Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Ethical Issues in Pharmacy Research
Ethical Issues in Pharmacy Research Reflection There is abundant evidence showing how easy it is to exploit individuals in the history of medical research in the twentieth century. It was not until the early 1960s when the public began to take notice of the ethical neglect that researchers had for their subjects.The exposure of gross abuses in medical research generated a public furor that was finally noticed by those who administered research funding which enabled changes to policy to begin to take place such as the Declaration of Helsinki which addressed the issue of independent review of research protocols by a committee not associated with the project. It is enough to make one sick when you look at the unethical medical research that has taken place in the United States alone. In the name of â€Å"research†there has taken place many clinical experiments that have been done unethically.In the 1940s several â€Å"research†studies where done using either patients fro m state insane asylums or from prisons. These studies ranged from injecting patients with experimental flu vaccines to malaria and hepatitis. All of these studies were federally funded. The â€Å"Nuremberg Code†was established as a set of international rules to protect human test subjects after the prosecution of Nazi doctors in 1947. However, many American doctors ignored them, arguing that they applied to Nazi atrocities, not to research they were doing.By the 1960s, more than half of the states allowed for prisoners to be used as human guinea pigs for medical research. However, two studies would come to light in the 1960s which would turn public attitude about the use of humans in research. The first study was done at Brooklyn’s Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital in New York. 1 The researchers injected cancer cells into 19 old, debilitated patients to see if their bodies would reject them. The patients were not told what they were being injected with because the resea rchers believed the cells harmless.However, a lawyer who was on the hospital board was upset over the research which led to the state investigating. The second study was done over three years at Willowbrook State School where mentally retarded children were given hepatitis to see if they could then be cured. 2 Then in 1972, the Tuskegee experiment sparked extensive critical media coverage and public outrage. 3 The Tuskegee experiment took place from 1942 to 1972 in Macon County, Alabama. About 400 poor, black men were used under false pretentions by the U.S. Public Health Service. These men were illiterate sharecroppers that were never told what disease they were suffering from or where they give treatment for syphilis. They were deliberately left to degenerate under the ravages of syphilis in the name of research. The public was very sensitive to this type of research due to the publicity that the crimes committed by the Nazi doctors had received. When awareness arose that our own government was capable of carrying out unethical experimentation, fear arose.This led to Federal regulations to express the social values and concerns of the people. The first regulation was the National Research Act in 1974 which established the research proposal with informed consent. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) was also established with this act. The purpose of the IRB is to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects. This is an institution –specific board that is made up of at least 5 individuals of which one must be a nonscientist and one being a member from the public community.To be able to establish the safety and efficacy of a therapy it is necessary to do clinical research. So what is the correct pathway to obtain a patient’s consent in a clinical research project? The National Institute of Health (NIH) requires that clinical testing be done before a product license for that treatment can be given. However, the patient is being put at risk o f any unknown side-effects by taking part in a clinical trial. So how can we protect patients? The strongest protection for patients is his or her consent.According to the NIH website, â€Å"informed consent explains risks and potential benefits about a clinical trial before someone decides whether to participate. †4 When the researcher obtains consent they are respecting the patient and enabling them to self-governing plus upholding the principle of respect for persons. IRBs have been a good standard for ethical research; however with the advancing fields of research in genetics, reproduction, and neurology, it may be time to develop more regulations.There are four basic principles of medical bioethics. These are autonomy, justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence. Autonomy comes from the Ancient Greek which means self-law. It is the ability of an individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision. Justice means to give all persons what is due to them that can refer to tre atment and education. Beneficence refers taking actions that sever the best interests of the patient. And finally, but not least the principle of non-maleficence means to avoid causing harm to the patient.These four principles must be firmly ingrained into the medical research process for the safety and well-being of the patients. As Christians in the medical profession and involved in research we must ensure that we are upholding not only the NIH requirements but also what the Bible teaches us about the sanctity of life. Research is an important part of furthering the well-being of human life but we cannot let it be done at the expense of other humans.As upcoming professionals in the field we need to develop a firm Christian worldview and be not ashamed to stand up for what we know to be moral and ethical. We also need to educate our peers as such as when tainted unethical research is allowed to take place it reflects poorly on the entire medical profession. 1. http://www. columbia . edu/itc/history/rothman/COL476I5027. pdf 2. http://willowbrookstateschool. blogspot. com/p/history. html 3. â€Å"The Deadly Deception†http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ofiOzzfKK84 4. http://www. nih. gov/health/clinicaltrials/glossary. htm
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
PHP vs. ASP Scripting Software Research Paper Essay
ABSTRACT This paper examines the differences between the ASP (Active Server Pages) and PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) scripting languages. Both ASP and PHP are scripting languages that can be used to create dynamic web pages which are capable of interacting and exchanging information with databases. ASP is a Microsoft product, and is used with Internet Information Server (IIS) which runs on Microsoft Servers. PHP was originally designed by Rasmus Lerdorf, and was later modified by various people. As a parsing language, PHP can run both on Unix and Linux servers, and also has a version that runs on an NT server. This paper also discusses the differences in cost, speed, integration of features, speed, additional costs, base language, database connectivity and Platform Compatibility between both languages. This paper also presents some suggestions offer recommendations as to when one of these languages should be preferred over the other, and how efficiency can be maximized in the usage of each of these scripting languages Introduction             ASP and PHP are both website design scripting languages that are processed by backend severs like Apache Server and Windows OS. Apache Server is usually used for PHP and a Windows OS with IIS Server is used to process ASP scripted websites. PHP processed website scripts can also be processed by UNIX OS backend servers, while Window OS IIS backend servers are used to process ASP scripts. ASP.NET is part of the .NET Framework and is the core technology for developing web applications and XML Web Services. ASP.NET is a compiled, .NET-based environment; you can author applications in any .NET compatible language, including Visual Basic .NET, C#, and JScript .NET. Additionally, the entire .NET Framework is available to any ASP.NET application. Developers can easily access the benefits of these technologies, which include the managed common language runtime environment, type safety, inheritance, and so on. .NET developers write Web Parts using Visual Studio.NET 2003. The Web Part Framework is the basis for extensibility in Windows SharePoint Services. It allows developers to write custom components that plug into the SharePoint infrastructure by encapsulating web services and enterprise data as Web Parts. Web Part Pages are special ASP.NET pages which are the building blocks of a Windows SharePoint Services based data driven web site. Web page authors can use Microsoft FrontPage 2003 to leverage Windows SharePoint Services and use the Web Part Framework to easily build data driven web sites using a library of readily available web parts. Microsoft FrontPage 2003 integrates closely with Windows SharePoint Services and is the easiest and the most powerful web site design tool that enables creation of a new category of collaborative, scalable, data driven web sites. (http://www.sharepointcustomization.com/resources/whitepapers/webpartdocs/wp_asp_net.doc)            PHP and ASP are the two best web technologies in use today. In their own ways, they have created trust and market for their product and development environment, although many people are of the opinion that PHP is an all around better choice than ASP.            According to Anstey, â€Å"PHP belongs to a free software community and open source general purpose software which is very easy to use and correct its bugs from the community of developers around the world.†(Anstey 2003). ASP runs on an IIS server and is a free component with the Microsoft windows operating system. ASP offers various useful features like type safety, inheritance, and a managed common language runtime environment.            In a broad sense, PHP is scripting Language, while ASP.NET is a Designing Tool. Also, PHP contains mainly scripting tabs, with a minimum number of controls being used, while ASP.Net has a lot of controls to the designing process.           ASP.NET is a unified Web development platform that provides services necessary for developers to build enterprise-class Web applications. ASP.NET provides programming model and infrastructure for more secure, scalable, and stable applications. ASP.NET is a compiled, .NET based web environment developed in .NET compatible languages like Visual Basic .NET, C#, JScript.NET, etc. Additionally, the entire .NET Framework is available to any ASP.NET application. Developers can easily access the benefits of this technology, which includes the managed common language runtime environment, type safety, and inheritance.             From many views and perspectives, PHP is an overall better choice than ASP. Although both ASP and PHP are languages used to build Dynamic Web sites that can interact with Databases and exchange information. ASP (Active Server Pages) is from Microsoft and is used with IIS (Internet Information Server) that runs on Microsoft Servers. PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is from Rasmus Lerdorf, who originally designed this parsing language which was later modified by different people. It runs on Unix and Linux servers and it also has an NT server version. (Pires, Halstatt 2005. ASP vs. PHP. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php)            The foundation of all Web applications is that they deliver dynamic content over a protocol which by model is stateless. Most of the ASP.NET developments fall in client-server architecture programming model. Minimal points to be considered for a typical web application modeled as client-server architecture are given below. User interface and client environment (Page layout). Data verification, transfer and store. Security. Scalability, reliability and availability of the application. Optimized resource utilization and performance. Handling unpleasant instances gracefully. Navigation.            PHP traces back to the development of Perl and C which emerged quite successfully as a result of the contribution of the various programmers around the globe and as a result of its being an open community. The various versions came out successfully through 1997 to 2004 where the features were added and successfully taken up to cater to the development paradigm of the large scale of internet users.            ASP came handy with Windows 95 with the features of IIS server installed. It was an established standard which takes into account the various databases into consideration and is based on the COM model. The various differences among PHP and ASP make sure that all to a good extent the feature are compiled and carries enough advantage to understand the loopholes and make sure that all the various utilities are enforced well. Differences between PHP and ASP            PHP and ASP depict a large array of differences in the form of various factors. Some differences between ASP and PHP include differences in cost, speed, integration of features, speed, additional costs, base language, database connectivity and Platform Compatibility. Cost             As PHP is not singly owned by any individual or an organization, it does not require purchase before use. â€Å"PHP uses a database technology named MySQL for back-end support. MySQL is also available free of cost.†(DuBois, 2002). The hosting and deployment of PHP webpages into the Linux server is quite affordable and can be done with ease.             â€Å"ASP is synchronized with the Microsoft Windows operating system and comes along with it, thereby bearing the cost of the operating system.†(Glass 2004) Moreover, hosting ASP pages over the internet is expensive and features like email, file uploading and other features are quite expensive at the same time. PHP is free, but ASP is not free. If you want to use ASP, you have to use IIS, and if you want to use IIS, you have to buy Windows. Traditionally, the cost of Windows has been high. Microsoft has been aggressively trying to reduce this factor but they’re hardly going to give Windows away for free. The cost of running an ASP-based website implies a full Windows server platform; development costs are higher, software licenses are expensive and speed, security and flexibility are all sacrificed. (Anstey, M 2003)             To run ASP programs, one needs IIS installed on a Windows platform server, which is not free. PHP programs can run on Linux, which is free. Even the connectivity of the database is expensive in the case of ASP as MS-SQL is a Microsoft product that needs to be purchased. PHP generally uses MySQL, which is freely available.            Many of the tools used in PHP are free of charge and a lot of PHP code can be found in open source forums, because PHP is open source. â€Å"PHP also has inbuilt features like ftp, email from a web page and even encryption mechanisms but such features are not built into ASP, which requires some additional components. Therefore additional costs might be incurred for such components.†(Pires, Halstatt 2005. ASP vs. PHP. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php) Speed            In terms of speed, PHP is faster than ASP, because when the speed of PHP and ASP are compared, PHP would have the upper hand. â€Å"This is due to the fact that PHP code runs faster than ASP. Also, ASP is built on COM based architecture, which is an overhead for the server, whereas PHP code runs in its own memory space.†(Pires, Halstatt 2005. ASP vs. PHP. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php) Integration with operating environments and databases             PHP makes sure that all the operating environments are taken care to its fullest capability and is compatible with Windows, UNIX, Linux, Solaris and others. Its platform dependency format makes sure that all the various compatibility with operating environments makes it quite viable in nature. PHP integrates with the databases like MySQL and others in a great fashion. â€Å"ASP on the other hand is compatible with Windows only and makes sure that Microsoft oriented databases like MSSQL server would be well integrated with it. For other database platforms it requires to download various libraries and components for integration and workability.†(Hull, 2002) Performance             PHP is an interpreted language and make sure that the interpreted nature makes it fast for getting the customization done. The memory requirement of the PHP pages is quite optimizable and runs very fast with the greater understanding of the various features. Database connections of PHP are also quite flexible and make sure that all the various database functionality like stability, transactions, replication, triggers and stored procedures are handled quite well (Merrall, 2000).             ASP on the other hand is a compiled language and the software glitches are quite often not corrected or take a long time to get it done. The compiled nature makes sure that all the various factors like throughput and response time is quite low for the hosted pages. Its exclusivity with Microsoft windows operating system makes it platform independent with regard to various hosting and access problems. PHP offers the best integration of speed and performance, and ensures that all the various promises are met for catering to the web development. ASP is most suitable with the Microsoft platform and makes sure that all the features are captured and managed for the various services. (Zhang, 1999). Base Language           ASP has a type of syntax that resembles Visual Basic, and is closely related to Microsoft products. In contrast, PHP is based on the C++ language, and the syntax used for PHP looks a lot like C/C++ programming syntax. â€Å"C/C++ is still considered the best programming language by many programmers and people who love this language would surely feel more comfortable with the syntax of PHP.†(Pires, Halstatt 2005. ASP vs. PHP. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php) Enhanced capabilities and compatibility               These include file transfer programs and utilities, compression of data, uploading of files, integration of XML an MD5, encryption techniques and email facilities are not included in ASP, even if it does it requires the support of large third party packages installed, which are very easily integrated in PHP. PHP.net (2008) mentions that complex functions like dynamic images, IMAP, SNMP, dynamic flash, PDF, native access to Oracle, Ovrimos, Postgre, Sybase, mSql, MSSQL, Ingres, Interbase and Informix databases, LDAP, and sockets and many others are easily integrated with PHP, â€Å"however it would create a big problem with its integration with ASP. PHP is compatible with various web servers for its functioning however ASP requires it to be easily integrated with only IIS and PWS†as explained by Pires (2005).            PHP programs can run on various platforms like Linux, Unix, Windows and Solaris whereas ASP is mainly associated with Windows platforms. However, ASP can run on a Linux platform with ASP-Apache installed on the server. PHP is based on C++ language and the syntax used in PHP is quite similar to C/C++. C/C++ is still considered the best programming language by many programmers and people who love this language would surely feel more comfortable with the syntax of PHP. ASP on the other hand has a more Visual Basic kind of syntax that again is closely related to only Microsoft products. So, it depends on the individual, and which language he or she is comfortable with.           For Database connectivity, PHP is being extremely flexible, and can connect to various databases, the most popular being MySQL. ASP mainly uses MS-SQL for databases. Conclusion             Although both ASP and PHP are good web server end languages for web development, there are some differences between them that should be considered to ensure that factors like cost, installation, performance, and compatibility issues are economized to the full extent. Both languages have advantages specific to various users. Some would argue that both languages have their own importance, and usage of either ASP or PHP depends on the user’s requirements, the language and the platform in use. â€Å"If a user is looking for some e-commerce application development then ASP is probably the ideal choice. This does not mean that PHP cannot provide e-commerce solutions, but a lot of people tend to choose ASP in such instances.†(Pires, Halstatt 2005). If we talk about developing a discussion board then ASP is equally capable but some people feel that the best discussion boards are developed using PHP.             While PHP offers the best integration of speed and performance, and ensures that most web development requirements are met, ASP is most suitable with the Microsoft platform, and enables features to be captured and managed for various services. References Anstey, Marty (2003). PHP vs ASP. Retrieved 19, February 2008 from             http://marty.anstey.ca/programming/php/articles/ An Architectural Introduction to Web Parts and ASP.NET A Microsoft ® Office FrontPage ®           2003 White Paper. (Retreived from    http://www.sharepointcustomization.com/resources/whitepapers/webpartdocs/wp_asp_net.doc Argence d Ricardo (2008). Web Hosting, PHP vs AS.P. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from            http://articles.topofhosting.com/web-hosting-php-asp.php DuBois, Paul (2002). MySQL Cookbook. O’Reilly, October 2002. Glass, Michael (2004). Beginning PHP, Apache, Hull, Sean (2002). PHP vs. ASP.NET Redux. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from           http://www.oracle.com/technology/pub/columns/hull_php2.html Merrall, Graeme (2000). PHP/MySQL Tutorial MySQL ® Web Development. Wiley Publicizing sons. ISBN: 0-7645-5744-0. PHP.net (2008). See: http://www.php.net/manual/en Pires, Halstatt (2005). ASP vs. PHP. Retrieved 18, February 2008 from           http://www.webpronews.com/expertarticles/2005/12/22/asp-vs-php Zhang, Ying (1999). Web Database Step-by-Step Guide.
Monday, July 29, 2019
Behavior and personality development Essay Example for Free
Behavior and personality development Essay A person’s behavior and attitude at any point of time is the resultant effect of all factors acting on the individual. The factors, each contribute in its own way and at varying levels, having a positive effect, a negative effect, a soothening effect or even a precipitating effect. The individual then reacts as a consequence of all combined effects. There are several parameters involved in the development of behavioral patterns including cognitive-social, biological, emotions, gender, person-situation, culture, ethnicity etc. These factors effect differently, for each individual since the level of perception and understanding is varied. It should be noted here that there may be several other factors too that influence behavior patterns, that have not yet been recognized. The cognition-social perception of an individual plays an important role in the building up of the individual’s personality. Although there is a debate of whether cognition gives rise to emotions or emotions give rise to cognition, the resultant reaction has wide social perceptions. The term ‘cognition’ in emotion elicitation includes all simple sensory information processing to very complex processing. The emotion – cognition – interaction is the study on the integrative aspects of research in emotion, cognition and the interaction between the two. The complex association between emotion and cognition is analyzed using knowledge and methods from the separate fields of research. Emotions are not always associated with facial expressions. Face recognition and object recognition are performed through different functions by different areas within the brain. Several disorders like alexia, prosopagnosia and visual agnosia develop when recognition process is impaired. Social cognition attempts to relate personal-social development with intellectual development. The process of cognitive development occurs through four universal stages of infancy; toddler and early childhood; elementary and early adolescence; and, adolescence and adulthood. The development in each stage is associated with an increased level of thinking. Cognition is an important aspect of behavior development. An individual perceives a situation based on his cognitive inputs and responds appropriately. Thus feelings of sadness, happiness, anger, guilt etc. , are produced as a result of cognition. As for me, I don’t tolerate anyone talking to me in a high pitch or commanding tone. In such cases, I deliberately don’t cooperate, even if the speaker wants to help or oblige me. Gender too plays an important role in social developments. Women have been traditionally expected to perform their domestic family roles as obedient wives and daughters. They were mainly more perceived to be sexual objects in a male dominated society, with primary interests in homemaking and caring, till the end of the century. This indifference in sociology can be mainly attributed to men’s identity as the dominant social player associated with force of character while women are associated with their weaknesses and passive role. The relationship between crime and gender has been immense throughout the long period of offence observation. Men and women have differing offence rates and offence patterns, both as offenders and as victims. The opportunities and capabilities of men and women for crime are different, which is reflected in their crime pattern. The sex of offenders has always been recorded throughout the history of criminal record keeping. Lady police officers and corrections officers are also needed to tune in, to fit into the gendered criminal justice system, although their lives are very different from that of women offenders or victims. Women were allowed to take up positions of police patrol officers and corrections officers only in the 1970s. This too was achieved through several legislative changes and civil rights movements. While positions have been opened for women in the male dominated fields like policing and corrections, women are faced with challenges as to what are appropriate or not appropriate women activities, given their traditional attitude on such activities. The social role of women had been had been largely restricted, although the situation has changed considerably. However gender based perception, attitude and reaction to situations persist. I am particularly careful in my dealings with women, because I find it difficult to convince them compared to men, although they don’t argue or threaten like men. It has been established by biocriminology that heredity and body organ dysfunctions can induce an inclination in social interaction. Modern researches indicate that chromosomal abnormalities, hormonal and brain chemical imbalances, diet, drugs and alcohol are factors that contribute to aggressive and criminal behavior. The hormone ‘testosterone’ in men has been identified as the main cause of aggression and crime committed by most men. Several case studies indicate that certain foods or food constituents induce neuropsychological disorders in the form of allergic or pharmacologic reactions which may even lead to chemical imbalances in the brain, resulting in behavioral disorders. Adoption and twin studies too indicate that genetic influences play a major role in development of criminal behavior. Molecular genetic investigations and epidemiological studies suggest that criminal activity may be genetically linked to mental abnormality. Prenatal disturbances or altered normal fetal development due to maternal smoking in pregnancy period is linked to violent offsprings. Reading deficits are sometimes developed in impulsive aggressive people, which could be attributed to their early school experiences. Here, impulsive and aggressive acts are caused due to inability in discriminating visual information during social situations. Biology is an important determinant of behavior and social response. Although I don’t perceive any behavior type as due to any specific food pattern, I do believe that group behavior or specific instincts of groups has to do with their biological response. Cultural differences and its influence on behavior have been extensively studied by behavioral scientists mainly during the 1940s and the 1960s. Cross-cultural psychology is very important in understanding the psychological framework of inter personal behavior. Interpersonal behavior is a vital aspect of human daily activity and is greatly influenced by culture. In recent times, this relationship between culture and individual behavior is more explored through empirical studies rather than historical or philosophical enquiries. Findings of such studies indicate that culture moulds and defines individual attitude as much as it determines our values, our ways of thinking and our social relationships. Culture is in fact a major criteria in the determination of human behavior. Culture together with the physical environment represent one of the two important external factors that mould human behavior. These factors in combination with internal influential factors of biological and psychological aspects constitute the main determinants of human behavior. Culture is inhibited by both internal and external representations. External representation of culture is seen in institutions of education, politics, religion and economy while it is internally represented through values, worldviews, beliefs etc. All these forces act simultaneously on an individual at any given point of time. Perhaps most of the conflict and confrontation in today’s world may be attributed to cultural differences. Clash of cultures and adherence to rigid cultural beliefs, keeps up tension between communities. A mutual respect and understanding of each others culture and values is essential for the upliftment of any society. I find it difficult to live a normal life where cultural tolerance is not practiced. I personally feel that culture intolerance is a sign of undeveloped cultures. The individual at any point of time is also subject to a given situation. It is this simultaneous interaction of the person and the situation, which ultimately derives the behavior. Therefore, behavior can be described as a person-situation interaction, which is under continuous adjustment. Normal or abnormal behavior is a continuous response to the person-situation forces. The attitude and behavior of mankind is influenced by several factors, which cannot be predicted or explained using any particular theory. These include cognition, biological, behaviorist, cognitive-social, existential-humanistic, person-situation, and gender, cultural and ethnicity. It must also be understood that similar factors cannot influence everyone to the same level. A combination of several such factors may perhaps explain a particular behavior pattern. Although the role of the parameters in the development of the behavior pattern is known, we cannot conclude that all factors contributing to the same have been identified, nor the level of contribution of each factor. Newer research needs to be done on the subject, to determine further influences, given the fact that technology and lifestyle are constantly evolving. Behavior and personality development. (2016, Oct 31). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Universal Design for Learning As It Applies to Early Childhood Special Essay
Universal Design for Learning As It Applies to Early Childhood Special Education - Essay Example Universal design for learning does not offer single solution however, it is a combination of various approaches designed to meet the requirements of children with different kinds of disabilities. One of the major challenges that the universal design for learning faces is the concept of inclusion. Inclusion refers to innovative forms of teaching methods in a regular classroom setup that caters to the educational requirements of the children with disabilities. This method does not involve the movement of children in a set up that offers these services rather it brings these innovative methods of teaching in a regular classroom set up. This new form of teaching ensures that all children attain education equally and understand the contents of the syllabus more effectively. There is lot of controversy about inclusion of universal design for learning in a regular classroom setup. Some consider that it is not a good practice to enforce inclusion on all children while others consider it most appropriate since it meets the requirements of all children irrespective of their disabilities. The educational institutions are recognizing the need for identifying innovative methods of education service delivery. These new techniques of teaching practices will help in imparting equal opportunity of education for the disabled children. ... Moreover, it is not ethical to enforce a certain kind of teaching to students in order to cater the needs of certain segment of students. Since new challenges emerge everyday for the teacher in teaching the disabled children, there has to be reforms made in the field of education. There are both positive and negative impacts of inclusion of the universal design for learning on the current education system. Hence, a holistic understanding of this issue is required in providing effective education to both the categories of children. The proposed study will investigate the students and teachers concepts and beliefs about universal design for learning and the data will be generated using qualitative research method. Artifacts, simple observation and interviews will be the main strategies utilized to generate data. The data generated will be analyzed on an ongoing basis so that new ideas emerge from the data accumulated. This study will be of utmost importance to the children with disabilities and without it. It will also be relevant to the special educators and general teachers. Literary review According to Doty, a strong supporter of Universal design for learning recommends that it should be implemented for all children in a classroom. All the children have different ways of learning. Universal design for learning will provide a broader opportunity of learning to children with disabilities and without it. [Jaehnert, O Malley and Robinson, n. d]. The concept of educational equality can only be attained from a regular classroom setup by introducing universal method of learning. There are teachers who are implementing this technique of teaching
Lives and Path of Development of Johann Sebastian Bach and Pyotr Essay
Lives and Path of Development of Johann Sebastian Bach and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Essay Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that if we carefully study lives and path of development of musicians, we will find that they not only have incorporated the elements of musical mastermind in their works but at the same time one of the main reasons that their works have survived the onslaught of time that they have incorporated their respective philosophies of life in their works. This is, perhaps, the most important reason that as we listen to their compositions we receive a unique boost to live as well as aspire for the enlightened future. In this context, it will not be much irrelevant if we focus over the development of two musicians to their musical maturity, it will be easy for us to understand that how they have developed as a genius and how they have inspired the tradition of musical maturity from a global perspective with their genius. Johann Sebastian Bach is one of the most influential figures in the history of world music and the tradition of baroque music was greatly influenced by the musical mastermind of this great genius. Albert Schweitzer, while evaluating over the appeal of Bach, has commented, â€Å"We argue about absolute music, tone-painting, programme music and tone-language as about actual fundamental problems, and think it a matter for historians only that tendencies toward tone-painting, programme music, or avowed musical narration were noticeable in Italian, German and French music as early as the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. However, primitive the pictorial and poetic music of the two or three generations before Bach may have been, in respect of their means and possibilities of expression, we can see in it the same instincts and pretensions as in the most modern and most subtilized programme music of a Liszt or a Strauss.â€
Saturday, July 27, 2019
Short answers about Introduction to Political Economy Essay - 1
Short answers about Introduction to Political Economy - Essay Example y of scale, extensive spending on irrecoverable costs over time, taking political actions to exclude competitors, having exclusive ownership/delivery of a specific resource or service, and receiving a legal grant to exercise domination over a market. 3. Companies are motivated to compete with each other by influences such as potential market gains and the economic power that may result. Competition can also produce benefits by casting innovation and advancement as necessities, rather than gratuities. Collusion is a tempting option for companies, especially in markets where only a few businesses tend to dominate. Collusion can result from regular conference calls that necessitate inter-corporate strategizing, can be a means of controlling wages, and allows participants to benefit from the resulting price stability. 4. The regulation of trade presents potential benefits, as well as concessions. Restrictions help to protect companies from competition, particularly on an international basis. However, as a consequence of this security, the spread of unfair policies that favor domestic businesses will surely pose as a barrier to global commerce. Another problem is that markets would become limited as less resources were available due to regulations. 5. Capture theory refers to the tendency for government market regulation agencies to act in the interest of the industry they regulate, rather than the consumers. The result is that the agency head essentially becomes the president of a pseudo-monopoly. The public-interest theory states that the government needs to step in and regulate industry due to the likelihood of the public struggling without guidance, and that this supervision is in the best interest of the people. 6. The ten planks of the communist manifesto include: 1) Abolish private ownership of land, 2) heavily progressive tax system, 3) dismissal of inheritance rights, 4) seizing the property of all dissenters, 5) exclusive government monopoly of credit and
Friday, July 26, 2019
Company's background(finance) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Company's background(finance) - Essay Example s that are targeted to final consumers and hence it requires understanding of the customers and also its products so as to evaluate the value of the company. It can be hard because apple has many competitors in the various industries it ventures (Lashinsky, 2006). The company has a good reputation to the consumers. It is due to the aesthetics that the company uses in the designing of its products and also a good advertising campaign. The common character of the company is its good customer relations in the services they offer such as media and also mobile communication. The company has also improved on the technology used in personal computing as well as digital music players (Cruikshank, 2006). The various industries that apple have ventured in also includes the software industry. It offers third-party software and also hardware products. The primary products of the company include the iPad, iTunes, operating system software, Mac, iPhone, iCloud, software and application software (Lashinsky,
Thursday, July 25, 2019
CATEGORIES OF DISABILITIES Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
CATEGORIES OF DISABILITIES - Assignment Example s for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the frequency of autism in the United States is 1 out of every 68 children (Bakken, Obiakor, and Rotatori 37). This translates into 1 out of every 42 boys and 1 out of every in 189 girls. According to IDEA, deaf-blindness means simultaneous visual and hearing handicaps, the mix of which results in such serious communication and other academic and growth needs that the affected child cannot fit in special academic programs meant for children with visual or hearing handicaps (Mamlin 35). IDEA defines deafness as a hearing handicap so serious that a child is limited in interpreting linguistic information via hearing, with or without sound intensification, which negatively affects the academic ability of a child (Doyle 107). This is a condition marked by the following attributes: a learning problem that cannot be rationalized by sensory, medical, or intellectual issues; an inability to establish or sustain good interpersonal relationships with teachers and other classmates; a general ubiquitous feeling o depression or melancholy; inappropriate emotions or types of conduct in normal situations; and a habit of developing physical traits or phobias related to personal or academic problems (Colker 47). These attributes are displayed over a long period and to a considerable extent that detrimentally affects the academic performance of a child. This definition includes schizophrenia but is inapplicable to socially maladjusted children, unless it is verified that they are emotionally disturbed. 8.3 million children (14.5 percent) between the ages of four and seventeen have parents who have consulted healthcare providers or academic personnel about their emotional or behavioral challenges (Colker 109). Doctors have prescribed drugs for these problems for around 2.9 million. This disability is defined as a handicap in hearing, whether intermittent or permanent, that has a regressive effect on the educational ability of a child,
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
POLITICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
POLITICS - Essay Example (2003) political ideas and ideologies can act as a kind of social cement, which in turn could provide social groups with a set of unifying beliefs and values. In this regard one could consider that governments are set up to help provide a relatively unified set of codes by witch to govern a society. In the American context one could present the argument that the ‘First Continental Congress’ which was a meeting of twelve of the thirteen original colonies which banded together to present grievances to the British Monarchy was the original congress. However it was the second continental congress which met again in 1776 which declared the colonies free, effectively beginning the American Revolution and in turn was the entirety of the United States government. According to English (2003) it is the case that the original congress held such responsibilities as directing the war, commerce, the enforcement of laws, however they were not free to collect taxes and held the key distinction of allowing the independent colonies (States) the ability to remain sovereign and as such they would effectively be free to ignore any legislation passed by congress. As one would naturally assume, this system was rife with flaws. In this regard a kind of compromise was made in which a house of representatives was established in which officials would be elected directly by the people based on the population of the states and the senate would provide a type of equal representation by the state regardless of population. Now it is the case according to Davidson et al. (2006) that the United States congress has a number of direct powers identified in the United States Constitution however there are a number of implied powers which owe their nature to the Necessary and Proper clause. In general the congress handles affairs pertaining to the setting and collection of taxes, defense, the paying of debts, regulation of commerce, the establishment of courts (lower than the Supreme Court). It
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Application of Qualitative Research Methods Paper
Application of Qualitative Methods - Research Paper Example The problem was highlighted by the fact that the society was not investing in any effort aimed at addressing the problem. Algebra is a basic component of mathematics. The subject is important in producing individuals who can solve important problems in the society. Consequently, it is a key indicator of the competitiveness of the American workforce. It is crucial to consider that stakeholders are concerned that the United States of is being left behind by other countries in producing a workforce that can survive and thrive in the changing global economy. The objective of the study is to determine the extent of algebra problems in the the American society. Consequently, the research will reveal the causes for the poor performance. Understanding the underlying causes will provide a significant opportunity to implement appropriate intervention measures. The second objective is to formulate corrective measures that will address the problem. The third objective is to produce information that can be used by policy makers in order to create effective policy measures to address the problem. A researcher can then conduct interviews and surveys. Surveys will provide an opportunity to evaluate any differencies and similiarties in diverse populations (Jansen, 2010). Phenomenology and field research are also appropriate. Phenomonolgy involves observing subjects in their natural setting. In addition, individual interviews will be conducted in an effort to develop a global understanding of the problem. Interviews and focus groups are effective in collecting accurate information because they provide an opportunity for the researcher to interact with the participant (Gill, Stewart, Treasure & Chadwick, 2008). The researcher will also make personal observations in learning institutions. The approach will enable them to understand the attitude of the students and educators towards the subject and their impact on performance (Dowker, Bennett & Smith,
Developing Promotional Strategies for Horticultural Products Essay Example for Free
Developing Promotional Strategies for Horticultural Products Essay INTRODUCTION. The horticulture sub-sector of agriculture in Kenya has grown in the last decade to become a major foreign exchange earner, employer and contributor to food needs in the country. Currently the horticulture industry is the fastest growing agricultural subsector in the country and is ranked third in terms of foreign exchange earnings from exports after tourism and tea. Fruits, vegetable and cut flower production are the main aspects of horticultural production in Kenya. In this write up, the horticultural products I will focus on are coriander, courgettes, cabbage, kales, spinach, indigenous vegetables like ‘terere’ and ‘managu’, ginger, garlic, tomatoes and onions. These products will be directly sourced from my farm in Kitengela. IDENTIFICATION OF THE INNATE ANS ACQUIRED NEEDS According to Boyd (2010) humans become motivated when a need is aroused that they have a desire to satisfy. These needs can be physiological also known as innate e.g need for food, water, sex and cloths or they could be acquired needs which are learnt in response to an individual’s culture or surroundings e.g need for affection, self esteem or prestige. The above mentioned horticultural products are food products that satisfy needs in the first level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs i.e the physiological needs. Moreover, through the right packaging and promotion of these products, the acquired needs will be satisfied. THE PROMOTIONAL STRATEGIES BASED ON THESE NEEDS Organizations use promotion to communicate with customers about products they offer because promotion is one half of the communication process with customers. It works co-operatively with market research in an iterative feedback loop so that the constantly changing requirements of users are met by promotional activities that target or even anticipate these expressed needs. Promotion involves making sure that customers are aware of the products that the organization makes available to them. The objective of my promotional strategy is to provide information about my products, increase demand for these products and to differentiate the product. I will design different advertising messages to be placed in certain magazines like healthy eating magazines as well as Saturday Nation newspaper magazine and television advertisment. Moreover, through the social media i.e twitter and face book I will advertise my products. These adverts will focus on the benefits that clients will get on consump tion of my products. The advert will be designed in such a way that it brings out the different innate and acquired needs that will be met. People have to eat and eat good food that is well presented, I will therefore, do word of mouth advertising and attend networking forums for horticultural products e.g the annual horticultural exhibitions says Wu (2012). As I display my products, I will ensure they are well packaged in clean, labeled packages so that as my purchase my products they are satisfied with the packaging thus meeting both their innate and acquired needs. According to Stern and Adel (1988), word-of-mouth is one of the most credible forms of advertising because people who dont stand to gain personally by promoting something put their reputations on the line every time they make a recommendation. In the utilization of word of mouth advertising, I will incorporate brand advocates in this word of mouth ad. I will use personal selling as well. This will be one to one communication with a potential buyer. In this case the potential buyers I will focus on for personal selling are the restaurants, schools, hospitals and hotels. I will therefore, employ the use of sales men and use experiential marketing in this case. I will hire a tele-marketing researcher who will make follow up calls to clients who purchase my products to get their feedback on areas that I need to improve on as the researcher identifies their unspoken needs as well as their spoken needs. REFERENCES Boyd, J.C (2010). Consumer Psychology. England:Open University Press. Stern .L. W. Adel I. E.(1988) Marketing Channels. Englewood Cliffs, N. J.: Prentice Hall Inc. Wu, J. M ( 2012) Consumer Perception of quality for horticultural products and related agricultural practices. Ontario:Guelph.
Monday, July 22, 2019
Strategy Formulation Essay Example for Free
Strategy Formulation Essay Basic strategic planning is comprised of several components that build upon the previous piece of the plan, and operates much like a flow chart. However, prior to embarking on this process, it is important to consider the players involved. There must be a commitment from the highest office in the organizational hierarchy. Without buy-in from the head of a company, it is unlikely that other members will be supportive in the planning and eventual implementation process, thereby dooming the plan before it ever takes shape. Commitment and support of the strategic-planning initiative must spread from the president and/or CEO all the way down through the ranks to the line worker on the factory floor. Just as importantly, the strategic-planning team should be composed of top-level managers who are capable of representing the interests, concerns, and opinions of all members of the organization. As well, organizational theory dictates that there should be no more than twelve members of the team. This allows group dynamics to function at their optimal level. The components of the strategic-planning process read much like a laundry list, with one exception: each piece of the process must be kept in its sequential order since each part builds upon the previous one. This is where the similarity to a flow chart is most evident, as can be seen in the following illustration. The only exceptions to this are environmental scanning and continuous implementation, which are continuous processes throughout. This article will now focus on the discussion of each component of the formulation process: environmental scanning, continuous implementation, values assessment, vision and mission formulation, strategy design, performance audit analysis, gap analysis, action-plan development, contingency planning, and final implementation. After that, this article will discuss a Japanese variation to Strategy Formulation, Hoshin Planning, which has become very popular. ENVIRONMENTAL SCANNING This element of strategy formulation is one of the two continuous processes. Consistently scanning its surroundings serves the distinct purpose of allowing a company to survey a variety of constituents that affect its performance, and which are necessary in order to conduct subsequent pieces of the planning process. There are several specific areas that should be considered, including the overall environment, the specific industry itself, competition, and the internal environment of the firm. The resulting consequence of regular inspection of the environment is that an organization readily notes changes and is able to adapt its strategy accordingly. This leads to the development of a real advantage in the form of accurate responses to internal Figure 1 Strategic Planning Process  and external stimuli so as to keep pace with the competition. CONTINUOUS IMPLEMENTATION The idea behind this continual process is that each step of the planning process requires some degree of implementation before the next stage can begin. This naturally dictates that all implementation cannot be postponed until completion of the plan, but must be initiated along the way. Implementation procedures specific to each phase of planning must be completed during that phase in order for the next stage to be started. VALUES ASSESSMENT All business decisions are fundamentally based on some set of values, whether they are personal or organizational values. The implication here is that since the strategic plan is to be used as a guide for daily decision making, the plan itself should be aligned with those personal and organizational values. To delve even further, a values assessment should include an in-depth analysis of several elements: personal values, organizational values, operating philosophy, organization culture, and stakeholders. This allows the planning team to take a macro look at the organization and how it functions as a whole. Strategic planning that does not integrate a values assessment into the process is sure to encounter severe implementation and functionality problems if not outright failure. Briefly put, form follows function; the form of the strategic plan must follow the functionality of the organization, which is a direct result of organizational values and culture. If any party feels that his or her values have been neglected, he or she will not adopt the plan into daily work procedures and the benefits will not be obtained. VISION AND MISSION FORMULATION This step of the planning process is critical in that is serves as the foundation upon which the remainder of the plan is built. A vision is a statement that identifies where an organization wants to be at some point in the future. It functions to provide a company with directionality, stress management, justification and quantification of resources, enhancement of professional growth, motivation, standards, and succession planning. Porrus and Collins (1996) point out that a well-conceived vision consists of two major components: a core ideology and the envisioned future. A core ideology is the enduring character of an organization; it provides the glue that holds an organization together. It itself is composed of core values and a core purpose. The core purpose is the organizations entire reason for being. The envisioned future involves a conception of the organization at a specified future date inclusive of its aspirations and ambitions. It includes the BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal), which a company typically reaches only 50 to 70 percent of the time. This envisioned future gives vividly describes specific goals for the organization to reach. The strategic results of a well formulated vision include the survival of the organization, the focus on productive effort, vitality through the alignment of the individual employees and the organization as a whole, and, finally, success. Once an agreed-upon vision is implemented, it is time to move on to the creation of a mission statement. An explicit mission statement ensures the unanimity of purpose, provides the basis for resource allocation, guides organizational climate and culture, establishes organizational boundaries, facilitates accountability, and facilitates control of cost, time, and performance. When formulating a mission statement, it is vital that it specifies six specific elements, including the basic product or service, employee orientation, primary market(s), customer orientation, principle technologies, and standards of quality. With all of these elements incorporated, a mission statement should still remain short and memorable. For example, the mission statement of the American Red Cross, reads: The mission of the American Red Cross is to improve the quality of human life; to enhance self-reliance and concern for others; and to help people avoid, prepare for, and cope with emergencies. Other functions of a mission statement include setting the bounds for development of company philosophy, values, aspirations, and priorities (policy); establishing a positive public image; justifying business operations; and providing a corporate identity for internal and external stakeholders. STRATEGY DESIGN This section of strategy formulation involves the preliminary layout of the detailed paths by which the company plans to fulfill its mission and vision. This step involves four major elements: identification of the major lines of business (LOBs), establishment of critical success indicators (CSIs), identification of strategic thrusts to pursue, and the determination of the necessary culture. A line of business is an activity that produces either dramatically different products or services or that are geared towards very different markets. When considering the addition of a new line of business, it should be based on existing core competencies of the organization, its potential contribution to the bottom line, and its fit with the firms value system. The establishment of critical success factors must be completed for the organization as a whole as well as for each line of business. A critical success indicator is a gauge by which to measure the progress toward achieving the companys m ission. In order to serve as a motivational tool, critical success indicators must be accompanied by a target year (i.e. 1999, 1999–2002, etc.). This also allows for easy tracking of the indicated targets. These indicators are typically a mixture of financial figures and ratios (i.e. return on investment, return on equity, profit margins, etc.) and softer indicators such as customer loyalty, employee retention/turnover, and so on. Strategic thrusts are the most well-known methods for accomplishing the mission of an organization. Generally speaking, there are a handful of commonly used strategic thrusts, which have been so aptly named grand strategies. They include the concentration on existing products or services; market/product development; concentration on innovation/technology; vertical/horizontal integration; the development of joint ventures; diversification; retrenchment/turnaround (usually through cost reduction); and divestment/liquidation (known as the final solution). Finally, in designing strategy, it is necessary to determine the necessary culture with which to support the achievement of the lines of business, cr itical success indicators, and strategic thrusts. Harrison and Stokes (1992) defined four major types of organizational cultures: power orientation, role orientation, achievement orientation, and support orientation. Power orientation is based on the inequality of access to resources, and leadership is based on strength from those individuals who control the organization from the top. Role orientation carefully defines the roles and duties of each member of the organization; it is a bureaucracy. The achievement orientation aligns people with a common vision or purpose. It uses the mission to attract and release the personal energy of organizational members in the pursuit of common goals. With a support orientation, the organizational climate is based on mutual trust between the individual and the organization. More emphasis is placed on people being valued more as human beings rather than employees. Typically an organization will choose some mixture of these or other predefined culture roles that it feels is suitable in helping it to achieve is mission and the other components of strategy design. PERFORMANCE AUDIT ANALYSIS Conducting a performance audit allows the organization to take inventory of what its current state is. The main idea of this stage of planning is to take an in-depth look at the companys internal strengths and weaknesses and its external opportunities and threats. This is commonly called a SWOT analysis. Developing a clear understanding of resource strengths and weaknesses, an organizations best opportunities, and its external threats allows the planning team to draw conclusions about how to best allocate resources in light of the firms internal and external situation. This also produces strategic thinking about how to best strengthen the organizations resource base for the future. Looking internally, there are several key areas that must be analyzed and addressed. This includes identifying the status of each existing line of business and unused resources for prospective additions; identifying the status of current tracking systems; defining the organizations strategic profile; listing the available resources for implementing the strategic thrusts that have been selected for achieving the newly defined mission; and an examining the current organizational culture. The external investigation should look closely at competitors, suppliers, markets and customers, economic trends, labor-market conditions, and governmental regulations. In conducting this query, the information gained and used must reflect a current state of affairs as well as directions for the future. The result of a performance audit should be the establishment of a performance gap, that is, the resultant gap between the current performance of the organization in relation to its performance targets. To close this gap, the planning team must conduct what is known as a gap analysis, the next step in the strategic planning process. GAP ANALYSIS A gap analysis is a simple tool by which the planning team can identify methods with which to close the identified performance gap(s). All too often, however, planning teams make the mistake of making this step much more difficult than need be. Simply, the planning team must look at the current state of affairs and the desired future state. The first question that must be addressed is whether or not the gap can feasibly be closed. If so, there are two simple questions to answer: What are we doing now that we need to stop doing? and What do we need to do that we are not doing? In answering these questions and reallocating resources from activities to be ceased to activities to be started, the performance gap is closed. If there is doubt that the initial gap cannot be closed, then the feasibility of the desired future state must be reassessed. Collins, James C., and Jerry I. Porras. Building Your Companys Vision. Harvard Business Review, September-October 1996, 65–90. Goldstein, Leonard D., Timothy M. Nolan, and J. William Pfeiffer. Applied Strategic Planning: How to Develop a Plan that Really Works. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1993. Harrison, Roger, and Herb Stokes. Diagnosing Organizational Culture. San Francisco: Pfeiffer, 1992. King, Bob. Hoshin Planning: the Developmental Approach. Methuen, MA: GOAL/QPC, 1989. Mellum, Mara Minerva, and Casey Collett. Breakthrough Leadership: Achieving Organizational Alignment through Hoshin Planning. Chicago: American Hospital Publishers, Inc., 1995.
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Business Process Management Experience Business Essay
Business Process Management Experience Business Essay A study published by Gartner (Gartner: Michael James Melenovsky / Jim Sinur / Janelle B. Hill / David W. McCoy, Business Process Management: Preparing for the Process-Managed Organization, 2005) defines Business Process Management (BPM) as follows: BPM is a management practice that provides for governance of a businesss process environment toward the goal of improving agility and operational performance. BPM is a structured approach employing methods, policies, metrics, management practices and software tools to manage and continuously optimize an organizations activities and processes. My learning experience on business process management started in the early years of my career when I worked as programmer and subsequently a project manager with a local software house (See CV Aug 1981 Aug 1994). I spent many years working in the development, implementation and management of an insurance package for a number of insurance agencies in Malta. Working closely with insurance personnel to understand their pain areas and their business requirements gave me a very good knowledge and insight on the insurance business, and helped me develop my interpersonal and communication skills. Analysing their working practices, identifying areas of improvements and making recommendations for automation developed my analytical skills. This experience was further reinforced when I attended a one-year study course with examination (See CV Training 1985 to 1986) for the attainment of an analysis and design diploma and a graduate membership with the Institution of Analysts and Programmers. Good formal training on internationally-renowned systems analysis and design methodologies, held in the nineties (E.g. SSADM, DSDM, BPR), further strengthened my skills and knowledge in process modelling and business analysis. This also taught me how to intelligently select a variety of techniques and approaches to be used in tackling different kinds of situations. I consider this training as a turning-point in my career because, through it, I discovered a profound interest in structured methodologies, which I continued developing over the years and still at it after thirty years. The in-depth knowledge in structured methodologies acquired in the previous years also turned me into a highly structured individual with good organisational skills who can organise himself and others. In 2005, as Information Systems Strategist at Air Malta, I proposed the setting up of a business process improvement function within my sphere of responsibilities. This recommendation was accepted. Over the next two years I worked on two assignments, namely, the reorganisation of the Airlines Commercial Division, and the Tour Operator Contract Management business process (See AOL1 Project Management Pg 2). A few months ago, in my role as Head of IT at APS Bank, I made recommendations to set up a new BPM unit in order to initiate a number of change programmes that would focus on improving the Banks working practices and introduce further automation. The recommendations were accepted and a change programme set in motion. In this AOL, I will demonstrate the use of my skills and knowledge in the creation of a business process management function at APS Bank and my experiences on the first change projects. Learning Trail My knowledge on business process management has developed over the years throughout a mix of implicit and explicit learning, formal training and on-the-job working experiences. The following is a diagram depicting my learning trail in business process management: Diagram 1: BPM Learning Trail Skills and Activities The following is a table highlighting the skills and relevant activities covered in this AOL: Skills Activities Gaining Organisational Adoption Establish Banks BPM readiness Research best practices Gain buy-in for adoption of new idea Setting up a Business Process Management Competency Centre Establish the organisation structure and services to be offered Select a methodology and toolset Establish a programme of works Deliver a BPM programme Execute a pilot project Execute the first project Promote first achievements and good results Formation of a BPM Competency Centre at APS Bank Gaining Organisational Adoption: APS Bank is relatively small in size and client base when compared to other local banks, but has a niche market and a rich banking history spanning over a hundred years of successful operation. My direct involvement in the preparation of the Banks IT strategy and its business strategy (See AOL 2 IT Strategy Definition), gave me a fairly good insight in its business model and working practices. When I looked at the evolution of the Bank over the past hundred years; its transformation into a commercial bank a few years ago; its fast growth rate; and the findings of a situational analysis; it became apparent that this fast change and constant evolution created operational silos and inefficient working practices. To me, these factors clearly indicated that the Bank needed urgent re-engineering to streamline and standardise its business processes; to realign the organisation structure; and to introduce automation to support this change. It was the perfect site for the adoption of Business Process Management (BPM). As Head of IT I firmly believed that reengineering a business process prior to automating it would be extremely beneficial, because the resultant computer-system would represent a streamlined and efficient process legacy working practices, duplication and redundant steps would be eliminated before embarking on systems development. I decided to research and explore the best possible approach to use in order to build up business process management capabilities within the IT Division. I was concerned about the Banks readiness to accept this culture change. I was aware that introducing and practicing BPM would bring about significant changes and possibly resistance to change. Having researched the subject, I discovered Gartners Enterprise Personality Profile (EPP) method to assess the Banks readiness for this change (Gartner: Elise Olding, Bill Rosser, Getting Started with BPM, Part 1: Assessing Readiness, Pg 3, 2007). On evaluation, I concluded that the Bank could be classified as a Cultural Moderate, whose definition by Gartner is: Cultural moderates operate in a more stable but sometimes disjointed fashion; they tend to seek parity with other enterprises. I could relate to this definition, because of the Banks: (i) operational silos; (ii) conservative outlook and low risk appetite; and (iii) tendency to follow market leaders and rarely venture forward into becoming innovators. The Gartner study also recommended that Moderates are more likely to respond to projec ts that will offer competitive advantage such as improved customer service. I used the results of this assessment to mould my next steps in obtaining organisational adoption. Subsequently, I also used this new knowledge whilst preparing the annual programme of works. The experiences and skills I had acquired in my previous jobs with MITTS Ltd when I set up a Rapid Application Development Unit (See CV Jan 1996 Aug 2000); an Information Management Unit; and an Enterprise Architecture Unit (See CV Sep 2001 Aug 2004); were extremely helpful. The aggregation of positive and negative experiences encountered during these assignments gave me a proved and tested approach to use in the creation of this new unit. My next step was to research approaches used in similar situations by my peers in the industry. I used Gartner research material and found tons of information on the subject. It was comforting to see that my approach was pretty close to the mark. I collected all the information I required and prepared a PowerPoint presentation that provided the rationale behind my recommendation to set up this new function. I then started my usual lobbying grand tour of influential people within the Bank. The first difficult milestone was to convince the CEO, who is a very thorough person whose focus on efficiency, discipline and achieving business results are high on his agenda. I therefore focused my presentation on the current situation and the added value that the new unit would bring. The CEO was interested in this new concept and instructed me to bring it up for discussion at the Executive Management Committee. I used the same presentation at the Executive Management Committee, but the results were different. Some heads felt that BPM was an invasive and meddling exercise in their methods of working they had difficulties accepting external parties telling them whats wrong and how to do things. Other heads questioned the need for any improvements to the current business processes. Others were concerned at their required level of involvement during a BPM project. In short, I realised that I had made a mistake I had rushed into this without having carried out the appropriate level of lobbying with the individual heads before meeting them collectively in a group I had not used my experience and intrinsic learning I had previously acquired. In the following weeks I had to make some corrections and therefore changed tact. In other meetings that followed, I emphasised on some key areas to try and convince the heads that this was good for the company, because: (i) the BPM Unit is to be considered as a consultant that provides re-engineering services to the Head and his division it is not an internal audit; (ii) the Head and his division will rarely ever have the time and opportunity to dedicate weeks of effort to reassess their working practices the BPM unit can do that for them; (iii) every decision or proposed change will be carried out with the division the BPM unit are only facilitators; and (iv) any move to change has to be fully authorised by the Head of the division. This painful but important exercise, that should have been carried out previously, was relatively successful the Executive Management Committee cautiously bought into the concept. My recommendation to set up the new BPM Unit was adopted by the Bank and placed as one of my targets in the new Business Plan. It was now important to tread carefully in the first one or two BPM projects in order to ensure full buy-in. Setting up a BPM Competency Centre: Two years previously, I had set up a unit within the IT Division (i.e. Client Services Unit), to act as a buffer between IT and its internal business clients. This unit is staffed by ex-business personnel who understood the Banks working practices; could speak the same language as their business clients; and who could therefore show empathy towards their business colleagues. Reviewing, understanding and proposing changes to working practices required a good doze of knowledge on banking. I therefore found it suitable and logical to set up the new BPM function under the umbrella of the above mentioned Unit. The objective was to ensure that BPM personnel inherit the mindset of customer care and relationship building. I did not want to start big, so I recruited two bank personnel who had a good mix of banking knowledge, as well as, a good IT know-how. The next step was to research, select and establish a methodology and a toolset that would eventually be used to deliver BPM projects. I consider the use and knowledge of methodologies to be one of my core competencies. In the nineties, I attended a number of good training study courses in methods, such as Systems Development and Design Methodologies (SSADM) and the Dynamic Systems Development Method (DSDM now known as Agile) (See Relevant Training Courses below). I have also acquired solid hands-on experience in the use of these methods, especially during the period 1990 to 1994, when I worked on large projects in the insurance and oil industries (See CV Jan 1990 Aug 1994). Therefore, establishing and documenting an initial approach to be used for BPM projects was not a difficult task to complete. In 1995, in my new job at MITTS Ltd (See CV Sep 1994 Aug 2000), I was given the opportunity to set up a rapid application development unit for the Government of Malta, whose raison dà ªtre was to deliver small computer-based solutions in a phased and rapid manner. This experience was an extremely positive learning experience because it taught me to: (i) understand the importance of setting a vision, which gave the team a shared and common direction to get there; (ii) understand the importance of heavily involving your personnel during the birth of a new unit I found that this approach instilled a feeling of pride, bonding, comradeship and ownership; and (iii) understand group development, whereby teams go through four phases of maturity as stated by Bruce Tuckman (Tuckman, Bruce (1965), Developmental sequence in small groups, Psychological Bulletin 63 (6): 382-99), namely the forming-storming-norming-performing. I therefore set out to use the above learning experience to create the new BPM function. I engaged the new recruits in the design of the BPM method, techniques and toolset through interactive workshops and proof-of-concept projects. At each step of the way we met, compared notes and discussed areas of improvement. We moved into a natural cycle of continuous improvement, whereby each step of the way was constantly being challenged and refined on the basis of each others experiences. This method proved successful, because the personnel were motivated and fully engaged. Deliver a BPM programme: As already mentioned above (See Gaining organisational adoption), the Executive Management Committee cautiously bought into the new concept of a BPM function. Some Heads were not yet convinced of its benefits and some others were sceptical of the whole concept. I was given the chance to prove that this was the right thing to do. I therefore embarked on an exercise to establish a programme of works for the next twelve months. During the business planning exercise, that takes place each year, I invited my colleagues in the executive management committee to propose pain areas which they felt needed attention and assistance to sort out. I kept in mind the Enterprise Personality Profile assessment I had carried out earlier (See Gaining organizational adoption section above), whereby I had concluded that a corporate moderator would likely à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ respond to projects that will offer competitive advantage such as improved customer service (Gartner: Elise Old ing, Bill Rosser, Getting Started with BPM, Part 1: Assessing Readiness, Pg 3, 2007). Surely enough, the heads proposed four areas that would focus on customer touch-points (e.g. customer on-boarding and the call centre) a very positive turning point and a show of trust. We now had a programme of works and some willing sponsors. Before embarking on the first official project, we decided to initiate a pilot project with the aim to: (i) Test the selected approach and toolset; and (ii) Increase the level of skills and knowledge of the newly set BPM unit personnel on-the-job training. We selected the IT service desk business process that included incident management, change management, service level management and service request management. We piloted the full BPM lifecycle and again used regular meetings to identify areas of improvement at each step of the way. This exercise helped us to fine tune the selected approach and gain enough confidence to proceed with the first official BPM project. During the first project we tried to apply all the skills and knowledge we learnt during the proof-of-concept projects we had previously undertaken. At this point, the approach, techniques and tools were already well refined. We made it a point to use a totally participative and consultative approach across each step of the way. We prepared a detailed project brief and plan and ensured the full involvement of key business personnel selected by the project sponsor (head). The plan and expected outcomes were authorised by the project board. The project proceeded well and the initial outcome was very encouraging. We had passed the first difficult test. Relevant Training Courses Period Training Course Training Institute 2011 Business Process Management Gartner Ireland Limited, UK 1999 Dynamic Systems Development Method Practitioners Course (DSDM) DSDM Consortium 1997 Dynamic Systems Development Method Practitioners Course (DSDM) ITP Limited 1996 Business Process Re-Engineering Parity Training Limited, UK 1992 Systems Analysis Design Methodology (SSADM V4) BIS Applied Systems Limited 1990 Systems Analysis Design Methodology (SSADM V3) BIS Applied Systems Limited 1985 1986 Analysis Design graduate membership after having attended a formal course study and examination approved by the Institute Institution of Analysts Programmers, UK Evidence
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Essays --
Introduction From any corner in the world you will be surrounded by propaganda: in the streets, in your house, even when you’re driving. Propaganda appears in many forms but I personally believe it to be the shaping of public beliefs, in which communication is used with the intention of manipulating. In short, propaganda is the art of brainwash. This form of art has been going for many centuries and has played an important role in the history of art, especially during the 20th century in which propaganda was used to persuade people to join the military service or to stand for their countries during wartime. At that time the objective was only one, nowadays there is more than one objective; how does propaganda influence the way 21st century society pre-establishes ideas and makes contradictions within taboos such as tattoos, marijuana and sexuality? By focusing on marijuana it can be noticed that there are several public opinions to it. Some believe it should be legalized as a drug, others think it shouldn’t and others think it should only be consumed for medical benefit. Similarly, tattoos are said to be a â€Å"respectable form of artâ€Å" by some while others state that â€Å"they demonstrate a lack of education and classâ€Å" and that â€Å"once you get a tattoo you put yourself in a lower echelon of societyâ€Å". Media and propaganda encourage us to accept all types of sexuality. Propaganda portrays homosexuals and bisexuals as exhibitors of gender-atypical behaviors. Despite the fact that propaganda has become less stereotyped over time, researchers believe that it hasn’t changed that much over the last ten years. Taboo: Tattoos. Social definition. Tattoos are defined to be â€Å"a permanent mark or design made on the skin by a proc... ...d Elisava in Barcelona respectively, and who wish to remain anonymous, I can determine that my conclusion is valid, as all these factors play a role when pre-establishing ideas and making contradictions. I can also state that it is in fact, a form of manipulation, as it makes the audience pre-establish ideas about certain things and then judge others. However, the students stated that, apparently, this was decreasing with the passing of time, as these taboos are becoming more accepted by first world countries. To conclude, I believe this is a vicious cycle; similar to the story of the chicken and the egg. Which came first? Society has a pre-established idea. Media and mass communication want to sell what the audience wants, so they portray these ideologies, so in turn, society is subconsciously affected by the concepts conveyed, as they are stereotyped...But by who?
Essay --
Based upon the assessment of these important aspects, therapist psycho-educate the family and adolescent about the important findings of the detailed interview and plan out the intervention. Case example of assessment findings in obese adolescent girl: The mother of a 12-year-old girl came for consultation for her daughter’s weight concerns and comments that the girl is concerned about her weight and is being teased about this at school and in the family. There is a family history of obesity in parents and grandparents. During the assessment it was found that the girl’s main interests are sedentary activities like watching T.V., internet use and playing video games. Physical activity is limited, ‘screen time’ is 4-5 hours a day and dietary habits put her at risk of weight gain (skipping breakfast, frequent snacking, consuming soft drinks, and high preference of junk food). The girl has not attained menarche and has a BMI above the 95th percentile on the US-CDC growth chart and normal lipid profile, liver function test, glucose and insulin levels. On psychosocial assessment, she was found to be anxious and depressed due to her increasing weight, body image concerns and previous failed attempts of weight lo ss. She lost her confidence and has low self esteem. She indulged in emotional eating as well to overcome her stress. She has fewer friends as most of the people tease her about her weight. So she prefers to stay alone Impression: Obese with high risk of further weight gain and psycho-social problems. Components & Structure of Cognitive Behaviour therapy There is enough evidence to support the effectiveness of comprehensive behavioural intervention program that include dietary modification and exercise routine as treatment of ... ...cific and realistic goals that can be easily measured (e.g. walking/ running for 40 minutes, five times per week). Give them rewards for achieving goals. 9. Don’t use food as reward. 10. Limit sedentary behaviour Limiting television/computer/video game time gradually from 3 hours/day to 2 hours/day, finally to 1 hours/day (most of the time the strategy of reducing children’s sedentary behaviour can be more effective than a strategy of promoting physical activity). 11. Teach self monitoring to the child Give responsibility to monitor his/ her eating behaviour and physical activity by maintain logbooks/ diaries. Verbally praise the child for taking responsibility. 12. Enhance open communication with the child Let the child be comfortable in sharing his/her feelings with you because many a times child would resort to food to overcome these negative emotions/feelings.
Friday, July 19, 2019
Greeks and romans Essay -- essays research papers
Three ancient civilizations contributed most to Western society. These ancient cultures were the Romans, Greeks, and Judeo-Christians. Although all three had a major impact on our life today in areas such Philosophy, Art, Architecture, Education, Military, Family Life, Government, and many more, it is evident that the Roman civilization has impacted Western Society beyond the other two. But to come to this conclusion you must first look at all aspects of life of all three cultures.      The Judeo-Christians were highly religious people. In fact, almost all of their contributions to today are moral principals or religious. Although Jews lived in Judea, which was a Roman province since 6 AD, the Jews continued to be monotheistic. The Romans respected this, however, and did not make them worship the Roman Gods. Around 1 AD, a boy names Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem. After about thirty years Jesus began to preach about the Jewish God. People called Jesus the â€Å"Messiah†and the â€Å"King of the Jews†Roman leaders were worried that he would cause a revolt against the Romans. Jesus was considered an enemy. He was tried before Pontius Pilate and was crucified. After Jesus died on a cross, he was resurrected and remained on earth for forty more days to preach. After those forty days, Jesus was ascended into Heaven. The resurrection of Jesus became a main aspect of Christianity. For hundreds of years the Christian religion was put down and not excepted, but during Emperor Constantine’s reign Christianity became widely excepted because the Constantine was given a message from the Christian God.      Many morals and values of the Christians have been passed down and still are followed today. God gave the Ten commandments to Moses for all people to follow. In these ten, three are laws in today’s society: You shall not kill, You shall not steal, and also you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. It is illegal to kill and steal. Also, lying in a court of law is perjury.      Christianity is the most common religion in western society. Although there are many different denominations of Christians today, including Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Assembly of God, Lutheran, Methodist and many more, they all are based on the fact that Jesus died for their sins and they are forgiven. &n... ...rom its tradition of law. Many Romans were farmers. Therefore, they had to understand the laws of nature. As soldiers, they had to create laws to regulate the power of some men over others. Religion also stressed laws and obedience to authority. When Rome became a city, they created civic gods. These gods were spirits believed to be in the homes of Romans. All the gods possessed the power to help man only if he served them.      More than any other ancient power, Rome was a qualified empire of many peoples and cultures. Roman law respected the differences among people. The idea of Roman life, excited many other cultures. This showed that Roman society was so smart that they were confident and arrogant it would spread throughout the world.      The history of the Roman Empire influenced Western civilization in many ways. Roman law became the basis of the legal codes of most European areas. Rome preserved Greek culture, the foundation of Western learning and even Christianity. All of these were spread to other lands. The world should be very fortunate of the Roman Empire. It has exploited so many great things throughout its dynasty.
Thursday, July 18, 2019
Nature and nurture on development Essay
In the study of development, nature refers to the inherited (genetic) characteristics and tendencies that influence development. Some inherited characteristics appear in virtually everyone. For instance, almost all children have the capacity to learn to walk, understand language, imitate others, use simple tools, and draw inferences about how other people view the world. Thus all children have a set of universal human genes that, when coupled with a reasonable environment, permit them to develop as reasonably capable members of the human species. Other kinds of genes create differences among people. Children’s stature, eye color, and facial appearance are largely determined by genes. Children’s temperamentâ€â€their characteristic ways of responding to emotional events, novel stimuli, and their own impulsesâ€â€seems to be in part affected by their individual genetic makeup (Rothbart, Ahadi, & Evans, 2000; D. C. Rowe, Almeida, & Jacobson, 1999). Similarly, being slow or quick to learn from instruction and everyday experiences has some genetic basis (Petrill & Wilkerson, 2000; Plomin, 1989). Inherited characteristics and tendencies are not always evident at birth. Many physical features emerge gradually through the process of maturation, the genetically guided changes that occur over the course of development. Environmental support, such as food, reasonably safe and toxin-free surroundings, and responsive care from others, is necessary for maturation to take place; nature never works alone. Thus nature’s partner is nurture, the environmental conditions that influence development. Children’s experiences in the environment affect all aspects of their being, from the health of their bodies to the curiosity of their minds. Nurture affects children’s development through multiple channels: physically through nutrition, activity, and stress; intellectually through informal experiences and formal instruction; and socially through adult role models and peer relationships. With good environmental support, children thrive. Unfortunately, the conditions of nurture are not always nurturing. For example, children who grow up in an abusive family must look outside the family for stable, affectionate care. Historically, many theorists saw nature and nurture as separate and rival factors. Some theorists believed that biological factors are ultimately responsible for growth. Other theorists assumed that children become whatever the environment shapes them to be. Increasingly, developmental theorists have come to realize that nature and nurture are both important and that they intermesh dynamically in the lives of children. Consider these principles of how nature and nurture exert separate and combined effects: The relative effects of heredity and environment vary for different areas of development. Some abilities are strongly influenced by genetically controlled systems in the brain. For example, the ability to distinguish among speech sounds develops without training and under a wide range of environmental conditions (Flavell, 1994; Gallistel, Brown, Carey, Gelman, & Keil, 1991). In contrast, abilities in traditional school subject areas (e. g. , reading, geography) and advanced artistic and physical skills (e. g. , playing the piano, playing competitive soccer) rest heavily on instruction and practice (Gardner, Torff, & Hatch, 1996; Olson, 1994; R. Watson, 1996). Inherited tendencies make children more or less responsive to particular environmental influences. Because of their genetic makeup, some children are easily affected by certain conditions in the environment, whereas others are less affected (Rutter, 1997). For example, children who are, by nature, inhibited may be quite shy around other people if they have few social contacts. If their parents and teachers encourage them to make friends, however, they may become more socially outgoing (Arcus, 1991; J. Kagan, 1998). In contrast, children who have more extroverted temperaments may be sociable regardless of the environment in which they grow up: They will persistently search for peers with whom they can talk, laugh, and spend time. Environment may play a greater role in development when environmental conditions are extreme rather than moderate. When youngsters have experiences typical for their culture and age-group, heredity often plays a strong role in their individual characteristics. Thus, when children grow up with adequate nutrition, a warm and stable home environment, and appropriate educational experiences, heredity affects how quickly and thoroughly they acquire new skills. But when they have experiences that are quite unusualâ€â€for instance, when they experience extreme deprivationâ€â€the influence of environment outweighs that of heredity (D. C. Rowe, Almeida, & Jacobson, 1999). For example, when children grow up deprived of adequate nutrition and stimulation, they may fail to develop advanced intellectual skills, even though they had the potential for such development when they were born (Plomin & Petrill, 1997; D. C. Rowe, Jacobson, & Van den Oord, 1999). Similarly, when malnourished, children tend to remain short in stature regardless of their genetic potential to be tall (J. S. Kagan, 1969). Timing of environmental exposure matters. When children are changing rapidly in any area, they are especially prone to influence by the environment. For example, early in a mother’s pregnancy, her use of certain drugs may damage the quickly growing organs and limbs of the developing fetus. Just prior to birth, exposure to the same drugs may adversely affect the baby’s brain, which at that point is forming the connections that will permit survival and the ability to learn in the outside world. In a few cases environmental stimulation must occur during a particular period for an emerging ability to become functional (Blakemore, 1976; Hubel & Wiesel, 1965). In such cases there is a critical period for stimulation. For example, at birth, certain areas of the brain are tentatively reserved for processing visual patternsâ€â€lines, shapes, contours, depth, and so forth. In virtually all cases, infants do encounter adequate stimulation to preserve these brain circuits. However, when cataracts are present at birth and not removed for a few years, a child’s vision is obstructed, and areas of the brain that otherwise would be devoted to vision lose some of this capacity (Bruer, 1999). In many and probably most other developmental areas, however, children may be most receptive to a certain type of stimulation at one point in their lives but be able to benefit from it to some degree later as well. Tonya, in the introductory case study, may have encountered only limited exposure to language as a result of her mother’s weakened condition. Immersed later in a rich verbal environment, Tonya would have a second chance to expand her verbal talents. Thus educational experiences at a later time can often make up for experiences missed at an earlier period (Bruer, 1999). Many theorists use the term sensitive period (rather than critical period) when referring to such a long time frame of heightened sensitivity to particular environmental experiences. Children’s natural tendencies affect their environment. In addition to being affected by nature and nurture, children’s own behaviors influence their growth. Youngsters make many choices, seek out information, and, over time, refine their ideas (Flavell, 1994; Piaget, 1985). For example, children often request information (â€Å"What cooperate mean, Mommy? †) and experiences (â€Å"Uncle Kevin, can I play on your computer? †). Children even help create environments that exacerbate their genetic tendencies. For example, children with irritable dispositions might pick fights and provoke others to lash back at them, creating a more aggressive climate in which to grow. As children get older, they become increasingly able to seek stimulation that suits their tendencies. For example, imagine that Marissa has an inherited talent for verbal skillsâ€â€learning vocabulary, comprehending stories, and so on. As a baby, she relies on her parents to talk to her. As a toddler, she asks her parents for particular kinds of stimulation (â€Å"Read book, Daddy! †). In elementary school she reads to herself from books supplied by her teachers. As a teenager, she takes the bus to the library and selects her own books. Marissa’s experience would suggest that genetic tendencies become more powerful as children grow olderâ€â€an expectation that is in fact consistent with genetic research (Scarr & McCartney, 1983).
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