Assessment for Student Nurse Learning Outcome 1 – Pre-assessment The ultimate goal of the pre-assessment is to assure that those patients identified as suitable for day surgery are properly identified while those considered unsuitable for a selected procedure are identified early enough in the process to allow for other treatment options (National Health Services, n.d.a, p. 13). Although ultimately it is a joint decision between the surgeon and anaesthetist who make the final determination (National Health Services, n.d.b), the nurse plays a vital role in the process and should be involved in the selection criteria (Royal College of Nursing 2004, p. 1). Pre-assessments of patients scheduled for day surgery are usually performed by an outreach nurse from a day surgery centre, by telephone screening, or by questionnaire (National Health Services, n.d.a, p. 9) or via appointments with day surgery staff or in specialized pre-admission clinics (Joanna Briggs Institute 2004, p.2). Many institutions are combining pre-assessment interviews with the opportunity to work with the patient in a preoperative education status in order to decrease patient anxiety, assess the needs of the patient and/or family members and to personalise information (Joanna Briggs Institute 2004, p.2). The National Health Services (n.d.a, p. 11) states this is an effective opportunity to also discuss the surgical procedure in greater detail with the patient, note special requirements for admission, surgery and/or discharge and allow the patient to choose their own date for surgery, finalizing and/or setting the appointment. According to the Royal College of Nurses (2004, p. 3), nurses performing the pre-assessments must have the option of being able to contact the anaesthesiologist of surgeon if a problem is identified that could potentially increase the risk during anaesthetic or surgical intervention.† This is critical; otherwise, there is no apparent reason for the assessment if the nurse cannot raise her concerns. The National Health Services (n.d.a, p. 9) day surgery guidelines state pre-assessments performed as soon as possible following the surgical consultation can allow for treatment of underlying physical issues that might preclude them from the day surgery procedure, such as high blood pressure and/or arrange for home care. If this is not possible, the National Health Services (n.d.a., p. 13) recommends that patients should then complete a â€Å"health-screening questionnaire before leaving the outpatient department.† According to the National Health Services (n.d.a., p. 11), incorporating the pre-assessment step in the day surgery process has been shown to reduce surgical cancellations and increase communication across the multidisciplinary team. Based on research, it is important to note that the day surgery pre-assessment is a valuable tool that can help the patient, the perioperative and surgical nursing teams as well as surgeons and anaesthesiologists. The pre-assessment is a way of initiating a comprehensive set of documentation for the entire team. Learning Outcome 2 – Effective communication According to the Joanna Briggs Institute (2004, p. 4), caseload can determine the staffing mix required. The staffing mix for a day surgery centre, however, can vary from a group of individuals who work together on a regular basis such as the case in a specialized clinic setting to a group of individuals who rely on departmental shift staffing for perioperative nurses and surgical residents in a busy teaching hospital. No matter what the group mix is, however, the need for communication is critical to patient care in all settings, especially surgical, where according to Cowen et al. (2005) communication is especially challenging for workers in environments that are high stress and time sensitive. Vazirani et al. (2003, p. 72) states that improving the level of collaboration, not just communication, can enhance job satisfaction among medical professionals while increasing the quality of care and patient satisfaction. While traditional communication techniques such as â€Å"active listening, positive voice tone, [and] reiteration to confirm understanding† are desirable goals, in the surgical setting other barriers often compound communication problems, including status and posturing between doctors versus the communication found between doctors and nurses or nurses and nurse practitioners. Vazirani et al. (2003, p. 72) discuss the care nurse practitioners took â€Å"not to violate the autonomy of residents or interns [and] did not admit patients on their own or write orders without the consent of a resident or an intern.† Essential to a multidisciplinary team is the need for collaboration, where decision-making is a shared event for doctors and nurses and that open communication between the two professionals exists (Vazirani et al. 2003, p. 73). It is important to note that research demonstrates physicians view collaboration differently than nurses, such that physicians believe collaboration implies â€Å"cooperation with follow-through† pertaining to following orders rather than sharing in the decision making process (Vazirani et al. 2003, p. 75). Vazirani et al. (2003, p. 76) also cited nurses as not being provided timely or accurate information regarding patient information when physicians autonomously make a change in their normal protocol, stating nurses need the information most as they are the ones at the patient’s bedside. Communication is a commonly sited problem and is one that, despite all the best suggestions and recommendations, from outlining roles and responsibilities, collaborating as a team or mutual team members each afforded appropriate professional respect (Vazirani et al. 2003) to developing Integrated Care Pathways (ICPs) as outlined by Fisher and McMillan (2004) is difficult to remedy. Ultimately, human emotions and professional pride create unnecessary friction that discourages open communication for fear of reprisal. Cowen et al. (2005) emphasize the need for an accurate flow of information between various disciplines as the most critical aspect in order to assure patient safety. Learning Outcome 3 – Patient selection criteria Patient selection criteria primarily focus on three primary factors: surgical, medical and social (National Health Services, n.d.a, p.11; National Health Services, n.d.b.). Surgical criteria assess whether the procedure will leave the patient dependent on others and/or if it has a statistically significant postoperative morbidity level. The National Health Service (n.d.b.) states that the surgical procedure should take less than 1 hour, involve minimal blood loss, be unlikely to produce severe post surgical pain or nausea and be unlikely to result in a loss of physical independence. When assessing social appropriateness, according to the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (cited by Joanna Briggs Institute 2004, p. 2), the pre-screening interview is an opportunity to assess the patient’s willingness to have surgery, the certainty of adult care in the home following surgery, telephone access and taking into consideration the patient’s home situation. For example, are there several young children and toddlers or infants at home requiring constant care; is the only adult available to help the patient an elderly or frail individual, or has the patient stated they feel they are being pressured into having the surgery. These are all reasons that should be presented to the surgeon, anaesthesiologist and the rest of the multidisciplinary team as reasons the patient should be precluded from day surgery. Additionally, patients with a social history of significant levels of alcohol consumption and/or who smoke are indications of potentia l preclusion or the need for additional counselling prior to surgery (National Health Service n.d.b.). The Royal of College of Nurses (2004) also states that the patient must have the availability of an escort home following surgery and that the travel time home must be within one and a half hours; and if small children are present in the home that a caregiver is available specifically to tend to the children. Medically, it is important to assess cardiac fitness, assurance of height/weight appropriateness and if they are â€Å"physiologically under 70 years of age[1].† Exclusions are usually automatic if there is uncontrolled hypertension, recent history of cardiac failure, pregnancy, angina, asthma, diabetes or epilepsy. Additional issues that require notification of the appropriate medical personnel include prior difficulties with anaesthesia or current medications that would either preclude day surgery or require either a modification and/or temporary cessation of the pharmaceutical agent, particularly warfarin. The American Society of Anaesthesiologists’ (ASA) (cited by The Royal College of Nursing 2004) uses three classifications to assess physical status: Class 1: patient is mentally and physically fit and the surgical procedure is localized without systemic disruption, for example, removal of a uterine fibroid in an otherwise healthy female or the repair of an inguinal hernia in a healthy individual. Class 2: patient suffers from mild to moderate systemic pathology that is either caused by the pathology to be treated by the day surgery or by other pathology, for example anaemia or mild diabetes or slightly limiting organic heart disease. Class 3: patient suffers from a severe mental or physical disorder from whatever cause, such as angina pectoris, moderate to severe levels of pulmonary insufficiency, vascular complications from severe diabetes or significantly limiting heart disease. Criteria used for patient evaluation and assurance of fitness for day surgery as outlined above are focused primarily on the suitability for general anaesthesia without complication. It is essential however, to couple both the individual patient status as provided by the pre-assessment with the type of surgical intervention proposed. The medical professional cannot use the same set of pre-assessment criteria for all patients for all procedures; they must simply be a guide. For example, physiological trauma, anaesthetic requirements and post-operative pain are different for those having arthroscopy as opposed to a laparoscopic cholecystectomy or partial thyroidectomy. All three are considered day surgical procedures by the Royal College of Nurses (2004, p. 2). Patient selection criteria are important for nurses to understand from many aspects. The nurse has to understand the physician’s reason for suggesting day surgery for their patient, she needs to understand the surgeon’s belief in appropriateness and she has to understand the potential risks that are often overlooked by physicians and surgeons that now become her responsibility to ascertain. Although it is often a delicate position for the nurse to be in, it is essential that she bring to the surgeon or anaesthesiologist’s attention any patient not appropriate for day surgery. This is an issue of legal liability for all professions on the multidisciplinary team and for the clinic or hospital as well as one of ethical concerns for the patient’s overall care and wellbeing. Learning Outcome 4 – Pain management According to Lipp and Yap (2005, p. 64) prior to 2003, the responsibility for post-surgical pain was the sole responsibility of the anaesthesiologist and no routine or regular pain assessments were conducted. In 2003, pain management assessments and the nursing role in pain management in the day surgery setting became the standard. The Royal College of Anaesthetists (as cited by Lipp Yap 2005, p. 64) tell us that following a day surgical procedure, less than five percent of all patients should experience severe pain while up to 85 percent will have mild or no pain following surgery. Beauregard et al. (1998, p. 309) believes that it is not unusual for pain to persist during the entire week following surgery, but that the best predictor of significant post-surgical pain following hospital discharge was inadequate pain control during the first few hours of following surgery. Research has acknowledged that the longer an individual is experiencing pain that is not attended to or interrup ted in some way, the more sensitive to painful stimuli the patient becomes (Mukherji Rudra 2006, p. 355). Ultimately, the goal of effective post-surgical pain management is to be â€Å"safe and effective, produce minimal side effects such as nausea. It was stated that the criteria for patient selection should be individualized based on patient status and type of surgery. Similarly, Mukherji and Rudra (2006, p. 355) state that patients should be identified as potentially at risk based on â€Å"age, physical status, presence of pre-existing pain, site and extent of surgery.† Additionally, researchers believe that the amount of postoperative pain a patient experiences is also a factor of the surgeon and surgical techniques used ( Mukherji Rudra 2006, p. 356; Chung et al. cited by Beauregard et al. 1998, p. 305). Mukherji and Rudra (2006, p. 355) discuss several pain assessment tools: the visual analogue scale (VAS) where pain is rated along a continuum from â€Å"no pain at all to the worst pain imaginable† and the Oucher’s scale for children. Many patients themselves downplay post-surgical pain for reasons ranging from believing that pain is part of the natural recovery process and what they are experiencing is normal (Beauregard et al. 1998, p. 209). Post-operative pain management can take different forms, including pre-emptive analgesia and prophylactic analgesia (Mukherji Rudra 2006, p. 356). There are also pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic pain management interventions. Pharmacological interventions can be opioid or non-opioids. Opioids are centrally acting and systemic in nature whereas non-opioids are also centrally acting but have a peripheral mode of action, and include codeine, metamizol, paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS) (Mukherji Rudra 2006, p. 356). Another problem cited by the Joanna Briggs Institute (2004) is that of inadequate pain management techniques and/or follow-through by the patient place additional burdens on family caretakers and the community at large. For example, Girgis and Sanders (2004, p. 66) tell us that parents generally underestimate and under treat pain; this can be extrapolated to caregivers in the adult community as well. Home caregivers failing to recognize and/or intervene in pain management is often problematic and it is the responsibility of the nurse to assure that proper discharge information is adequately communicated to the patient and/or caregiver/escort, including proper pain management techniques and interventions. To assure there is no confusion, these should be clearly documented and reviewed with the patient and caregiver verbally. References Beauregard, L., Pomp, A. Choiniere, M., 1998. Severity and impact of pain after day surgery. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, 45 (4), pp. 304-311. Fisher, A. McMillan, R., 2004. Integrated care pathways for day surgery patients. British Association of Day Surgery [Online]. Available from: http://www.bads.co.uk/pdf%20files/IntegratedCarePathways.pdf [cited March 17, 2007]. Girgis, M. Sanders, D. 2004. Are we giving our children the right dose? The Journal of One-Day Surgery, 14 (3), pp. 65-68. Joanna Briggs Institute, 2004. Management of the day surgery patient [Online]. Joanna Briggs Institute Best Practices. Available from: http://www.adsna.info/attachments/BPISSup.2004.pdf [cited March 17, 2007]. Lipp, A. Yap, H, 2005. Is our pain relief protocol effective? The Journal of One-Day Surgery, 15 (3), pp. 64-66. Mukherji, S. Rudra, A., 2006. Postoperative pain relief for ambulatory surgery. Indian Journal of Anaesthesia, 50 (5), pp. 355-362. National Health Services, n.d.a. Day surgery pre-assessment: A brief guide [Online]. Available from www.wise.nhs.uk/surgery/NationalGoodPractice/downloads/14/14d4.doc [cited March 17, 2007]. National Health Services, n.d.b. Day surgery: A good practice guide [Online]. Available from: http://www.wise.nhs.uk/sites/crosscutting/access/Access%20Document%20Library/1/Day%20Surgery/Day%20Surgery%20Guide.pdf [cited March 17, 2007] Royal College of Nursing, 2004. Day surgery information: Selection criteria and suitable procedures [Online]. Available from: http://rcn.org.uk/publications/pdf/daysurgery_selection.pdf [cited March 17, 2007]. Society of Critical Care Medicine, 2005. Tools for effective communication [Online]. Society of Critical Care Medicine. Available from: http://www.sccm.org/SCCM/Publications/Critical+Communications/Archive/February+2005/communicationsfeb05.htm [cited March 17, 2007]. Vazirani, S., Hays, R. D., Shapiro, M. F. Cowan, M., 2005. Effect of a multidisciplinary intervention on communication and collaboration among physicians and nurses. American Journal of Critical Care, 14 (1), pp. 71 – 77. 1 Footnotes [1] According to the National Health Service (n.d.b), the phrase refers to a patient who is â€Å"independent, active and compos mentis.†

Frankensteins Innocence Essay -- essays research papers

The Defense of Frankenstein’s Creature   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Victor Frankenstein, a character in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, decided that he wanted to bring life into this world; a life that would eventually go on to killing the creator himself. The Creature can be seen as either innocent or guilty. The popular opinion of the Creature seems to be that he is guilty considering how he has burned down a house, set up Justine for murder and murdered three others. However, after taking a close look at the text, it can be seen that Frankenstein’s creature is not guilty. He was brought into this world with a child-like innocence, never progressed past the emotional state of a child and was rejected throughout his whole life causing him to do the things he did.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the Creature later went on to commit crimes, he was not instinctively bad. Victor’s Creature was brought into this world with a child-like innocence. He was abandoned at birth and left to learn about life on his own. After first seeing his creation, Victor â€Å"escaped and rushed downstairs.† (Frankenstein, 59) A Creator has the duty to teach his Creature about life, as well as to love and nurture him. However, Victor did not do any of these; he did not take responsibility for his creature. One of the first things that the creature speaks of is that he was a â€Å"poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew, and could distinguish, nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, (he) sat ...

Professional Growth Development Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In every profession it is essential for an individual to develop and grow professionally. Leaning is a ritual aspect in professional development. Each day presents new demands that call for specified techniques in solving them. This paper studies career development for registered nurses working in the ICU.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first step an individual needs in personal growth is to personally understand themselves that is creating and having self-awareness. This involves an understanding of ones self what an individual is and where they are their own environment as well as their perceptions. When a person understands what and where they are the benefits he or she is likely to get one various like, it would enable the individual to establish the essential steps they need to take so as to be more competent in certain particular situation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In essence by establishing myself as an individual; I am able to establish the aspects within me that require development in order to be competent (Johnson 2003). This would also help me professionally, and as well to become the person I desire to be. Self-awareness offers a launch pad and foundation from where I can charter and enhance my development and thus the probability of becoming the nurse I want to be. The other benefit of self-awareness is that it enhances my individual sense of sensitivity and aids me to present myself in the way that I wish to as well as create the kind of impression I desire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The other significant benefit about self-awareness is that an individual like me is able to communicate effectively (Johnson 2003). In view of the rational nature of the nursing profession as relates to practice; patients, families as well as the interdisciplinary health care organizations self- awareness is crucial as it provides me with a foundational knowledge of my self- understanding as well as self- knowledge. My individual familiarity with myself as a nurse that is born out of the realization of my self- awareness is a basis for self-acceptant as well as self-appreciation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However for me as an individual to attain a high level of self awareness I have   to overcome certain personal factor that, become a barrier bas a tutor (nurse tutor/speaker) the fear is an emotional response that the nurse has to learn to deal with to achieve the full potential of self awareness. As a nurse I have to understand my personal fears as this would enable me get the support I need to progress and how to change to be the person I want to be. Additionally as a nurse I must be ready to change so as to be the person I want to be. I must abandon the â€Å"old† ways which have or were hindering me from being the teacher /speaker I want to be.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The individual nurse has to build within him/her as high level of self-esteem so as help develop the process of self-awareness. High self esteem makes an individual feel great about him/her self which makes it easy for self-exploration.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to expand the level of my self-awareness as a nurse I should be able to involve myself with others through conversations so as to learn more about my personality. For instance a nurse I can engage myself with colleagues to understand who I am, and what the teaching professional is all about. She can also engage with students too. This I can achieve by; asking questions then sharing the response I receive with my colleagues. I can also adopt the approach of self-interrupted, where I periodically challenge the participants to offer examples as well as concepts learned up to that point (Jeff Menguin 1968).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The effect of dialogue is that it can help me to develop my self –awareness in two broad categories, when the nurse is expressing her/himself, she or he begins to develop the speech skills as well as self-understanding is raised to a new lever. The process of dialogue enhance the aspect of clarity that is needed both in speech and teaching skills similarly suggestions as well as observations the colleagues as well as students together with others would promote the level of awareness as relates to aspects of themselves that were initially unknown to them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second aspects for the nurse to consider while trying to develop his/her speech/teaching skills is the theory of critical thinking critical thinking can generally be defined as the intellectually disciplined process that an individual employs actively and skillfully to analyze, synthesize with the aid of concepts to evaluate information generated by observation or experience. Thus critical knowledge presents the individual with an integral competent in the development of self-awareness and its addition to reflection as a nurse enables them to understand their encounters. For instance as an nurse educator who has a problem of too much â€Å"teacher talk† and I make proposals to her colleagues as well as others is likely to find better solution to my discussion skills. The critical thinking process would enable me nurse to understand the other aspects that coalesce to form situation during my speech or teacher talk sessions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Brookfield (1987) critical thinking involves first identifying as well as challenging the assumptions the nurse educator is likely to make. The nurses should then consider the significance of the context under which she operates and then explore as well as be very imaginative to find other alternatives. I can then engage in what is known as reflective skeptism. However it does not have to be in this sequence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the best ways an individual may best achieve the best approach toward great critical thinking would be through reflections. As an individual nurse educator, I should try to flashback on my past experiences that helped my speech or teaching skills growth and those that as well as changed the speech /teaching skills, however these aspects could either be personal or professional. I should then analyze as well as evaluate my response to these situations like the kind of approach I took. Further I should look at what I normally do when attempting growth or change as relates to my profession as well as personal life. I should then consider the various results of my approach and whether the approach elicits the desired change or growth and finally consider the various steps I took to make the approach work.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The third option involves the theory of envisioning, that is trying to imagine what may be. This theory presents the nurse teacher with a look and understanding at what they wish to be and therefore a chance to grow. For instance an individual who wants to change but engages in the same process to obtain the desired change will always have the same results and thus be in the same familiar position he or she does not want to be in. thus it is essential for one to reflect on their past experiences of growth as well as change in their lives to determine the degree of changes as well as growth envisioned and at the same time achieved was aided or influenced by their sense of recognizing the possibilities of the outcome.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In most cases the nurses’ educator may view the chances of growth as a result of her or his life experience. However it is prudent for the individual nurse educator to find ways to expand this vision of growth to become something achievable and desired.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In essence an individual’s thought process offers an essential component to expanding their vision as the thinking patterns greatly affects the process of vision. Creative thinking thus presents a very effective as well as efficient means to development growth and change if well incorporated to the critical thinking concept as well as that of reflection. The integration of these three processes is vital as they help to broader the individual’s vision and equal aids him or her in understanding as well as referring their options and or possibilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The focus of creative thinking is usually based on â€Å"exploring ideas generating possibilities† as well as finding various correct answers instead of first a single answer (Harris, 1998). According to Harris (1998) creativity is the ability to appreciate new ideas and change and be ready to play with ideals as well as Charles, possibilities. In view of this definition a nurse educator may be able to develop my speech/teaching skills through the exploration of newfound ideas. Like in instances when I engage in discussions with my friends or colleagues both at personal and professional level I am able to find new ways to which I can make my presentations. This new developments may serve to enhance the educators speech /teaching skills   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are about five principle ways in which the creative thinking process is able to manifest itself; firstly there is the evolution process where the already existing ideas are broadly expanded as well improved on. This can be summarized as â€Å"a work in progress† in essence the nurse should by has learned or as well mastered. She can thus begin the process of synthesis that involves choosing an idea from two or more ideals. The chosen is an integration of the other thoughts resulting in a better way which she can present during her speech and at the same may be a best way to approach and make presentations to her audience. The third step of revolution process where a new idea that is considered best but is totally different from the previous one may be developed. For this case I can as a nurse during my presentations should look for new innovation ways even if they involve radically changing the already learned ideas. This may involve a new approach to new audience that she has not handled before to enable her meet their expectations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The fourth aspect of creative thinking involves reapplication of â€Å"old† ways to new situations for instance if in a previous speech certain phrases or processes worked and she or he is faced with a similar audience, she can reapply the same processes used. The final aspect would involve change of direction. This entails the speaker/teacher shifting attention for one perspective to another to fix the demanding situation.      References Combs A, 1962: Perceiving, Behaving A New Focus for education Association for   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Supervising and Curriculum Development, Washington DC Lemin K, 1947. Group Decision and Social Change in Reading In Social Psychology.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Holt, NY. Mentoring Relationships   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mark came up to me last week and broached the subject of mercy killing of terminally ill patients by medical staff. He explained how painful he is finding it attending to such patients feeling their pain, hearing them groan in pain and breaking the bad news to the kin. As an intern, this had taken toll on him and with time he would become disillusioned. We talked over the issue and discussed what the consequences would be. We have developed a tight professional bond since he was assigned to me as his mentor. We reinforce each other when the pressure is too much. Mostly, he draws from my large experience to find solutions to his problems while I rely on his youthful vigor that makes me feel rejuvenated at times when am hopeless. Our relationship is therefore complementary. Mentoring involves two individuals where a person acts as the guide who is more knowledgeable in a certain filed to a new entrant in that field. As the mentor I provide my protà ©gà © with source of information and advice. The protà ©gà © presents me with questions, observations and ideas for scrutiny and recommendations. This relationship is beneficial to us both in terms of profession growth. The protà ©gà © can always walk up to me whenever encountered with a problem. He or she is guaranteed of my accessibility and availability to discuss professional issues. In my interactions with my protà ©gà ©s, I recount to them the various instances my protà ©gà ©s have saved the day for me. I once overlooked a skin rash when diagnosing a patient only for my protà ©gà © to point it out to me. It later proved to be the key to our treatment. Some of my mentorship relationships are long-term others short term. They usually end once the protà ©gà © has gained enough knowledge. I usually wean off my protà ©gà © in terms of assistance or help with time as he or she gains more experience. Our relationship will continue till the point where the protà ©gà © is fully assimilated in that field. My mentoring relationships therefore are temporary processes with the aim imparting knowledge on new nurses in our hospital. Through this mentorship program we are able to enhances the ability of new employees to exercise their full career potential. (Developing mentoring)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Theoretical approach taught in schools cannot be fully relied on in the real world especially in the nursing world. A new nurse will need hands-on experience to learn how to carry out various delicate tasks. Instead of leaving a new nurse to grope in the dark, I provide him or her with tested and proven solutions or workable plans. As the protà ©gà © internalizes these skills, I gradually fade further into the background. I let him or her more freedom to work on his or her own without close supervision. The protà ©gà © is developing new knowledge and applies his or her original ideas to it. Over time, he or she acquires knowledge that would be useful in advancing his or her career. Mentorship does not necessarily come at the onset of one’s work life. It can also apply where an experienced individual in one field decides to practice in a different field. He or she will look for guidance from those who preceded him or her in that field. (Developing mentoring). When I decided to switch to being nurse educator ten after becoming a Registered Nurse, I armed myself with an MBA. But even with this theoretical base, I would not have matured into all rounded educator if the senior educators did not mentor me. They guided me on how to handle and motivate student nurses. Usually, the mentor will have undergone the protà ©gà © stage at a point in his or her life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our mentorship program helps individuals achieve potential growth in their nurse careers. Inexperienced entrants gain confidence through our mentorship. When they start out, they fear that they will fail to live up to the professional expectations. They want to deliver but are not given full chance to prove their abilities. This is especially so in fields that requires maximum care in handling work. That is, when work involves delicate procedures such as nursing. Through our mentorship programs however, a person who has been through it all guides the new nurses through the operations of the hospital. We also give the protà ©gà ©s support in delicate organizational operations. We push for the protà ©gà ©s case to the hospital’s administration to ensure that the protà ©gà © is allocated more satisfying roles in the hospital. Our mentorship program also provides the protà ©gà ©s a forum to present their ideas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New entrants after observing operations and by applying knowledge learnt elsewhere may develop ideas to improve our operations. He or she will present these ideas to his or her mentor putting forward all major points of the idea, its merits and demerits and other issues such as cost. Together we brainstorm the issue to see how workable it is. We as the mentors straighten out any assumptions that the protà ©gà ©s may have wrongly made drawing from our advanced knowledge and our wealth of experience in that field or organization. This would give the idea a more realistic and workable face. We as mentors are also able to easily gain audience with the administrators to push for the adoption of the idea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a mentor, I also provide psychological support to new entrants who find the hospital environment to be too hostile. The first few days at work are usually frustrating to the point that some may consider quitting. Most of the workforce will not care how well a new nurse has adapted to the job. They expect speedy service and will grumble at the slow service offered by a new nurse. Some of the seniors are even very hostile to the new nurses.   We step in to reassure the protà ©gà © and make him or her (protà ©gà ©) to feel appreciated and welcome. I also provide an opportunity for the new nurses to make friends especially with my colleagues. This makes the new employee feel welcome. (Developing mentoring)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My mentorship services can either be formal or informal. Formal is the sense that its start can be traced to a particular time. Both my protà ©gà © and I know that we are getting into a mentorship program and both approve of it. Our roles are set out clearly for both of us. This mentorship program is mostly assigned in that the faculty allocates the protà ©gà © to me. It can also be self-appointed. Here, the protà ©gà © approaches and arranges with me for a mentorship services. This relationship is usually long and its results measurable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mentorship relations that are informal do not have a specific beginning time. It just happens that I find myself in a mentor-protà ©gà © relationship with another person. Rather it is not what we had set out to do. It’s the situation that makes one of us to rely on the other for guidance and counseling. This relationship develops due to another relationship in place between us. When it’s evident to both of us that we are in a mentorship relationship and approve of our roles we continue to play them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A new nurse may be inducted in to a hospital through an organized mentorship program usually by assignment. He or she learns the hospital’s style of doing things. Such a program ensures a new nurse fits in and is able to deliver quality service. It boosts his or her confidence and job security. Whenever I offer mentorship services, I achieve self-gratification and also strengthen my leadership skills.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What my protà ©gà © and I settle for depends on the issues at hand.   Different people will have different needs. As mentor I sometimes determine future job my protà ©gà ©. I usually encourage the protà ©gà © to raise his or her level of education to achieve faster rise through the ranks. I also provide guidance to my protà ©gà © on what line specialize in depending on his or her strengths. I also advise the protà ©gà © on how to avoid certain mistakes in their careers that would hinder their rise. (Developing mentoring)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My mentorship relationships are built on key individual characteristics found in both of us. We must have adequate understanding of each other. Only then can we help each other out. Only with good understanding of each other can we combine to set up goals. Both of us are more comfortable with each other and can open up more easily if we are familiar with each other. Another key characteristic is respect. I should not look down at a new nurse as incapable rather should see him or her as an individual with a potential to be exploited. I must believe in my protà ©gà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s abilities and treat him with dignity. Communication between us is key. Without a functioning communication, neither the protà ©gà © nor I would be in a position to put across ideas, questions or recommendation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We start by identifying the needs and determining our end goal. Then we put in place a clear plan indicating the specific roles of each party, and the formula for achieving our end goals. Then we develop the framework by which to adopt the plan. The program is then set up with regular appraisals done to determine its effectiveness. (Canadian Nurses Association, 2004)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The cost of a mentorship program is forbidding. It requires a lot of resources to set up. It is also prone to sabotage by either parties. The mentor may also take advantage of the protà ©gà © either financially or sexually. To prevent such problems I usually insist on meeting normal our meetings and in my office. Workplace Violence In my career so far, the worst experience I have had was to work under a menacing senior nurse as a greenhorn. She had a bad tempered and I took the worst of it. She would constantly shout and gesture at me. I could no right thing in her eyes no matter how hard I tried. She heaped blame on me on things that were even beyond me as an intern. What hurt me most was when I did a good job and expected praise only to get a reprimand for a certain commission. I started feeling that I was in the wrong career and almost quit in frustration. Only after I talked to another senior nurse who was my mentor did I regain my interest in my vocation. She told me to stand my ground and engage my senior in a reasonable controlled argument. She also told how to report the issue to the administration if the harassment did not stop immediately. When I did not back off when the bully came at me, it took her by surprise and she ended up breaking down. She explained her fears and hardships to me, which she wa s passing on to me. The behavior stopped immediately and my job became more fulfilling to me. When Rose, one of my protà ©gà ©s, approached me with the same problem, I related my experience to her. I told her that she should neither give up on her vocation nor accept bad treatment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Workplace violence is violence meted against employees of an organization. It could be across employees of the same rank who unite and make life hard for others or it would cut across different ranks. Here, the seniors mistreat the junior rank employees. Work place violence could be verbal or physical. It includes sexual harassment, racial slurs or mere rudeness. It can also occur from the customer being served. Some customers are very rude to the new employees when being served. Some jobs have higher risk of workplace violence than others.   Social work services and cab drivers are examples of work groups, which face a lot of hostility from customers.  Workplace violence meted to a junior officer by a higher rank officer is very prevalent. It even passes off as effective management. This is especially in high-tension work environment such as a theater in a hospital.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I always address the problem of work place violence when mentoring my protà ©gà ©s. I spell to them what is work violence, how to recognize it and the options open to the protà ©gà ©Ã‚  Ã‚   Nurses are usually the recipients of verbal onslaught and physical attacks b physicians. Nurses are also victims of attacks by their colleagues who gang up to victimize a targeted member or their workforce. The victims of these bullies have to deal with many accusations and insinuation that are untrue. The bullies usually blackmail their victims or just use threat of violence to stop them from reporting. When they zero in on a target, they are sure that they will not get punished making them bolder in their attacks. The victims recoil further unable to take any action.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bullying of nurses by fellow nurses is most unfortunate as this is supposed to be a team that functions together in provision of health care. Most of these attacks are prompted by jealousy especially where senior nurses see new recruits as having had an easier time when joining the profession. They brand them demeaning names and  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   withhold information from them. They sabotage their work and heap blame on the young entrants. The poor attitudes of the senior nurses are passed on to the physicians who also ridicule and harass the new recruits.   The new nurses are criticized at the slightest of mistakes. The bullies may make crude remarks or use non-verbal language to hit out at the recruits. They make work environment for the new nurses very hostile. (O’Reilly, Pauline, 2005)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I usually present to my protà ©gà ©s the effects of this violence on new nurses in the long run.  When faced by continued bullying, most nurses want to quit. They were previously enthusiastic about the vocation and had great ideas in mind on how to care for their patients. Not being given a chance to develop into fully skilled careers frustrates them. They become disillusioned and want to leave. Constant intimidation and humiliation leaves them greatly dissatisfied. This leads to high turnover of nurses as more nurses quit causing acute nursing shortages. Most of them will quit at the first opportunity o getting on their job. Others will even opt for a lower paying job than nursing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bullying also harms the victims both bodily and mentally. New nurses feel unappreciated and disliked for their hard work. The constant reminders about their failures get to them. They cannot get an outlet from constant pressures and threats. The workload is made much more difficult by withholding of some necessary information. Hospital administrations do not provide an avenue for them to air their grievances. In fact they are supposed to forward their complaints through the same nurses who oppress them. Pushed to a corner, they develop escapist tendencies such as drug abuse, alcoholism and depression. They also exhibit other characteristics such as insomnia, general unkemptness, irritability and sheer timidity. They experience burnout and may suffer from nervous breakdown. Some may even turn suicidal due to the frustration.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some victims of bullying internalize the inferiority complex. They see the whole process as a rite of passage that everybody must undergo. They take the abuse in their stride and will act timidly lest they provoke the bullies. They feel that at one time it will be over. Instead of actively fighting the oppression, they expect that through their passiveness they will gain acceptance and be spared from further attacks by the bullies. (O’Reilly, Pauline, 2005)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To the hospitals, they get reduced productivity from their nurses. There is huge nurse turnover as more nurse’s walk away. High turn over leads to high cost of training and recruitment affecting the hospitals bottom line. Nurses who remain have a big workload and this hurts the quality of service delivered. This is serious having in mind the sensitivity of healthcare provision. The hospital also misses out on creative ideas and innovation that the new nurses would have implemented. They are not only denied a chance to air them but it is also constantly drummed into them how useless they are. If some of these ideas had been considered, hospitals would make huge steps towards achieving better service delivery and cost cutting and increase efficiency. When the hospital administrations allow the vice to go on unabated, they are killing growth opportunities that would have otherwise been available to them at very low cost. Nurses cannot attempt anything new for fear that it does not take off, it would lead to further attacks and humiliation or even loss of jobs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most bully nurses are arrogant, inhumane and selfish. They fall back onto threats and intimidation when running their workplaces. They fear new nurses who might have better qualifications and who might replace them at some point. To wad off this threat, they attack the perceived rival. They are not open to any different point of view and will enforce their view on everybody.   They usually hold a key supervisory role earned through domination of those under him or her. They expect everybody to rise through the ranks slowly just as they did no matter the qualifications. In their roles they use coercive force. Victims of bully attacks are usually new nurses who are very enthusiastic about putting skills they learn in to use. They are ambitious which the senior nurses interpret as a threat. (O’Reilly, Pauline, 2005)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In general, the patient stands to loose when bullying is allowed to escalate. Bullying kills team effort among the nurses of different ranks. These nurses and physicians are supposed to operate as a team in order to save lives. Disharmony among nurses would have negative impact on quality of health care. It may even lead to loss of lives. This would spark off another blame game, which would most probably point at he new nurses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To overcome bullying in hospitals, the administration should put a stop to the vice. They should put in measure that allow for reporting and prompt penalizing of bully attacks. They should put it clearly that all workers of the hospitals should be treated with dignity and respect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The administration should also organize for effective communication avenues for the hospital staff. Junior nurses should access the hospital management at all times. The hospital administration should enhance communication between the various work groups. Bonding sessions and team building activities should be organized. The hospital should make the nurses to feel appreciated and wanted not as free riders that should be admonished. Higher ranks of hospital staff especially senior nurses should be made to be supportive of the junior nurses in their early period of the careers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another strategy to overcome bullying in hospitals would be to encourage the victims to take up Non-Violent Communication. This means that while they do not absorb the vilifications and abuses, they do not react in the same manner used by the bullies. They counter them by calm firmness and engaging them in controlled argument. The victims should maintain a record of the attacks and keep on reporting to the authorities. In this endeavor victims should come together in a one non-violent but firm voice. (O’Reilly, Pauline, 2005)   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  References O’Reilly, Pauline, RN, MN, 2005. Professional Growth: Fostering Psychologically Health Professional Relationships. BCIT, School of Health. Developing mentoring Canadian Nurses Association, 2004. Achieving Excellence in Professional Practice: A Guide to Preceptorship and Mentoring. Developing Programs for preceptorship and Mentoring. Retrieved on 10/24/07 from http://www.cna-nurses.ca/CNA/documents/pdf/publications/Achieving_Excellence_2004_e.pdf

Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution

Abigail Adams: WITNESS TO A REVOLUTION Abigail Adams, Witness to a Revolution, was one of the greatest writers of her age. She passionately campaigned for women's education, denounced sex discrimination, and matched intelligence not only with her husband, John, but also with Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. She wrote more than two thousand letters about her legacy that her family members saved, recognizing their importance and ignoring her plea to burn them. Abigail’s letters are her biography and it is through them that we understand her unique character, sense of humor, independent spirit, and her English language.It is through her writing that opens a window to our nation’s history and brings Abigail Adams and her time to life. On November 11, 1744, Abigail Adams was born Abigail Smith. She lived in a small town of Weymouth, Massachusetts and lived with her two parents William and Elizabeth Quincy Smith. She had two sisters and one brother, Mary, Elizabeth, an d William. When Abigail was a little girl she always asked her mother if she could go to school. Her mother said no so her grandmother taught her to read and write at home.Abigail loved to read books from her father’s library and listened in on her father’s meetings. She loved books and politics and was a very clever and talented girl. As a teenager, Abigail had many friends that she wrote letters to. She was always very self-conscious and worried about her spelling and punctuation since she didn’t have a proper education. One of Abigail’s many friends who wrote letters to her was John Adams. When Abigail was nineteen years old she married John Adams on October 25, 1764.John Adams was a lawyer in the Smith family home of Weymouth, Massachusetts and was married by Abigail’s father, Reverend Smith. As a married couple they moved to Braintree and lived in a house that John inherited from his father. John was a very intelligent man who wanted to become a farmer as a boy, but his father discouraged it and sent him away to school. John got his education from Harvard College and this is where he became a lawyer. John and Abigail had five children together. Their first daughter, Abigail nicknamed Nabby, who was born on July 19, 1765.Their second child was John who was born on July 17, 1767. Susan was born December 28, 1768, but passed away a year later. Their son Charles was born May 29, 1770 and on September 15, 1770 their son Thomas was born. In 1767, the Adams family was living in Braintree Mass. When the British started requiring taxes on American documents, John knew he wanted to help the colonies and became a well-known spokesman. He was away from home a lot so in 1768, Abigail moved her family to Boston. After the Boston Tea Party event they moved their family back to Braintree.While John was away traveling it was up to Abigail to raise her first daughter Nabby, along with managing the farm and family money. She also taught a black slave how to read and write. When John was away she was often very lonely and writing letters made her feel better along with the birth of her second child John. John and Abigail had a very good marriage and relationship. She was very intrigued with politics and books and would often ask John what was going on in the world, which was very unusual for women to do so. They often talked about women’s rights.When John was away Abigail would write to him reminding him of the women. Meaning that he should include women’s rights in the continental congress. In 1770 the Boston Massacre happened where the fire bells were ringing. Abigail rushed home afraid her house may be on fire but were relieved to find out they were safe. The bells sounding the town meant trouble. Some teenage boys were throwing rocks and snow at British soldier, which lead to the soldiers shooting five people dead, and six were very injured. This even was known as the Boston Massacre.In 1775 the batt le of Concord and Lexington marked the beginning of the Revolutionary War. Many people fled Boston for fear of attacks. Abigail invited them in for food and shelter and wrote, â€Å"The house is in state of confusion. † When Johnny was eight years old, Abigail took her son to watch a battle on Breed’s Hill in Boston on June 17th, 1775. After seeing the terrible battle of Bunker Hill she wrote to her husband who showed her letters to George Washington and other leaders about the people’s suffering. In August 1776 the Declaration of Independence was written.Abigail became the first First Lady to ever live in the White House when John was elected Presidents over the United States. As first Lady she spoke out in favor of the women’s rights. Abigail Adams in an example of a life lived by women in colonial, Revolutionary. While she is best known as an early First Lady and the role she took for women’s rights in letters to her husband she is also known as a farm manager and financial manager. Abigail passed away on October 28, 1818 of typhoid fever. She is buried beside her husband in Quincy, Massachusetts.She was seventy-three when she died and her last words were, â€Å"Do not grieve, my friend, my dearest friend. I am ready to go. And John, it will not be long. † –Abigail Adams The wife of the second president and the mother of five children, Abigail Adams was an extraordinary women. She experienced the Revolutionary War and saw the battle of Bunker Hill from a hilltop near her home. The letters written by Abigail Adams to her friends and family bring the Revolutionary period alive, with every day life changing events of her time.She is given her own place in history in this award winning biography that she deserved and more. Natalie S. Bober wrote Abigail Adams, Witness to a Revolution because writing biographies did not only fascinate her, but her goal was to make Abigail Adams heard by everyone. She wanted us rea ders to know how much of a role she played in sticking up for women’s rights, being a good wife to her husband by caring for her family while he was away, and the decisions she had to make as a strong independent woman that changed the Revolutionary period and made her who she is today.I don’t think the author took any sides or had any arguments while reading this book. Natalie Bober took a lot of time to research and search many old documents to put together this award winning biography. Reading this book I would recommend it to any strong independent women to reinsure us that there are great role models for us women to look up to. I only hope to be as courageous, intelligent and independent as Abigail Adams some day.

In what ways and to what extent did constitutional and socia essays

In what ways and to what extent did constitutional and socia essays Any Revolution can usually be credited to some sort of constitutional and/or social development. Between 1860 and 1877, constitutional and social developments contributed to the revolution in many, many ways including The South Carolina Declaration of Causes of Secession, The Reconstruction Act, and the Freedmens Bureau. The South Carolina Declaration of Causes of Secession helped to start the revolution, as stated in Document A. Being the first to secede, South Carolina led an example, and other states followed. As stated by John Sherman in Document B, It has been a principle of states rights, that bad sentiment that has elevated state authority above national authority, that has been the main instrument by which our government is sought to be overthrown. (Meaning that the government has been overthrown as a result of giving the states too much power.) Sherman also believes that the policy of this country ought to be to make everything national as far as possible. The Reconstruction Act also contributed to causing the Revolution. The angered the South because it placed too many restrictions (such as registering new electorate voters) on it, helping the revolution to be well on its way. In Document F, Senator Lot Morrill thinks the Civil Rights Act of 1866 is revolutionary. However, he believed that there was already a revolution taking place, but no one realized. A third leading cause of the Revolution was The Freedmens Bureau. As represented in Document E, the Bureau was meant to give Homesteads to the freed slaves, but the promises made by the government were not kept. Document Is picture represents how the freedmen felt that having no rights was even worse than slavery. Of course, there were more constitutional and social developments that contributed to causing the Revolution such as the Emancipation Proclamation, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Black Codes. ...

SAT Admission Ticket What It Is, How to Print It Out, and What to Do if You Lose It

SAT Admission Ticket What It Is, How to Print It Out, and What to Do if You Lose It SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’ve signed up for the SAT, you’ve probably heard that you need an SAT admission ticket to get in on test day. The College Board makes a big deal about these tickets, and it can be stressful to figure out how to input all your information, get the right picture, and find a way to print the ticket. Don’t worry! This guide will walk you through exactly what the admission ticket is, how to print it out, and what to do if you lose it. What Is the SAT Admission Ticket? The admission ticket is your proof that you are registered to take the SAT. You must have it to be admitted to the testing center on test day.It also has helpful information about your testing center (for you) and any accommodations you might need (for your proctor). I've included my SAT admission ticket below, so you can see what one looks like. Let's go through the key sections- I numbered them above. Your photo: it's a picture of you! The College Board requires this to help discourage cheating. There's lots more info about how to pick a good photo below. Your personal information: This section contains info like your address and your birth date. Make sure it's all correct well in advance of your test date. Test day info: This section has information about when and where you're testing and which test you're taking (the SAT, the SAT with Essay, or the SAT Subject Tests). Notes for students: This section includes special instructions for what to do when you get to the test center. For example, at my testing center, I had to pay a dollar to park and got my room assignment at building FF. (Despite the instructions, I hit a few snags, so remember to leave yourself plenty of time no matter how prepared you are.) Supervisor instructions:This section includes any extra info your proctor might need. For most students, it's blank, but if you do have special accommodations of some kind, politely remindyour proctor when you arrive. Why Do You Need an SAT Admission Ticket? Essentially, the admission ticket is meant to prove you are who you say you are. In its current form, the ticket is a reaction to issues the College Board has had with cheating: students would have someone else register in their name and take the test for them. Make sure to bring your SAT ticketwith you on the day of the test or you won’t be allowed in. How Do You Get an SAT Admission Ticket? As you might have gathered, in order to get an admission ticket you must register for the SAT. If you haven’t already done so, you can find step-by-step instructions here. During that process, there are two key steps that you'll need to complete to get your SAT ticket. How to Pick a Photo During that process, you’ll be asked to provide a photo for your ticket. This can seem daunting, because the College Board has a lot of rules for what kind of photo you can use. There’s no need to panic, however. The key points are that it needs to be a photo of you that is just your head and shoulders and is well-lit enough that you’re easily recognizable. If you have a .jpg version of your school photo, you can use that. Another good option is using a webcam to just snap a photo right with your computer. Otherwise, get a friend or family member to help you take a headshot with a phone or digital camera. How to Print Your SAT Admission Ticket When you’re done with registration, a screen will come up with your SAT Admission Ticket. Make sure all the information is correct and then print out. It can be in color or in black and white- as long as all of the information, including your photo, is clearly visible. If you prefer, you canwait to print the ticket out later. You can access it anytime through your College Board account. Print your ticket out in advance so you don't have to worry if the printer decides not to work. But What Should You Do If... ...You Lose Your Admission Ticket? If you misplace your ticket, don’t panic! It's easy to reprint a lost SAT admission ticket. Just go to the College Board website and sign in. Click on the link for â€Å"Print My Admission Ticket† and reprint. ...You Realize the Information on the Ticket is Incorrect? Again, this problem is easily fixed by logging into â€Å"My SAT.† You can edit your personal information at any time, up until the Monday before the test date. Remember to reprint the ticket once you’ve made your changes to ensure that it matches the information that the College Board has on file. ...You Get to the Test Center and Realize You Don't Have Your Ticket? The proctors will not let you take the test without your ticket, so if you don't have it you'll be in a bad spot. However, you can try having a friend or family member bring it to you if they live nearby. It’s better to avoid this situation all together, so make sure you have everything you need for the test together in one place the night before. If you’re prone to losing things (or just very paranoid), you can also try: making a backup copy and putting it in the car. taping the ticket and your ID to your calculator. Having a system will make you more likely to remember everything you need on the day of the test. Key Facts to Remember About Your SAT Admission Ticket Let's review the important points you need to keep in mind: You must have your admission ticket to get into the test center on the day of the SAT. Your picture must be recognizable as you. Make sure to print your ticket out at least the night before so you know you have it. You can print your SAT admission ticket at any time by logging into â€Å"My SAT.† If you have any other questions about the SAT ticket, just post them in the comments! More Suggested Reading If you're uncertain about the registration process, check out our step-by-step walkthrough of the process (with pictures) and our guides to when to test, how much the SAT costs, how to cancel your registration, and whether you should send the four free score reports. If, on the other hand, your test date is right around the corner, read up on these last minute test day tips that will help you reach your ideal SAT score. Finally, consider taking a look at some of our SAT prep materials. We have great guides for all three sections, including general strategies, study tips, and in depth skill reviews(there are links to each section on the right). Try starting with our guide to the 5 tips that you must use, which will get you thinking about the test in the right way. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Why Hanguns Must Be Outlawed ( Nan Desuka) Essay

Why Hanguns Must Be Outlawed ( Nan Desuka) - Essay Example Besides the appropriate premises for gun control, she articulates the ethical concerns for the free availability of weapons in America. Whether guns are the weapons of threat or the tools of comfort, is the issue about her deliberations. She uses the tool of pathos to seek sympathies for the people who are able to save their lives with the availability of the weapon in serious life-and-death situations. But the same technique is also employed to highlight the contrary view by elucidating how people lost their lives or injured seriously, for no fault of theirs with the gun, though legal. Thus her argument is comprehensive and it includes the logical, sentimental and ethical angels and it demonstrates how complicated the issues involved are. If gun control is compared to the heart, arguments are like the alternative beats of the same heart. She makes a mention of two slogans impacting the entire gamut of the issue: â€Å"Guns don’t kill people: criminals do† (Desuka n. p. ) and â€Å"Guns don’t kill people: people kill people.† (Desuka n. p.) On a closer scrutiny of the statements on the portals of the mind of an individual who hears them, she weighs the impact of the dilemma related to the choice between the two in the sentimental world of the hearer. The statement that criminals kill people indicates the use of pathos. It creates resentment in the heart of the hearer about the criminal with the malicious intentions of the weapon to commit heinous acts, including murder. In stating ‘people kill people’ she highlights a bigger story which is a truthful assertion. She channelizes the hatred towards a section of society, the criminals, to an issue of negligent attitude of free availability of guns to one and all. This hearty appeal is an expression through the rhetorical application of logos. Desuka shows awareness of the issue from all ends, and she knows the importance of man behind the production of guns and the man using the guns, for good or bad intentions. It is a peculiar situation of dual responsibility. It is like the scale of justice, in which both arms of the scale are important to strike the correct balance. Desuka employs logos by methodically tendering the fact which indicates how criminals alone do not indulge in killing persons with handguns. The number of the criminals who commit murders is low as compared rapists or robbers. The statistics would give the relevant information. â€Å"About 30% murders are committed by robbers or rapists. More than 60% of all murders are caused by guns and handguns are used in more than 70% of these.† The author argues like a sociologist, when she asserts that â€Å"majority of these crimes is committed by known assailants and they can said to be crimes of passion or accidents.†(Desuka, n. p.) This is a pointer to the lacuna in her arguments. Desuka’s basic premises have shortcomings that cannot be corrected. She is trying to offer so lutions to a hardcore secular issue, through flowery philosophical leap. Her argument is—â€Å"outlawing handguns will remove them from both the criminal and the non-criminal, thereby eliminating handguns as a cause of death, either intentional or accidental.†(Desuka, n.p.) A law may be perfect; in other words there is no dearth about perfect laws. The shortage is in the area of perfect human beings to implement the laws. What then, is the procedure to mold perfect human beings? Wise men have written millions of pages, but the possibility of the entire humankind turning perfect is remote, nay impossibility. So handguns will be there, and dominate the affairs of the society, as total enforcement of laws is not possible. And no force on earth can totally eliminate the manufacture and

Mall of America Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mall of America - Case Study Example Some of the criteria that the Mall of America should consider when adding new facilities to its complex include the retail mix offered and family focus (Kotler and Keller, 2008). Previous successes already indicate that the mall is a haven for whole focus, so new facilities must be able to add to the qualities it already has. For example, retail stores should be evaluated depending on the kind of services that it introduces into the complex. For example, if apparel has already been catered for, the complex should focus on bringing in new qualities that ensure that all aspects of the consumer are covered. On entertainment offerings, since the area of children is already covered, the Mall of America should go for gender segmentation. Finally, hotels should be able to offer factors like lodging, which will be a factor for encouraging tourists to visit the location. The Mall of America is already a huge success with the local people, but to increase its presence both for the local metrop olitan visitors and visitors from outside, the mall should utilize the importance of marketing information. With specific information from patrons, the mall will be able to figure out any new needs that the consumers have, which will then be used to increase market share. The mall should also diversify on product coverage in order to cover as many demographics as possible, which will also help in attracting new clients and retaining old ones from the metropolis and outside.

Hip Hop's effects on violence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hip Hop's effects on violence - Essay Example The resulting new genre of music was raucous and disrespectful, using its own dialect to shout out an alternative lifestyle to the one that they saw in mainstream society. Since then interest in the movement has grown, and hip hop attracts unwavering support from millions of people across the whole world, but at the same time also it is heavily criticized for its focus on drugs, crime, and especially violence. It cannot be denied that violence lies at the heart of many hip hop lyrics, but the question that must be answered is what relationship hip-hop has to the real violence that occurs in the world’s cities today. Does hip-hop encourage that violence, or even cause it? Or can we see hip-hop as something that resists a greater violence that has been meted out to African Americans and other minorities for several centuries? This paper argues that the latter argument is more convincing, and that furthermore hip-hop has a potential to bring understanding between racial groups wh ich no other movement is likely to bring forward at the present time. The first matter to clarify is the nature of what we call â€Å"Hip-hop.† It is a type of music, involving spoken and sung texts and strong steady rhythms. Hip hop is not just music, however, it is a whole culture, embracing graffiti art, dancing styles, and even fashion. The typical hip-hop look consists of baggy pants, sneakers, and Malcolm X caps which are worn backwards (Smitherman, 1997, p. 3) There is also a tendency for women to sport elaborate hairstyles, expensive designer outfits, well-manicured nails and striking makeup. For men there is a preference for ostentatious jewelry and if possible also fast cars. These artefacts are symbols of power, and the stars of hip hop culture sport these trophies to indicate how successful they are and how far they have come from poverty. Some critics see these expensive trinkets as genuine indicators of status while others regard them as ironic quotations from m ainstream society, underlining rebellion and activism rather than consumerism and complacency: â€Å"Hip-hop’s triad of graffiti, dance, and rap are post-apocalyptic arts, scratches on the decaying surfaces of post-industrital urban America; they are not monuments to some romanticized ‘human spirit’, but fundamentally anti-monumental arts.† (Potter: 1995, p. 8) There is indeed something rebellious about hip hop. The body language of fans is often very insolent, with direct staring and head jerking, and many of the moves in the dance routines are quirky and acrobatic, drawing attention to the dancer and singling him out as a person to be admired. There is great loyalty amongst fans, and much is made of terms like â€Å"bro† which signifies brother and can be used both within racial groups and transcending these boundaries. When people think of hip-hop they think of instances where songs, or singers have been banned from radio stations because of offe nsive language, violent references and in particular criticism of the American state and its institutions. This is, however, nothing new, and from the hippies and the Beatles in the 1960s to the Sex Pistols in the punk era, posturing against authority is absolutely typical of youth culture. One aspect of hip-hop which is of great concern is the fact that it is often associated with gun culture and drug

Education In the US Prison System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education In the US Prison System - Essay Example This subject matter is what will be discussed in the following. Since 1980, America's prison population has "more than tripled" (Patel and McMurray, n.d.). Out of this abundant figure, 19% of adult inmates are illiterate; while the United States' national adult illiteracy stands at a comparatively mere 4%. Stemming from this figure are the rates of recidivism in the United States, which are also at a particular high - 41% to 71% of prisoners who are released into the community end up back in prison only a short time after their acquittal. This can quickly be assessed as the obvious impact of expecting unskilled, undereducated, and often improperly socialized persons to be released into the community and make it on their own. In a world where high education is required for practically anything and everything, the thought of having high expectations for a person being thrown back into the world from a life of solitaire and no education in prison seems highly impractical. Although at one time rehabilitation was a critical goal of the prison system, funding for most educational and rehabilitative programs "has been severed, prioritizing punishment and profit over people." ("PARC", n.d.). The real mission of the prison system now seems to be that of total containment, rather than assistance. Recent studies have shown an increasing need for special skills for America's workforce for the future. "Inmates, who traditionally do not have good workplace skills, can benefit from education provided during incarceration." (Yeonopolus, n.d.). There are numerous innovative programs for inmates available in prisons across America, some of which are even enforced with penalties if persons decide to resist. In certain prisons, prisoners are being compelled to attend school for specified periods, and those who refuse to comply may be denied parole hearings or "be prevented from participating in alternative forms of 'treatment' until they comply." (Davidson, 1995). The educators who teach in the prison system understand they the persons they are educating require more than just educational skills, they also lack the knowledge of proper personal skills, such as making decisions, working with others, using resources appropriately, and so on. It is this understanding that has, and seemingl y will continue to, keep prisoners from reentering the prison system after their release. There are two basic types of correctional education programs - vocational training, which focuses on the learning of skills that are related to the workplace, and literacy development, which is used to heighten a persons reading and mathematical skills. Each state has a separate list of educational programs offered to inmate; Colorado for example, employs the Correctional Education Program, which strives to provide inmates with skills which will be transferable and useful to them once they leave the penal system by: ensuring their reach the highest academic achievement level possible, preferably obtaining the General Educational Development (GED) Diploma, and

Sowftware design problem Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sowftware design problem - Research Paper Example The power of computers in such an activity leads to the establishment of numerous software companies, which are engaged in developing a variety of applications. As a safety related system is under development, a safety argument is under preparation that shows why confidence needs to be put in the system’s ability to meet safety requirements. This leads to the question why those requirements demand safe operation. The moment the system and its arguments are acknowledged, the system is set into operation. Faults may still exist in the system or in its maintenance or operational procedures if the safety argument is not complete. If triggered, the faults can lead to a failure. In such a case, an analysis needs to be conducted to distinguish the nature of the failure. It might be random or even systemic, i.e. due to a design fault, which was introduced when the system was being developed or serviced. Failures that arise from systemic faults must be comprehensively analyzed to avoid recurrences (Baah 3). Large projects, for example, Agropoli’s system of public transportation involves qualified personnel in the software development process. Software companies face several issues in the process of software development. These include: possible negligence of the software developer and another involves possible negligence, but adds another party who happens to be the malicious hacker. Other problems include change of rules during development, preservation of existing software, flexibility due to lack of standards as well as behavior of discrete systems. The complexity involved in the process of software development leads to software bugs. Late completion, low quality, lack of reliability and software not satisfying the stated demand are the symptoms of software bugs. In a scenario, for example, the Agropoli’s system of public transportation where the system under development is discovered to have some difficulties during

Transformational Change Management Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Transformational Change Management Plan - Essay Example Apple is an American tech giant and a multinational corporation whose headquarters is in Cupertino in California, USA. Apple is in the business of designing, developing and selling computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers and online services. So as to save time and cut costs, Apple normally outsources thousands of its manufacturing jobs to such countries as China, Mongolia, Taiwan and Korea. Thus the manufacturing of high-tech products such as iPhone has steadily moved to Asia from the US over the past decades. Thus, Apple, considered, a market leader in the smartphone industry in regard to manufacturing, is totally dependent on outsourcing/offshoring manufacturing, especially in China-a relatively low cost nation (Moyer, 2012). Apple’s stakeholders welcomed the move since the company tremendously reduced its manufacturing time and cost, two very critical elements in the lifeline of any company. Thus, in 2007, when Apple’s founder Steve Jobs needed a glass screen for the iPhone barely a few weeks before its launch, suppliers in America claimed it was not possible. Nevertheless, a factory in China, built a dormitory even before any contract was signed so that its workers could start a 12-hour shift. After the sealing of the deal, 8,000 employees were woken from sleep, provided with tea and biscuit and began fixing glass screens into the iPhone so as to produce ten thousand iPhones on a daily basis. That is how a Chinese factory helped save the situation by revamping manufacturing of the iPhone barely weeks before it appeared on shelves. Eventually, Apple had redesigned the screen of the iPhone at the last minute, resulting in an overhaul of the assembly line. New Screens started arriving at the factory near midnight. Apple executives were impressed by the flexibility and speed which no American factory could match. Thus,

Education In the US Prison System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education In the US Prison System - Essay Example This subject matter is what will be discussed in the following. Since 1980, America's prison population has "more than tripled" (Patel and McMurray, n.d.). Out of this abundant figure, 19% of adult inmates are illiterate; while the United States' national adult illiteracy stands at a comparatively mere 4%. Stemming from this figure are the rates of recidivism in the United States, which are also at a particular high - 41% to 71% of prisoners who are released into the community end up back in prison only a short time after their acquittal. This can quickly be assessed as the obvious impact of expecting unskilled, undereducated, and often improperly socialized persons to be released into the community and make it on their own. In a world where high education is required for practically anything and everything, the thought of having high expectations for a person being thrown back into the world from a life of solitaire and no education in prison seems highly impractical. Although at one time rehabilitation was a critical goal of the prison system, funding for most educational and rehabilitative programs "has been severed, prioritizing punishment and profit over people." ("PARC", n.d.). The real mission of the prison system now seems to be that of total containment, rather than assistance. Recent studies have shown an increasing need for special skills for America's workforce for the future. "Inmates, who traditionally do not have good workplace skills, can benefit from education provided during incarceration." (Yeonopolus, n.d.). There are numerous innovative programs for inmates available in prisons across America, some of which are even enforced with penalties if persons decide to resist. In certain prisons, prisoners are being compelled to attend school for specified periods, and those who refuse to comply may be denied parole hearings or "be prevented from participating in alternative forms of 'treatment' until they comply." (Davidson, 1995). The educators who teach in the prison system understand they the persons they are educating require more than just educational skills, they also lack the knowledge of proper personal skills, such as making decisions, working with others, using resources appropriately, and so on. It is this understanding that has, and seemingl y will continue to, keep prisoners from reentering the prison system after their release. There are two basic types of correctional education programs - vocational training, which focuses on the learning of skills that are related to the workplace, and literacy development, which is used to heighten a persons reading and mathematical skills. Each state has a separate list of educational programs offered to inmate; Colorado for example, employs the Correctional Education Program, which strives to provide inmates with skills which will be transferable and useful to them once they leave the penal system by: ensuring their reach the highest academic achievement level possible, preferably obtaining the General Educational Development (GED) Diploma, and

Transformational Change Management Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Transformational Change Management Plan - Essay Example Apple is an American tech giant and a multinational corporation whose headquarters is in Cupertino in California, USA. Apple is in the business of designing, developing and selling computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers and online services. So as to save time and cut costs, Apple normally outsources thousands of its manufacturing jobs to such countries as China, Mongolia, Taiwan and Korea. Thus the manufacturing of high-tech products such as iPhone has steadily moved to Asia from the US over the past decades. Thus, Apple, considered, a market leader in the smartphone industry in regard to manufacturing, is totally dependent on outsourcing/offshoring manufacturing, especially in China-a relatively low cost nation (Moyer, 2012). Apple’s stakeholders welcomed the move since the company tremendously reduced its manufacturing time and cost, two very critical elements in the lifeline of any company. Thus, in 2007, when Apple’s founder Steve Jobs needed a glass screen for the iPhone barely a few weeks before its launch, suppliers in America claimed it was not possible. Nevertheless, a factory in China, built a dormitory even before any contract was signed so that its workers could start a 12-hour shift. After the sealing of the deal, 8,000 employees were woken from sleep, provided with tea and biscuit and began fixing glass screens into the iPhone so as to produce ten thousand iPhones on a daily basis. That is how a Chinese factory helped save the situation by revamping manufacturing of the iPhone barely weeks before it appeared on shelves. Eventually, Apple had redesigned the screen of the iPhone at the last minute, resulting in an overhaul of the assembly line. New Screens started arriving at the factory near midnight. Apple executives were impressed by the flexibility and speed which no American factory could match. Thus,

Comparing the Republic to the Modern Society Essay Example for Free

Comparing the Republic to the Modern Society Essay The relevance of The Republic to our modern society In Plato’s The Republic, Plato illustrates what his ideal city would look like. He describes the educational systems, ideal legislators and the purposes of democracy. The republic influenced many people to understand the purpose for democracy, and it led to new philosophical schools of thought. Although this work was written hundreds of years ago, it still affects our modern world today. One of the most important things that Plato stresses is the importance of education. Without education of the masses, democracy would cease to exist. When Plato was forming his ideal society, he stressed the importance of education for several reasons. Most importantly, educating citizens led to a peaceful, well-run republic. For Plato, education was not about information intake and data storage. Rather, education was drawing out the knowledge that was already in the student. He said that â€Å"the power and capacity of learning exists in the soul already† He gives an allegory of prisoners in a cave, who have never seen light before. They become free, come out of the cave and see the light. They understand that the shadows are just reflections of real things; they are not the real things themselves. They ascend up to a mountain and see the world for what it really is. Plato uses this story to illustrate what education does for the human soul. We are all born in a dark cave, chained to a wall and cannot see the light. We still around all day looking at shadows, which appear to be so real to us. Education breaks the chains of ignorance. We can ascend to the top of the mountain and look out onto the beautiful world. According to Plato, after the prisoners’ ascend all the way to the top of the mountain, â€Å"they must be made to descend again among the prisoners’ in the den and partake in labors and honors, whether worth having or not. † Plato notes that once a person is educated and has received knowledge and truth, they should go back and teach those who do not know. This still relevant today because we need to not be so focused on how high we climb up the ladder, but we need to be concerned with how we help others achieve their goals. This allegory is also used to describe justice. The prisoners’ in the cave do not know what real justice looks like. The people on the mountain tops must come down and give understanding to those who are lacking it. Plato goes on to describe the type of leader that would be perfect to run the ideal city. The type of leader that Plato describes is someone who is â€Å"wisest about the affairs of the state, and by whom the state is best administered and who at the same time have other honors and a better life then that of politics. â€Å" The ideal leader in Plato’s time is not much different from the ideal leader in our time period. We still want someone who knows and understands the problems of the state or country, who will be a good leader, and will be able to put the welfare of his people before his own. These characteristics are still what many people look for in a dependable leader. Plato describes that a good leader should not be caught up in their own wealth, they should care about their people. This is a very foundational idea that is still important in America today. We desire to have a leader who will be humble and care for us, instead of one that has a hidden agenda. According to Plato, economic self-interest and political power must be kept separate and not be allowed to work in combination to the disadvantage of the state. In mapping out his utopian society, Plato stresses the importance of democracy. In a short piece called democracy considered, Plato talks about how oligarchies decay into democracies and democracies decay into tyranny. Tyranny is formed from pursing one’s pleasures and appetites. Plato claims that â€Å"a man who is deranged and not right in his mind will fancy that he is able to rule, not only over men, but also over gods â€Å"He describes here that a man can not be a leader if he is deranged and thinks that he is the center of the universe. Plato then shows how democracy and tyranny differ. In describing the differences, Glacon says â€Å"They are the opposite extremes for one is the very best and the other is the very worst. † The republic shows many similarities to today’s society. We still have many of the same ideals in education and in government. This piece of work was criticized at the time it was written by is now honored and very influential. It was one of the first writings that began western thinking and formed many new beliefs that influenced the renaissance.

The Success Of A Natura Cosmetics

The Success Of A Natura Cosmetics In order to analyze the success of a Natura cosmetics, there are many factors to be mentioned. In my opinion, two main reasons which should be listed are the effectiveness of relationship between Natura and organizations relating to its operation and its learning, innovation activities. Firstly, it is not difficult to realize that Naturas relationship strategy works very effectively. According to the case study, this companys main operations including production, logistics and research and development are situated in Sao Paulo. When there is a new order, the stock status will be checked immediately by the stock management system. In no more than one day from the purchase order, the finished products are delivered to the sales representatives home. With 26 delivery partners as well as postal service, Naturals products will be transported to its representatives no longer than six days in spite of far destinations (Natura case study). Clearly, in order to ensure the quality of the products and good services for the customers, the connection between separate parts in a whole group must be strong. It requires all bodies to have to cooperate and contribute to the effectiveness of the common duties. One concentration of Naturas relationship strategy is on sales representat ives. They are seen as the companys consultants who are well-trained, autonomous female salespersons and mostly are housewives having good relationship with potential customers such as friends, office staff, independent professionalsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ One special thing here is that Natura does not have to pay direct employment costs for this force. This method will help the company save a large amount of money to invest in other activities. Also it will encourage Natura to expand its market without being worried about reducing profit margins. Using this way, the advantages will belong to not only Natura but also sales force. They do not receive a direct salary amount but the commission for sold products is the highest in the industry, which including 30% margin of end consumer prices and premium prices (Natura case study). Obviously, this way is based on the ability to sell products of each sales representative and it creates motivation for them to try more because of themselves as wel l as the company. Another strength of its management is organizational cultural. Openness, transparency and respects for its stakeholders ( Natura case study) are the words to describe this operating environment. They are ready to give challenge to middle management who are believed to be ambitious and highly qualified. This force is able to take great and out of imagination success for the company. Additionally, the policy for new talents is positive. Natura wants to fulfill both from inside and outside sources. They takes time to develop potential talents and headhunt as well. As a result, the manager force will be diversified. With customers, Natura has a such different approach. A customer going to Natura means that she is buying belief . The company does not talk about market demands but captures their emotions, feelings. By this way, when a customer sees an advertisement of Natura, she will think that this product is born for her, and Natura helps her have a better life throug h selling it. It is impossible to deny the effectiveness of this marketing philosophy. About the quality of products, Natura persuades customers by using natural and sustainable ingredients. For example, Ekos product line comprises of Brazilian berries and plants, such as guarana, brazil nuts, mate verde and cocoaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦( Natura case study). In recent years, cosmetics consumers mostly believe that products extracted from the nature will have good effects on the skin and no side-effect. With information about materials from reserves in the rainforests and savannahs, clearly Ekos is easier to be appreciated from the public. One important thing of Naturas relationship strategy is to participate in environmental issues. This action demonstrates that Natura not only operates to make profits but contributes to the development of society as well. Otherwise, it will bring positive image in public for the company and create its good connection with the customers, government. Such act ivities, such as Rainforest Education and Recovery Project, Rio de Janeiro Botanical Gardensà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ are specific examples of maintaining garden and regenerating damaged forest ecosystems (Natura case study). Secondly, Naturas operational pathway is the process of learning and innovation. Staring from a small laboratory and cosmetics store, the company made a bid step in the market by studying the experience of Avon- the then leader in the world. In 1974, Natura decided to operate following direct sales model. The result of this strategy was the expansion at low to moderate cost. With a new company, learning from successful and well-known brand name is very important and this gives useful lessons for Natura at that time. Besides, the success of Natura also comes from its innovation and product development. Every year, the company spent about 2.9% annual net revenues in research and development (RD) to launch and improve approximately 153 products (Natura case study). Natura also buys patents, technology from research centers in Brazil and outside. Their concentration is placed on skin care and environment-friendly products. In conclusion, effective relationship strategy as well as learning and innovation activities are two main factors of the success of Natura internationally. Task 2: using relevant theoretical models and with examples from the case study- evaluate the companys internationalization strategy in the period 1982 2005. Answer: In the period 1982 2005, it has seen the development of Natura in cosmetics international market. Along with the expansion into different areas from the near to the far, this company changed the operational strategies gradually and more effectively. It demonstrates that the companys market commitment as well as internationalization level has increased simultaneously in this period. As a result, in order to assess Naturas internationalization strategy from 1982 to 2005, I decide to choose the Uppsala model which emphasizes increasing commitment towards abroad market when the firms experience goes up (Svend Hollensen, 2007). In the year1982, it saw the first endeavor of Natura to distribute its products to foreign customers. The company used an independent distributor in Chile. However, the result for this action was terrible. The operation was stopped after it operated in a short term. The reason for this failure is that Natura did not have careful preparation. Clearly going international is an important issue for any firms which want to develop. One of the most vital conditions for success is that the company should have a proper plan and it must come from its actual demand. At this time, Naturas expansion abroad was driven by impulse. (Naturas case study). Maybe it could not create enough motivation for working attitude and successful ambition. The second cause is that the company had no enough information about the market (Naturas case study). Knowledge such as politics, culture, distance differences between markets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ always should be obtained by the firms in the case they really need t o succeed. Additionally, personnel and financial problems happened when the company went to Portugal and Florida. And lessons due to lack of experience was given to Natura. Accordingly, market commitment or internationalization level in this situation is rather low. Until the 1990s, Naturas action of going abroad occurred again. Contrast with the last time, the company planned carefully. And this time, a great advantage of the Government policy favored to development way of Natura. Brazil and other South and Central American nations took favorable change in politics and macroeconomics. With potential markets of Natura such as, Mexico, Argentinaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ were attempting to cooperate commercially with Brazil and their economy were growing positively. Besides that, the attitude of high appreciation of beauty and better understanding of cosmetics has made an increase in demand for beauty products. It can not be denied that many favorable conditions have come to Natura (Natura case study). From this time, the success of the company in various markets has gone. Three specific examples for effective internationalization strategy are Argentina, French and Mexico. Argentina and Brazil are two nations in the same Latin America area. The geographic d istance between them is not so far. And Natura took the first step to this market in 1994 but until 2001 the large mark occurred. In December 2001, this economy was thrown into crisis because of currency devaluation of about 40%. While its competitors tried to go up prices, Natura kept it stable. The company has just increased it only when local salary changed in the better way (Natura case study) and this information was announced publicly to the customers. By reducing cost and remaining price, the company got good impression on Argentinean market and help the process of building the brand here. The strategy brought the win situation for Natura. In three years later, there was a growth of six- factor revenue which is a wonderful number. The main method that the company applied to sell products in Argentina in this period is direct selling through sales consultants force. The number of consultants went up nearly three times from 7000 in 2002 to 20000 in 2005. Obviously, Natura has g ot good result with participation strategy into Argentinean market. The second one should be mentioned in internationalization strategy of Natura is France. It can be said that from Argentina to France there is a development of both geographic diversification, internationalization and market commitment. The distance from France to Brazil is much larger than that of the remainder. Actually, located in two different continents, there is not same characteristics in the beauty product custom. Hence, Seabra said that France has historically been a source of knowledge and raw material for our products as well as a source of inspiration. About the way of sales, Natura discontinued using traditional model which is direct sales and changed to retail store. It is an increase in size of investment in marketing and organization. In stead of a point of sales, in 2005 the company designed a two storey flagship store where are used for sampling products, promotion events and is seen as displaceme nt place of Naturas belief and vision (Natura case study). This is an evidence to show the companys market commitment is on upward. Another point is the change in Naturas product packaging and size. Making its products suitable for the host markets demand demonstrates effort to occupy the market share and internationalize. Moving to Mexican market, it has seen a more progressive step in the strategy of Natura. And it seems to have leapfrog stage here. In the year 2003 which is prior of two years compared to the time of entrant in France, Natura came backs to the nearer market with many similar characteristics of economy, demographics and passion for beauty products (Natura case study). In Mexico, the company developed the experience in France to a new model hybrid model. Building Naturas House, it can combine the strengths of both direct sales model and store chain. Here sales representatives can interchange experience, be trained professional skills, keep in touch with brand and even receive sample. Also in this country, the company takes an initiative in new marketing tools. An example of this is magalogue. This combination between magazine and catalogue is applied to give Naturas products and special offerings, articles about health and beauty problem. So, in comparison with French market, Naturas investment in Mexico takes more attempt. Change from a store chain to Naturas House is an example. It requires both market-specific knowledge and general knowledge. And resources should be employed more efficiently, especially human resource. All these elements explain that there is an upward trend of market commitment, internationalization when Natura enters Mexican market. Generally, Naturas internationalization strategy was successful in the period 1990s to 2005, but ineffective in the year 1980s. Task 3: using relevant theory, argue the case either for against Natura adopting a model (or models) of international market entry that differs from the direct sales/ distribution model employed. Answer: Coming back to international cosmetics market since the year 1990s, Natura has gradually succeeded with several adjustment of market entry policies. Two specific evidences are Maison Natura in France and Casa Natura in Mexico. These models show that the level of geographic diversification, market commitment and internationalization (The Uppsala internationalization model) of Natura has increased as well as their international market entry method has changed in comparison with direct sales model ever -used. Moreover, in order to go international more dramatically, Natura should employ an appropriate market entry strategy. In my opinion, it can be Hierarchical model with resident sales representatives in foreign target market. Firstly, it should be mentioned the direct sales model that Natura used to employ to provide products to its customers. The current demand for the companys cosmetics are met through the force of 483000 active sales representatives in Brazil and 36000 agents abroad, who are well-trained and flexible consultants . And mostly orders from customers are placed via Web and telephones. However, with French market of which Paris has been known as a holy city of fashion and beauty products, to attract much attention from the public, Natura innovated its traditional way. The company decided to open a two-storey flagship store which was called as Maison Natura in 2005. This store takes the duty of more than a point of sales, where can be seen to display Naturas belief and vision. Also here samples are given to customers or promotion events happen (Natura case study). There is an improvement in the way Natura enters to the market and persuades potential buyers. With this retail store, Natura has to spend more investment than its direct distribution. It is for the organization, marketing and even personnelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦For example, the company had to build a store and make it become a place served for many purposes. It is so different from a call centre which can only receive purchase orders. Besides that, to adapt to this competitive environment, Natura modified its pr oducts packaging and size. It can not be denied these activities were able to help Natura get a foothold in France. And the reasons were that the company prepared carefully market specific knowledge and made market commitment. From that, Natura seems to be more suitable for an international market entry model which requires more responsibility and competence. And about Mexican market, it is still another increase in market commitment as well as internationalization. However, there is leapfrog stage herein. The distance from Mexico to Brazil is smaller than that of France and the time of entering Mexican market is sooner two years (2003) but internationalization process goes up. Having some advantages of similar characteristics of economy, demographics, passion for cosmetics, Natural also faced the issue of late participation (Natura case study). Hence, in order to get success, it seemed to request the company to adjust a new strategy. The solution given was that Natura House which has strengths of both pure direct sales model and retail store. There sales consultants can help each other with experience and it can be place for exhibitions, training speeches or product testing, offerings. Clearly, advantage of direct sales model which is the strong relationship between end user and sales representative, and those of retail chain which are c lose relationship among sales consultants and multi-purpose place are combined. Not only the company invested in finance to establish this hybrid model at large towns and areas with many buildings, but also at Natura House, new marketing tools were employed at the first time to remind the public about the companys brand (Natura case study). For example, the company tried issuing magalogue. By this way, Natura could supply both its product, special offerings and health, cosmetics articles as well. It can be considered that Naturas attempts of organizational and marketing change demonstrates their ambition to get a step into Mexican cosmetics market and occupy a certain market share. Also the approach was done professionally step by step. Importantly, it did differ from direct sales model Natura used to use. Far from these two markets, in the following years, the company wants to attack new potential large ones, such as the UK, the US, Russia and so on. Only in the United States, in 2004, the value of sales of cosmetics and toiletries in 2004 was 45.6 billions US$, made up 19.7% of total market share. Or In United Kingdom and Russia, the numbers were 11.6 billions US$ (5%) and 6.4 billions US$ (2.8%) respectively (table 1 of Natura case study). However, with these countries, the main retail channel methods are not the same with Brazil. While in Brazil, sales through direct sales gained the remarkable proportion of 27.4% in 2004, in Western Europe, that percentage was only 4.7%. In these regions, the most common methods are different each others. ( Table 2 of Natura case study). From the factors which have already mentioned, in my opinion Natura should move to apply a new international market entry Hierarchical mode. With current conditions, it can open resident sales representatives in the host country. Rather similar to models employed in France and Mexico, the company can build a place of many functions served for sales and marketing activities. These can be a showroom, an information centre for customers, after-sales service centre, a training centre for sales consultants, a place for sample receivingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Sales and service department should be located in the host countries because it will be easier to know thoroughly about local passion and demand in comparison with doing from distance. When being familiar with local market, Natura can open sales subsidiaries. At this business office method, the company can be take tax advantage but it must take more responsibilities and autonomy. Besides, research and development, production, marketing depar tments are still situated in Brazil. It seems to be face a large amount of difficulties to change abroad assumed that other conditions do not change. Task 4: Naturas production facilities are located in Brazil. Assess whether this decision is correct in terms of strategy and logistics distribution given the companys portfolio of domestic, regional and international markets. Answer: Since the establishment in 1969, Natura has experienced different growth periods. First period from 1969 to1981, the company tried to build the brand and take expansion in domestic market. In 1982, Natura signed a contract with an independent distributor in Chile in order to expand abroad. However, this plan failed financially. Until the 1990s, once again Natura went internationally according to the open policy of the government and has got success step by step. Although Natura has changed their activities dramatically compared to the foundation time, production facilities has still situated in Brazil. One issue is given is that this decision is suitable for the development of Natura in following years? Firstly, with current situation, in my view placing all production facilities in Brazil is a reasonable decision. Brazil is the place where Natura was born. As a result, the companys products are manufactured usually have characteristics suitable for Brazilian demand. So along with the development of this brand, a stable market share in Brazil has been occupied. For any companies, they will penetrate into foreign markets once gaining or becoming familiar with its home market. This will be a strong basis for the company to attack another. About Natura, its Brazilian market share in 2003 was 11.3%, positioned the second leading cosmetics and toiletries company in Brazil (Table 3 of Natura case study). Moreover, this country has a large advantage of material sources of production for the company. In recent years, Natura has focused their operation on the products using sustainable ingredients. And Brazils diversity is a profuse supply source. Fulfilling these natural materials for the p roduction in the home country, clearly the company has bigger advantages over its competitors. They can save cost of transportation, import tax and preferential policies for domestic companies to use inside materials. Additionally, the traditional markets of this company are Argentina, Mexico, and so on. These countries are not far from Brazil and most of them are in the same area with many similar characteristics. So production facilities in Brazil and using active sales representatives force to distribute the products to the customers in these nations may not create serious problems of transportation cost. Another reason to support for production facilities in Brazil is the effectiveness of the current operations. When a customer place an order, in 24 next hours finished product is made to be transported to the sales representatives home. It is due to the close cooperation among different department and automated system. Immediately after having a new order, the stock status is ch ecked by the stock management system, and materials are collected to production facilities. Final steps are packaging and labeling. Total time for the whole process is no more than one day. After that, with 26 delivery partner, products are delivered to its representative within 2 days in Sao Paulo or no longer than 6 days for far destinations (Natura case study). It can be said that the operational process works actually efficiently to ensure delivery plan. This punctuality has supported placing production facilities in the origin country of products. From these points, that Naturas beauty products are manufactured in Brazil is appropriate. However, this decision will continue to be agreed in the future when plan of making Natura brand become commonplace with global audience? First problem can occur when moving production abroad is the cost. Compared to most of other countries in the same South American area and Europe, labor cost here is much cheaper. One of the reasons is that their population is the fifth leading in the world and still young or in labor ages (Wikipedia information). If Natura choose a country which labor price is high, finished products price will increase dramatically and the competitiveness will decrease. In addition, begin operating at a new location, there are two ways for material issue. The first solution is to find the new source. However, it is not simple to carry out because main ingredients for the companys cosmetics are from the nature, especially from Brazils biodiversity. The second one is to trans port materials from Brazil to the manufacture place. Maybe it is an impractical solution due to a large amount of disadvantages. It can be denied that transportation as well as import tax will make it go up. It also can result from import policy which procedures or regulations in the host country do not encourage to import such materials. Also Natura should take into account the origin country of products. It is not true that all customers evaluate equally with the same brand but different production places It is considered frequently that the customer have preference for the products from well-known nations for high technology and long term tradition of this kind of commodities. As a result, when deciding to choose a new manufacture location, the managers need to investigate the customers desire. About distribution network, currently Natura still uses direct sales model through active sales representative force. They are seen as Naturas consultant who are mainly well trained housew ives and receive orders via Web and calls (Natura case study). So the company does not have to pay direct employment cost but high commission for every product sold. With current conditions this retail channel still works efficiently. But if there is a change in production facilities, it is still good? Last but not least, logistics issue can meet obstacles in the case of moving manufacture location abroad if that policy there is still close. It can come from various regulations about import export documents or the quality of transportation system is modern enough to support Naturaa activities or inventory, storage problems, packaging and so on. Nowadays to get high profits, generally multinational companies invest in developing country, but they have to accept certain risks related to low quality of logistics. Hence, Natura ought to consider the ability of goods to move between nations. In conclusion, with current affecting factors, Natura seems to keep production facility situate in Brazil. In the far future, along with long term strategy and improvement outside, a change maybe reasonable if they are supportive.