Wednesday, July 31, 2019

Healthy Grief Essay

The loss of a family member and/or loved one can put someone on an emotional roller coaster. Whether it is an expected or unexpected loss, the emotional process of dealing with the grief could be the same. With an expected loss, loved ones are able to prepare themselves for what is to come. An unexpected loss could bring more emotions into the grieving process. This paper will discuss the grieving process by Kubler-Ross, the story of Job, and the way Muslims deal with death and dying. While some people focus on the sadness of losing a loved one, others try and find the positive in the any situation. To grieve the loss of a loved one, many would say that they feel a lot of different indescribable emotions. Shock, disbelief, emotional pain, anger, and sadness are all some emotions that people feel while grieving. Kubler-Ross developed a five step grieving process that one should experience and move through so they can move on to a happy life (Lecture 5 Notes). The process itself is: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance (Lecture 5 Notes). It is easy for a person to not believe that a loved one has passed on as begin the grieving process (Lecture 5 Notes). Once the denial has processed and the loss has become a reality, it is normal to get angry and ask ‘why did this happen?’ Bargaining with God is the next step in the grieving process. Trying to make a deal with God to try and bring back a loved one gives a person hope that their loved one will come back. Once reality has set in, depression is the next step (Lecture 5 Notes). This is when the feelings of hopelessness set in, making it difficult for a person to pass this stage (Lecture 5 Notes). The last stage of the grieving process is acceptance (Lecture 5 Notes). This is the stage that helps a person emotionally move on from grieving the loss of a loved one. Life goes becomes a new type of normal with the memory of the loved one instead of the having the loved one there (Lecture 5 Notes). In the book of Job, Satan challenges Job’s faith and love for God, with God’s permission (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). Satan does everything in his power to get Job to not only doubt God, but to curse him as well (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). Satan killed his ten children and destroyed his livestock and servants (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). Job focused more on God and praised him as he mourned loss of his children and wealth (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). Satan then tried one last time by filling Job’s body with sores (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). The doubt of his wife and the negativity of his colleagues never gave him a change of heart. Job remained faithful to God, never doubted Him (he doubted himself at times), and still praised Him (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). God eventually replenished Job’s wealth and blessed him with more children (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). Job grieved in a very healthy way. He did not blame others and he did not curse God. He tried to find the good in every ba d situation. One religion that differs from Christianity and western civilization’s way of grieving the loss of a loved one is the Islamic religion. With death and dying, Muslims believe that there is life after death (Ross, 2001). It is believed that believers of the religion must practice the five pillars of Islam and live a righteous life on earth in order to have a different afterlife than those ‘unbelievers’ (Ross, 2001). People of the Islamic religion must mourn as they prepare for a quick burial (Ross, 2001). A loved one should be buried the day of death or the day after, not any later (Ross, 2001). In public, it is not of their norm for women to show any emotion at a time like this (Ross, 2001). Finding joy in the midst of losing a loved one can be trying. But like Job in the Bible, joy could come quicker if faith is not lost. Grieving is a challenging time to stay positive. Making the attempt to stay positive helps push one through the grieving process without getting stuck in one of the stages for too long. A good way to find joy is to continue to praise God and not to lose faith in Him. In closing, re-reading the book of Job in the Holy Bible has reminded me of how important it is to praise God in the midst of a storm. The loss of a loved one is tragic for anyone and grieving is a natural process in life. But if the focus stays on praising God and not losing faith, that grieving process can turn into a healing process and it is possible to find peace in the midst of grieving. God always has a rainbow waiting at the end of each storm, it just depends how long it takes for you to play in the rain before you get there.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Metro Manila Development Authority’s New Traffic Scheme Essay

THE Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has proposed a new traffic scheme that would segregate bus stops in Edsa to ease road congestion and lessen accidents. MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said they will replace the current scheme wherein the two types of city buses in Edsa — A for Alabang routes and B for Baclaran routes — can load and unload passengers on all stops in the said major road. In the proposed scheme, Tolentino said they are planning to designate every other stop to either only A or only B. â€Å"For example, only Buses B can stop at Taft, while A can only stop at Magallanes,† Tolentino said. The MMDA chief added that a certain percent of each bus fleet will be labeled as â€Å"all-stop† buses, which will load and unload at every bus stop to accommodate short-distance travels. â€Å"As of now, what we’re thinking is that the all-stop buses will be able to accommodate those at Bus A stops who want to get off at Bus B stops and v ice versa,† he told the operators. The agency expects that with the new plan, bus congestion in the yellow lane as well as accidents will be reduced. â€Å"There won’t be a reason for all buses to fight over one bus stop anymore. Plus, it will increase travel time for our commuters,† said Tolentino. Tolentino assured that several consultations with bus operators and an extensive information campaign will be conducted before the implementation of the scheme. According to the MMDA, about 3,000 buses ply Edsa every day but they are only allowed to use the two rightmost lanes, commonly called yellow lanes. In 2005, the Edsa Bus Route Revalidation Survey funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency showed that there is an oversupply of 420 to 690 bus units in Edsa. A 2009 study of the World Bank also revealed that there is an oversupply of buses in Edsa relative to demand. It also cited a survey in late-2007, which indicated a day-long average load factor across all routes operating on Edsa. The survey said it takes an average of five hours to complete a round trip along the 24-kilometer Edsa, at an average speed of about 15 kilometers per hour and one minute stop at each of the more than 15 designated bus stops. The congestion in bus stops is also caused by the â€Å"intense competition† among drivers who â€Å"jostle for space and tend to stay longer† at designated loading and unloading stops to get passengers.

Disneyland Hong Kong Essay

1. What led to the eventual woes experienced by Hong Kong Disneyland in its first year of operation? How should Hong Kong Disneyland rectify its market situation? The venture into Hong Kong by Walt Disney was a simple example of a large successful western company not doing its homework. The case presents a clear picture of the importance of understanding a foreign market thoroughly before doing business there. Several factors led to an unsuccessful first year of operations and a majority of these factors could have been avoided with a better cultural understanding in the planning stages. One of the culture differences that was obvious to Disney was the fact that the children are not familiar with the Disney characters. Disney has established its brand and is a marketing poster child in the United States, however this advantage goes out the window in a country such as china that has sheltered itself from the outside world until recently. Disney thought that making a meager attempt at introducing the characters before the launch of the park would help, however familiarity isn’t synonymous with brand attachment. As listed in Global Marketi ng Management by Kotable & Helson, â€Å"Cultural Distance† is one of the six external criteria for choosing a mode of entry into a foreign territory, which was not accounted for by Disney. Cultural distance also recognizes the fact that different cultures have different expectations. This was also the case with China. As stated in the case, â€Å"for the tourists of Mainland China, going to Hong Kong means a shopping experience, and so they choose the cheaper alternative to Hong Kong Disneyland†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The case goes on to allude to the fact that the culture in China is one about dollars and cents – when a Chinese person spends his/her money, they are more interested in what they are physically getting. This is very culturally different from a Western vacation where relaxation and experience is the expectation. Disney does a great job at providing a  magical experience, but in my opinion this is what led to their struggle in Hong Kong – the Chinese tourists do not value that very magical experience that westerners do. There were also other factors such as neglecting to do homework on how Chinese tourists select a destination. The Chinese tend to have a strong relationship with travel agents where as in the U.S a vacation is generally booked online without any personal interaction. Failing to account for these small differences coupled with the lack of brand attachment created nothing but an overpriced theme park. All hope is not lost however! Hong Kong is a huge tourist market and there is plenty of opportunity, but the only way for Disney to rectify its market situation is to bridge the gap of cultural distance. One way to do this would be to add an educational element to their park. The case notes that the Chinese put a premium on education, and in this culture the parents are the ones making the decisions – so appeal to them and attract more people. If Disney wants to succeed it needs to also remember what made it so successful in the U.S. After year one it is clear that their brand is not established and would not do all the work for them, and must take the necessary steps to reestablish themselves all over again. It must create a magical feeling in every Chinese child hearts as well as fit the consumer expectations of their parents. 2. To what extend could Hong Kong Disneyland adapt its product to Chinese consumers without diluting its image? Hong Kong Disney obviously requires a lot of changes in order to be successful – but at what point to these changes start impacting its brand? Being such a different culture from Disney’s main operations, China presents a challenge in that Disney is at risk of tarnishing its name if it changes its product to suit the Chinese expectations. The best way to handle this would be to introduce characters and elements of the theme park that are brand new to China, and not introduce them anywhere else. Instead of using Mickey Mouse as the brand image they can introduce something completely new – and after due time this could be successful because it is not as though the Chinese consumer has any attachment to the already established brand, as a matter of fact they are not even familiar with it. It can also change the layout of its parks. China is more interested in taking home physical items  rather than memories so why fill up the park with aesthetically pleasing creations? Instead they can introduce bigger rides in order to allow for pictures. They can even put a super-sized mall within their park in order to establish a collection-type phenomenon surrounding Disney products in China. The text refers to this strategy as â€Å"International Market Segmentation.† A list of reasons is given by Kotable & Helson for the segment approach, and the first one is â€Å"Identifiable – The segments should be easy to define and measure.† A country like China certainly calls for this approach because of the potential dilution of brand image, however by keeping the Hong Kong Disney defined as just that – Hong Kong – the brand in the United States will be unharmed. 3. How should Hong Kong Disneyland address competition? Hong Kong Disneyland’s main competition is Ocean Park, a â€Å"homegrown† theme park. First Disney must recognize the advantage that Ocean Park has over them. Ocean Park has an advantage in that it understands the battlefield, so to speak. It is a Chinese company and it understands the expectations of its consumer. There is brand recognition and a little bit of loyalty since it was established in China. They have a popular educational segment which bodes well with the Chinese and generally provide a good overall experience for the price. They are recognized as the best way that Disneyland can separate itself is through differentiation – they have to make their product unique. Another way that they can address competition is by going after a different part of the market. As stated on Ocean Parks website, a midweek ticket is 320 HK which translates to about 40 bucks in US dollars. A potential opportunity might be to offer Disneyland as the premium option. At 40$, O cean Park offers a pretty cheap admission and there is not much room to beat their price, however by offering upscale restaurants and shops, Disneyland can capture the upper echelon of tourists. Through differentiation and a focused market, Hong Kong Disneyland can coexist with the large and established Ocean Park.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Soil bioremedation - potential role for genetic engineering Literature review

Soil bioremedation - potential role for genetic engineering - Literature review Example For instance, a recent report by Wu and Yu (2011) indicated that the issue of environmental pollution in China has reached an alarming extent. Specifically, the article reported that as of 2011, one-sixth of China’s agricultural land has been contaminated with mercury, cadmium, copper, and other heavy metals (Wu and Yu, 2011). According to the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Engineering, this fraction of land is equivalent to approximately 20 million hectares, with the industrialized regions being more critically affected (Wu and Yu, 2011). Heavy metal-contaminated grounds have been shown to greatly affect the floral, faunal, and microbial communities (Lukkari et al., 2004; Agoramoorthy et al., 2006; Chen et al., 2007). In a study conducted by McGrath et al. (2001), it was found that exposure to toxic metals significantly reduced microbial diversity and other biologically-mediated soil activities. This alteration in the microbial composition, according to Elsgaard et al. (2001 ) may negatively affect recycling of plant nutrients, regulation of plant pest and plant growth, and maintenance of soil structure. Also, pollutants from the soil could accumulate in plants and can then be transferred to higher trophic levels in the food chain, posing health hazards to humans (Notten et al., 2005). Furthermore, the effects of soil pollution are not only confined to the terrestrial compartment of the ecosystem. It can also influence the integrity and dynamics of aquatic and marine systems (Cardellicchio et al., 2006; Vorosmarty et al., 2010). By virtue of geoweathering processes, hydrocarbons, organophosphates, and metal contaminants deposited in the ground could leach down the water table and redistribute in surrounding streams, lakes, and other bodies of water (Chen et al., 2007). Given the tremendous threats soil pollution poses to the environment and to human population, the need to control soil contamination or neutralize its toxic effects and the institution of rehabilitation in areas previously affected by this problem is indeed necessary. Bioremediation, a technology that makes use of living organisms to treat polluted areas, is one of the most commonly used strategies to rehabilitate contaminated soils (Nasu and Iwamoto, 2001; Obbard et al., 2005; Umrania, 2006; Luo et al., 2010). Technically, bioremediation focuses on enhancing the natural biodegradation process at a rate that significantly increases the removal of contaminants (Calvo et al., 2009). One commonly employed bioremediation strategy is to supply the polluted environment with nutrients like nitrogen to hasten the process of degradation (Nasu and Iwamoto, 2001; Calvo et al., 2009). Another popular method is to directly introduce organisms with desired capabilities to the contaminated areas in the hope of speeding up biodegradation (Nasu and Iwamoto, 2001). Hence, by exploiting the biological processes inherent to plants or bacteria, the clean-up of environmental pollutants l ike hydrocarbons, lead, cadmium, and the like could be made possible (Obbard et al., 2011; Luo et al., 2010Â ­). However, the development of enhanced capabilities for degradation or accumulation of organic and heavy metal contaminants

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Organizational Culture and Team Effect Paper Assignment

Organizational Culture and Team Effect Paper - Assignment Example A culture may take a long period of time to develop, however, it is incorporated through consistent expectation and examples brought forth from the leading executives of the business organization, and its members of staff (Thompson, 2008). Furthermore, the culture of an organization will develop across different aspects of the operations of a company, and this includes the social behavior of the company (Martin, 2002). Social culture involves the manner in which employees of the business organization interact with one another. This is throughout their course of work or day. For example, there may be an existence of a common area that is preferable for conversations regarding topics that are outside of protocol or work (Ashkanasy, 2000). Employees of the organization may be the people responsible for developing this type of culture. As new people are brought in, they would try to adapt to the cultural practice that is in place, or introduce a different cultural perspective. This is fo r purposes of determining how they would interact with their fellow work mates. Therefore, organizational culture plays an important role in affecting the development, efficiency and effectiveness of a team within an organization. Leaders of an organization are responsible for developing the culture of an organization. This is through their experiences. Top managers of an organization will surround themselves with important members of a team (Lee, 2011). They would rely on these members to perform a variety of activities that supports the goals and beliefs of the organization (Dixon, 2000). It is possible to reflect this culture to any activity of the organization, i.e. the office dà ©cor, cubicles that separate the work place of an individual, the method of communication between employees, work place eating habit, etc. The details of this kind of a culture may become evident, based on the style and frequency which the management of an organization communicates it

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Islam and democracy are not compatible comment on this sentence Essay

Islam and democracy are not compatible comment on this sentence - Essay Example The nature of Islam as a religion accounts for the reason why democracy is a distant vision in the vast Muslim world. Muslim scholars and political philosophers have conducted numerous empirical studies meant to establish the relationship between Islam and democracy. Most of these empirical studies are motivated by the fact that there has been a profound resistance of democracy by Muslims; thus indicating that Islam and democracy are not compatible. As an illustration of the aforementioned incompatibility, we will discuss interaction of religion and democracy in modern Islamic states like Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Indonesia. Admittedly, Saudi Arabia has been an absolute monarchy state since time immemorial. Citizens of Saudi Arabia have never participated in any political election (58-59).1 The only reason for this absence of participation is attributed to the fact that the absolute monarchy system in Saudi Arabia does not permit formation of political parties. The king, who is the leader of the royal family, literally rules the nation. However, the king must comply with Islamic law, commonly referred to as the Sharia. This means all functions and decisions of the royal leadership are made in accordance with provisions of Sharia. Influence of Islam remains fully practical particularly because the royal leadership performs all the executive, judicial and legislative functions.2 Presently, Saudi Arabia is an example of modern st ates where Islam remains fully influential in social, economic and political platforms. Unlike Saudi Arabia, Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy state. Citizens participate in election of parliamentary representatives. However, the king of Malaysia is appointed by a royal council of hereditary rulers. Citizens have limited participation in high-level politics. Recently, political parties like the

Friday, July 26, 2019

Huntington Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Huntington Disease - Essay Example Autosomal dominant alteration (mutation) in any of the tow copies of an individual’s gene known as Huntington. Thus each child of the affected person usually has 50% chances of inheriting the Huntington’s disease. The physically apparent Huntington’s disease may develop at any age from birth to the death, but commonly they show up between the period of 35 to 44 years of age (Purdon et al., 1994). Clinical features Physical examination of an individual often in combination with psychological examination may help in the determination of the beginning of the onset of the Huntington’s disease. Extreme unplanned movements of body part are frequently the grounds for attempting medical consultation. Moreover, if these movements are disconnected and have haphazard distribution and timing, they propose the diagnosis of Huntington’s disease. Psychiatric or cognitive symptoms are seldom the initial diagnosed but they are commonly only distinguished in apprehen sion or when they grow further. The level of progression of disease can be gauged using a unified HD rating scale which renders an overall scoring system based on behavioral, motor, functional and cognitive assessments. Medical imaging, like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computerized tomography), can reveal caudate nuclei’s atrophy in the earlier stages of the disease but these alterations does not provide diagnostic of the disease. Cerebral atrophy is evident in the progressed stages. Functional neuroimaging methods such as PET and fMRI can reveal alterations in brain activity prior to the onset of symptoms (physical) but are used for experimental purposes and thus are not employed clinically (Jang-Ho Cha and Young, 2000). Huntington’s disease is characteristically a grownup onset disorder qualified by insidious onset of psychiatric as well as neurologic symptoms (Harper, 1996; Ranen et al., 1996). Within the U.S., about 25,000 individuals are impacted by H D (almost 10 out of 100,000 population) and roughly 150,000 individuals have 50% risk for the Huntington’s disease because of bearing an affected parent (Jang-Ho Cha and Young, 2000). The symptoms typically commence in the period between 35 to 45 years of age while disease onset may range from as immature as 2 years or as aged as 80 years. Early symptoms consist of personality change and the continuing emergence of small spontaneous movements (Harper, 1996). Symptoms develop, with chorea turning more incapacitating and obvious. Over existence, motor symptoms deteriorate such that difficulty in walking increases as do eating and speaking. Weight loss is general, to some extent because of the extra energy needed for extrinsic movements but also to heightened expenditures of quiescent basal energy. the majority HD patients ultimately surrender to aspiration pneumonia, due to swallowing difficulties (Purdon et al., 1994). Around 10% cases of HD initiate prior to the age of 20. Th e Westphal variant (juvenile form) exhibits more parkinsonian nature. Instead of chorea, the eminent features are rigidity, bradykinesia and tremor. The juvenile onset may contain seizures. Juvenile onset typically consequences from transmission from father (Nance and Myers, 2001). Among individuals who produce symptoms prior to 10 year’s age, it has been seen that greater than 90% possess father with the same disease (Ranen et al., 1996). This propensity for anticipation of onset in younger age within following generations is

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Israeli and Palestinian Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Israeli and Palestinian - Term Paper Example The government of Israel has become so strict about the publication of news regarding this conflict because it is spelt out in the constitution. In fact, according to the Israeli government, journalists are free to handle any topic rather than those that touch on national security and can be able to compromise it by insisting the people and promoting violence. On the other hand, the media freedom in Palestine is better than that in Israel. The Palestinians are free to cover much information about this conflict and avail to their audience. Although it is a matter of national interest, the government has appreciated that there is a craving demand for news about this war (Vipond, 2000). Hence, unlike in Israel, the Palestinian journalists are not put under strict censorship and restrictions (Jonathon & Karolides, 2009). Thus, they can adequately inform the people about the war without many restrictions. Mass media involve many different media technologies that reach large audience through mass communication. The media technology where communication is effected varies; broadcast media transmit information electronically and they include television, recorded music, film and radio. Print media employs the use of materials to distribute information, and includes books, magazines, newspapers, pamphlets and comics. Outdoor media transmits information through signs, placards and billboards (Lorimer & Patty, 2004). The digital media entails mass mobile and internet communication. Internet media has many services; for example websites, social networks, internet television and radio. Companies that control these media technologies are also referred to as mass media; for example publishing houses, television stations, social networks and radio stations. Glocalization involves adaptation of a given service or product uniquely to a given culture,

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Modern Age Europe 1348-1789 Analysis Essay 4 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Modern Age Europe 1348-1789 Analysis 4 - Essay Example These advancements caused long standing monarchs to search for new ways to fund projects. It was this funding and the methods France and England took that led to the eventual differences in political development. France succeeded in gaining absolute control by having a strong financial structure based on complete dependency on noble earnings. On the other hand, England did not achieve the same strong financial base and had to modify the government to achieve success. It is at this stage during the late 16th and early 17th Centuries that France became an absolutism structured government, while England took more of a Constitutionalism structured format. English leaders preceding the long parliament of 1640 attempted to run things the way they saw fit. Among numerous offenses in the eyes of parliament during the first 40 years of the 17th century were two things that really affected the future of the English government. Those two things were the lack of parliamentary inclusion on large decisions and the overall attitude towards religion. In 1604 King James I created a peace with Spain that while seemingly good, frustrated the parliament due to his apparent fondness with the Catholic Religion. England at this point was strongly connected to the Anglican Episcopacy.1 While the state’s religion had been this for some time, King James refused to allow the freedoms that Queen Elizabeth had. The peace with Spain caused the parliament to worry that King James was being influenced and therefore possibly weak to a Catholic power. In fact it is believed that much of King James rule was being influenced but those near him, specifically the Duke of Buckingham who sold titles and reportedly influenced much of the King’s decisions.2 His son, Charles wanted nothing to do with the parliament until his realization that without them, money

Research of management systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Research of management systems - Essay Example However systems exist in all organization regardless of their acknowledgement in any form of description; similarly designs of process workflows are there even if they have not been dictated through a flow chart etc. This is especially true in smaller organizations where rules and conventions are followed without strict following of any dictated procedures. The multiplicity of styles of administration and autonomous best practices has come to be regarded as unwieldy for business on a communal level and there is now consensus that best practices should be standardised. The noblest organization that prescribes both generic and specific industrial practice standards is the International Standards Organization (ISO). ISO’s standard 9001:2000 defines a management system as ‘a set of interrelated or interacting elements to establish policy and objectives and to achieve those objectives’. The ISO 9000:2000 is used as the basis for drafting other standards; unfortunately there is a tendency among novice administrators to use a standard to design management systems. It should be stressed here that these standards define elements to be included in the design of a system of management in order for it to be compatible with an assessment operation. Characterization The need for systemization arises because of the plethora of requirements for reputable businesses these days. These requirements include being profitable, being competitive, aiming for horizontal expansion, adaptability, improvement and the incorporation of leading technologies. The concept of system of management is in reality a theory of how things are to be done rather than a description of the governance style and processes of an enterprise. Some generic objectives thought to be common to all corporate management systems include: Pursuit of business goals Improvement in understanding of ongoing processes and better handling of change Dissemination of information Compliance with laws, regu lations and standards Betterment of practices Consistency Effective Prioritizing And adaptation to change It could be argued that objective(s) should be added to the aforementioned list to have a point of reference for the other elements. But while all systems have some kind of orientation, not all have an objective. The Common Element - Improvement Another commonality of all systems of management is that they direct towards improvement. Not degrading in a changing environment is considered improvement in the philosophical sense. Even when corporations terminate or cut down development or growth programs, it is for a larger good. The only situation where a corporation could be said to be not pursuing progress is when it designs to inflict self-harm for no benefit of a parent entity or its shareholders. By referring to a ‘management system’, which as mentioned earlier is a manual of how things should be done’, as a system, the perceived purpose is mistook for a se t of policies and processes rather than an enabler of progress. All of ISO’s standards are based on the notion of improvement. Keeping these facts in mind, a concept of the basis for management systems was proposed called the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. It was originally proposed by the pioneering statistician Walter Shewhart in the 1930s and elaborated effectively later on by the famous authority on quality assurance, Edwards Deming. The cycle is characterized by the following components: Planning to incorporate

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Financial Statement Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Financial Statement Analysis - Assignment Example he financial information and data used for the analysis is extracted from the financial website () and published annual reports of the company for the period 2010-2013. The findings are presented on the basis of the profitability financial ratios (indicators) that are used to determine the financial position and performance of the selected companies in the hospitality industry of UK. The main objective of the study is comparing the performance of the main company with its major competitors in the industry. The financial analysis of the competitors allows determining prevailing trend in the industry that provides an insight of the performance of the company among its competitors. The structure of the present report is outlined as below: Intercontinental Hotel Group is an American brand of luxurious hotel operating more than 183 hotels and resorts over sixty countries worldwide. It was initially established by Pan American World airways’ in Brazil 1946. However, Intercontinental Hotel Corporation was then sold to Grand Metropolitan in 1981 in United Kingdom. In addition, the company operates more than 4,000 franchised hotels in different countries (InterContinental Hotel Group PLC, 2014). In 2013, the World Travel Awards awarded Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts as the World’s Leading Hotel Brand 2013. Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts operate under different portfolios to meet diverse needs. The core competency of the company lies in its high quality growth that has addressed the needs and developing strong relation with its customers (InterContinental Hotel Group PLC, 2014). The company has sustained it edge in the industry through adaption of technology, strategic alignment and market demand that has positioned the company a major structural hotel to anticipate socio-economic trends. Despite slow growth in the GDP of United Kingdom and consumption patterns in recreational sectors, the company has strived to attain strong market position in United Kingdom

Monday, July 22, 2019

The Lovely Bones Detailed Quote Synopsis Essay Example for Free

The Lovely Bones Detailed Quote Synopsis Essay My quote is â€Å"Had my brother really seen me somehow, or was he merely a little boy telling beautiful lies? † on page 95. Susie had said this while she was observing her brother from heaven. This quote has significance because I believe that Susie wants to be remembered, because as she said on page 91, â€Å"I had never even let myself yearn for Buckley, afraid he might see my image in a mirror or a bottle cap. Like everyone else I was trying to protect him†. Perhaps the reason Buckley was so casual with pointing out that he saw his sister was because he had already seen her before, he mentions he does on page 92 when he tells Nate, â€Å"Last night she came in and kissed me on my cheek†. I think the reason we don’t hear of Buckley seeing Susie earlier is because Susie does not focus her attention on Buckley in order to protect him, instead she is watching the rest of her family more closely. Buckley wouldn’t be telling his parents or sister this because the family believes that he is to young and cannot understand what has actually happened to his sister. Therefore, Susie would not have seen or heard any talks of it amongst the parents. Buckley had kept seeing his sister to himself. So he resorted to saying it to his friend Nate, who is of the same age and won’t hold it against him. I think that by her trying not to be seen and not paying much attention to Buckley it causes him to actually see her. I believe that this quote will continue to connect to the characters throughout the story based on the fact that she hides herself from Buckley because she wants to protect him, but she wants to show herself to her father, when he’s upset she wanted to be there and help him but she couldn’t. As Susie states on page 46, â€Å"It was then that, without knowing how, I revealed myself. In every piece of glass, in every shard and silver, I cast my face. † She didn’t mean for her dad to see her when he did. I think when she is not meaning to be seen, that is when someone really does see her. But when she really wants to be there and help out the people she loves, she won’t be seen. The quote of Susie revealing herself to her father also did state that she didn’t know how she revealed herself. If this is possible, she may have revealed herself to Buckley without her knowing it either. I believe that the quote , â€Å"had my brother really seen me somehow or was he merely a little boy telling beautiful lies? † will continue to connect to the story because Susie will continue to have herself revealed to the people on Earth without her knowing it, so long as she is still there watching everyone on it.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

The Strategy Of Apple Inc Marketing Essay

The Strategy Of Apple Inc Marketing Essay Introduction Along with the development of economy and technology, electronic products have achieved a rapid development. That is mainly because the high electron technology can cater for peoples daily demands such as communication, entertainment, work and some other aspects. Moreover, in modern times, peoples living standards have generally improved, thus their demands of life quality is raising. Therefore, there are many opportunities for the companies that provide electronic products and services. However, along with the development of electronic industry, the competition becomes intense. Thus the appreciate strategies are important for companies to achieve a successful and stable development. In this essay, it will firstly introduce the history of Apple Inc.. Following that, it will apply Porters strategy framework to Apple Inc.. And then, it will outline 3 future strategic options for Apple Inc.. After that, it will evaluate the contribution of culture to the strategic success of Apple Inc. At last, it will make a conclusion. The history of Apple Inc. Apple Inc was established by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak on April Fools Day, 1976. They firstly built a computer circuit board which named the Apple I in Los Altos, California. Jobs made it Apples mission to bring an easy-to-use computer to market. And then, the company launched the Apple II, which was more convenient for people to use straight out of the box. From than on, Apple became the leader of the industry quickly, selling more than 100,000 Apple IIs by the end of 1980 and it launched a successful IPO in 1980 (Carlton, 1997). Apple introduced the Macintosh to the market in 1984, which reflected the ease of computer use, the breakthrough in industrial design and technical elegance. The stable development of Apple during the 1980s was mainly due to the leadership in the education field. The implementation of the LOGO Programming Language by Logo Computer Systems Inc. had provide the opportunities for the Apple II. The success of Apple and LOGO in the education field brought a b road base of loyal users all over the world to Apple Inc.. Apples world wide market share had achieved about 8% by 1990. The major share come from the education market. At that time, Apple controlled all aspects of its computer, and it could offer customers a complete desktop solution involved in software, hardware, and some other aspects. Apple introduced the PowerBook to the market in 1991, which established the ergonomic layout of the laptop computer and the modern form of the computer. Although the Macintosh Portable was produced as powerful as the desktop Macintosh, however, the Macintosh Portable was weighed 17 pounds with a battery which can work 12 hours. And the PowerBook was 7 pounds and with a battery which can work 3 hours. These were more convenient for people to carry and move. Moreover, the Macintosh Portable can be used without electric power source for at most 12 hours. Therefore, the kind of computer became more and more popular with people all over the world. By t he early 1990, Apple started to develop the alternative platforms to the Macintosh, such as the A/UX. In 1994, Apple allied with IBM and Motorola in the AIM alliance. In 1997, Apple joined Microsoft to release new versions of Microsoft Office for the Macintosh. In the later years, Apple continued to develop new products to cater for the demands of market and consumers. The company has take various strategies to achieve the business objectives and more profits. Application of Porters strategy framework to Apple Inc. Brief introduction of Porters strategy framework Porters strategy framework involves in 5 forces competitive rivalry, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of suppliers and bargaining power of buyers. The competitive rivalry is influenced by various factors involve in the market growth rate, level of fixed costs, frequency of over capacity, extent of product differences, strength of brand identities, cost of exiting the industry, comparability of competitive rivals and some other aspects. The threat of new entrants depends on the capital requirements, economies of scale enjoyed by existing competitors, cost advantages enjoyed by existing competitors, existing product differences, strength of existing product brand loyalty, access to distribution channels, access to appropriate technology (Porter, 1997), access to long term supplies of raw materials and some other aspects. The threat of substitutes depends on the relative price of substitutes, technical comparability of substitutes, costs of switching, spee d of technological development in substitute industry and some other aspects. The bargaining power of suppliers depends on monopoly power in supplier industry, degree of differentiation of suppliers product, costs of switching supplier, importance of volume to the supplier, importance of suppliers product to the industry and some other aspects. The bargaining power of buyers depends on buyer volume, availability of substitute products, costs of switching, concentration of buyers industry, price sensitivity, product differences, buyer information and some other aspects (Porter, 1998). The analysis of Apple Inc.s 5 competitive forces Competitive rivalry: the competitive rivalry of Apple Inc. is medium. On one hand, there are many famous brands have great influence in the computer market such as IBM, DELL, Lenovo, Sony and some other brands. These brands provide various computers in different shapes, colors, functions and some other aspects. And the computers suits different people such as student, businessman, common employee and some other people. And the computers are in different prices, thus the computers can cater for the demands of different social classes. However, it is well known that the price of Apple is general very high, and not all of the people can offer it. Therefore, most of the customers may like to choose other brands computer. This will weaken Apples competitive power. On the other hand, although the price of Apples products is high, however, it is well known that the quality of the products is high and the functions of the products have strong power. Thus many customers would like to choose A pples products for the good functions. And in the aspect of products, Apple has strong competitive power. Thus in the comprehensive point of view, the competitive rivalry of Apple Inc. is medium. Threat of new entrants: The force of the threat of new entrants is low. First of all, Apple Inc. was established in 1976, and it has more than 30 years growth. During the 34 years development, Apple has cooperated with many companies that have great influence on the computer industry. The companys business idà ©e and the quality of the products or services are well known by the people all over the world. It can be said that Apple Inc. is the leader in the computer industry. And there is no company can surpass the position of Apple in the computer industry. Moreover, the new entrants are usually the new brands (Stewart, 2004). These new entrants do not have any brand effect. Because the products that they provide are not used before, therefore, they can not provide the proofs for the customers and make them to believe that the quality of the products is high and the products are reliable and practical. The products of the new entrants usually use the software and hardware that produc ed by other companies and applied in many brands products. There is no innovation that the new entrants can provide. Therefore, it is difficult for them to attract customers and competitive with the famous brand such as Apple Inc.. From these points of view, the force of the threat of new entrants is low. Threat of substitutes: the force of the threat of substitutes is medium. It is well known that the products of Apple have great functions and high quality. The production costs are higher than other brands. And the computer of Apple have special functions that other brands computer do not have. That is because the research and development skills of Apple is higher than other companies. However, on the contrary, the substitutes such as the computers, mobile phones, music players and some other aspects become more and more in the market. There are some famous companies that provide the similar products or services such as Sony, IBM, DELL, and some other brands. The quality of the products also very good, and the functions can generally meet the common consumers demands. Whats the most important, the price of the substitutes is lower than Apples products. Based on these aspects, the consumers may consider the substitutes that can provide the similar services and cost lower. Therefore, t he force of the threat of substitutes is medium. Bargaining power of suppliers: the bargaining power of suppliers is high. Because Apple has its own fixed suppliers. The software, hardware, and some other fitting parts are provided by the certain suppliers. Because Apple Inc. has strict and high requirements on its products, thus the components must have the quality assurance. Thus Apple can not choose the suppliers at random. Based on this, the suppliers display important and essential roles in the business of Apple. Thus any requirements that the suppliers point out will have great influence on the normal operation of Apple and its decision-making. Thus the bargaining power of suppliers is high. Bargaining power of buyers: the bargaining power of buyers is low. First of all, the brand of Apple is popular with the people all over the world, the famous reputation has already set up in the whole world. Thus Apple Inc. has the qualification to positioning its products and the price. Moreover, more and more people become to pay attention to Apples products because their special functions, and the number of Apples customers is raising. Although the price of Apples products is high, however, many people would like to buy the products. In addition, the new entrants and substitutes can not bring great threat to Apple, which means that Apple can still occupy great market share (Segal-Horn and Faulkner, 1999). Therefore, Apple will not adopt the strategy of reducing the products price. According to these factors, the bargaining power of buyers is low. The unusual aspects of the way Apple Inc. does business First of all, Apple Inc. cooperate with the companies that display great even dominant roles in the industry such as IBM, Motorola, Microsoft and some other companies. This cooperation will strengthen Apples competitive power and comprehensive power, because it will obtain the support of its partners (Linzmayer, 2004). Moreover, Apple Inc. applies itself to the research and development of high-end products which have special functions that other brands can not provide the same services. Although this needs much costs, however, the products will achieve more attention by people, and attract more customers (Linzmayer, 2004). In addition, Apple has its own management methods and business strategies. All of these will help the company make a smooth and successful operation, and achieve a rapid development (Linzmayer, 2004). Because the management and strategies deal with the problems, and create new opportunities for the company to obtain development. The future strategic options for Apple Inc. There are some major future strategic options for Apple Inc., thus the company can obtain a more rapid and successful business and development. Cost leadership strategy Cost leadership is the comparative advantage of the business which compared with competitors. If the cumulative cost of the value activities of the company is lower than the cost of its competitors, it has cost advantage. If a company knows about the cost difference between itself and its competitors, there are two main ways to achieve cost advantage, one is to implement cost control to all of the aspects of value creation, another is to re-structure a new lower cost value chain which is to use higher efficacy ways to design, produce and sale the productions (Willis, 2001). Generally speaking, cost leadership strategy necessarily requires a company to become the cost leader, but not to be a member of the companies that compete for this position. Many companies have not realized this point so that they have made great errors in planning the strategy. When there is not only one company looks forward to becoming the cost leader, the competition between them is very intense because each percentage point of market share are considered essential (Jeffrey, 2005). This is a very important strategy for Apple Inc. Because Apple Inc. is a worldwide famous company, and it is business covers all over the world. Thus the cost of the business arrangement is huge, which involves in the employment cost, raw material cost, technology research and development cost, transportation cost, sale cost and some other aspects (Wright, Kroll and Parnel, 1996). Therefore, the various costs occupy a great part of the companys competitive power. If the company does not pay attention to the power of the cost, and take measures to reduce the costs, it will waste more on the products or services research and development. Moreover, if Apple Inc. has special strategic chains management: the optimization of enterprise value chain, smooth supply chain management, win-win chain and customer satisfaction chain, it will have a rapid development., because these will support the cost leadership strategy. Apple Inc. may insist CHAMPS management policy, which is comprehensive and with consumer-oriented, Apple Inc. also can take the strategies that growth-centered, for instance, it can target one of the means of achieving profits-cost leadership (Peter and Donnelly, 2004). If Apple Inc. takes full advantage of these strategies, it will strengthen its competitive advantage. Market penetration strategy Market penetration strategy is the development strategy that making market expansion, the strategy can be launched through expanding the production scale, increasing production capacity, adding product features, improving product use, expanding sales channels, exploring new markets, reducing product cost, concentrating resources and so on. The strategies core is reflected in two aspects: one is to use the present products to open up new markets, another one is to provide new products to present market. Market penetration strategy is special of the competitive strategy, it is a company development strategy that based on existing products and fully develops its market potential, it also be called basic business development strategy (Nonala and Kenney, 2002). Because market penetration strategy is formed with existing products and existing market, so the managers of the enterprises should have systematic consideration of market, products and marketing mix strategy so as to achieve the p urpose of promoting market penetration. For Apple Inc., the market penetration is one of the major strategies. Although the company has occupied many markets all over the world, however, not all of the markets can meet the companys demands, in other words, the company can not achieve its business objectives and expected profits. Therefore, the company needs to take measures to promote the products in more markets and attract more customers. Expect the production of computer, the company also produces cell phone, music player, and some other products (Harris, 997). However, the demands of market and consumers continue to change, thus the company should keep researching and developing new products and services, so as to cater for the customers needs and meet their satisfaction. Moreover, in some small cities, as the commerce is not very developed, and the peoples living standard is not high, thus some famous brands especially the products or services that have high price may not provided in the small cities. However, there w ill be some consumers who live in the small cities would like to buy the products of Apple Inc.. Based on this situation, the Apple Inc. should promote some products in the new markets, so as to expand the sale scale. Diversification strategy Diversification strategy is a development strategy of operating the products or service of more than two different uses. Enterprises can occupy and explore more markets and avoid the risk of single operation with the diversification strategy. The so-called product diversification means that the enterprises new products across a wide range of profession that may not relative to the same industry. The general sense of diversification mainly refers to the diversification of production. Diversification is different from product differentiation. Product differentiation is the segmentation of the same market, but essentially the same product. Production diversification is the same companys products into a heterogeneous market, it adds the kinds of new products and enters new market (Harris, 2003). For Apple Inc., the diversification strategy is not a strange strategy. Because the company has already take the strategy to develop its business. At present, the business scope of Apple Inc. refers to computer industry, mobile telephone industry, player industry and some other industries. However, the products in the industries can not always meet the consumers demands. Because the technology develops very fast, and the speed of electronic products regeneration is very fast, thus in order to keep in pace with the markets development and change, Apple Inc. should continue to research and develop new products that in different industries. Therefore, Apple Inc. can keep its competitive advantages in the various industries (Wit and Meyer, 2010). At present, Apple Inc. has not done very well in this aspect, thus it needs to keep creating new products or services in the various industries that it refers to. These three future strategic options can be considered by Apple Inc., as each option is suitable for Apple Inc.s some certain operation situations. If the company can do something that related to the options, it will get some help in its business. The evaluation of the contribution of culture to the strategic success of Apple Inc. First of all, Apple Inc. pays much attention to the management, especially the leadership. The company has strict requirements on the leaders, and the management of the company. The reason why the company can achieve such a stable and smooth development is that it insists the strict management. This is one of the important culture factors in Apple Inc. It requires the people in the manage layer must have personal knowledge and skills to organize and control the related work. Whats the most important, the managers must have strong ability to make decisions. From the company be established, the managers continued to formulate the strict management system, thus the company can be arranged in the order, and the operation can rely on the internal regulations (Bartol, Martin and Tein, 2004). A companys business and development can not leave the effective management, and the effective management can not leave the correct and exact decision-making. Thus the company can make the most apprecia te strategies to do the business, and grasp the opportunities correctly and avoid the threats in time. Moreover, Apple has a reputation for fostering individuality and excellence that reliably draws talented people into its employ. The company has training system and train many groups talented employees every year. In order to recognize the best of the companys employees, Apple Inc. established the Apple fellows program, providing reward to the employees who have made extraordinary technical or leadership contributions to the individual computing while at the company. The Apple Fellowship has provided much reward to many employees who made special contributions to the company, and the reward also drive the employees to work hard and try to bring more benefits to the company (Smith, 1994). This kind of culture help the company foster many talented people, and help the company encourage and drive the employees to require themselves strictly, and become more professional, thus they can complete the mission perfectly, and make more contributions to the company. The company very value the employees self-management. For instance, during a certain period, Apple Inc. did not establish the rules and related regulations that requires the working time, the duties and the salary of the employees, on the contrary, it asked the employees to plan these aspects by themselves. This kind of management can make the employees to have a better realization of their own such as the professional skill, the knowledge, the physical energy, the intelligence, and some other aspects. Therefore the employees can make a self management and improve their comprehensive ability. In addition, Apple Inc. promises some employees to choose to work either in the company or at home, and give them freedom to participate in the meetings that hold by the company (Rusaw, 2007). The freedom of the choices can provide the employees much convenience to arrange the work and the daily affairs. Based on this, the company can obtain the employees loyalty and love, they may support the management methods of the o rganization, and have enough enthusiasm to work for the organization, thus they can promote the organizations development in a large extent. The culture of employee management not only can promote the company to have a good development and achieve more profits, but also can promote the employees to have a rapid growth and obtain more benefits. Furthermore, Apply Inc. continues to make the culture innovation. The company always creates an environment that can motivate innovation. The company has established some rules to encourage and promote the employees innovation. Moreover, Apply Inc. provides the material and spiritual support for the employees who can make the innovation such as the idea innovation, the production innovation, the technology innovation and so on. During the process of innovation, the company always gives much encouragement, and provides attractive reward to the employees who have made the innovation. According to this, the employees will be aware of the importance of innovation, and they may pay attention to the various aspects that may contribute to the product or service innovation (Bouchikhi and Kimberly, 2008). During a certain period, Apple Inc. promises the employees to do what they would like to do and make the behavior according to their interest. The employees do not need to obey the strict an d hidebound roles or regulations in the company, thus their thought is also be restricted. Therefore, in Apple Inc., the dream of enjoying the staffs themselves can come true. By this way, the employees can foster their interests by making full of time, thus they can have enough time and energy to create new things or new thoughts for the company. Thus the company may collect more resources or thought to make the innovation in the aspects of product, service, technology, management and some other aspects. Therefore, the company can maintain the leader position in the computer industry, strengthen the competitive power in various industries it refers to, and keep in pace with the markets change, and finally achieve more profits and successful development. In addition, Apple Inc. pays much attention to the customers feelings. The company make efforts to research the customers demands and collect the related information as the product creation basis. One of Apples business objective is to meet the customers needs and satisfaction. Because the customers are the consumers, and the profit is achieved finally from the consumers. Thus the company very values the customers feelings about the products or services that it provides (Caldari, 2007). Apple continues to create new products so as to cater for the customers different demands. The company provides the products not only in the stores, but also sells the products online, this will bring much convenience to the customers. The company also sets up many after-sales departments, thus the customers can obtain the help any time if there are some problems with the products. This kind of culture will help Apple Inc. to attract more customers and obtain their loyalty. Conclusion In conclusion, Apple Inc. has a long development history. And with the long-term growth, it has achieved a certain successful development. The various strategies have contributed much to the rapid and successful development. Therefore, the company can not neglect the influencing factors of the strategies such as the culture. However, it is difficult for the company to maintain the leader position in the computer industry, thus it must take the correct and appreciate strategies and make full use of them. Therefore, Apple Inc. can keep in pace with the market development, and achieve the stable and long-term development.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Inter professional Team Working Risk Management Resuscitation department

Inter professional Team Working Risk Management Resuscitation department This assignment focuses on teamwork and the management of patients requiring emergency treatment. In health care, teamwork or inter-professional collaboration is an essential component of safety. As breakdowns in teamwork can lead to poor patient safety, I aim to critically evaluate and defend the importance of inter-professional collaboration in the resuscitation department. Example scenarios of patients that were brought into the resuscitation department requiring immediate care management will illustrate different team approaches to working, barriers to effective team working, and leadership of teams. The nurses role in the maintaining patient safety via risk management strategies will also be explored. This is important because the resuscitation department is a fast paced environment potentially vulnerable to risks. I intend to conclude how each scenario was managed and from these, draw up recommendations for streamlined nursing care and inter-professional team working in a resus citation department. A reference list is included. Introduction In the Accident and Emergency (AE) department, a key function is to receive asses and treat injured or sick people quickly at any time of the day or night. Anything can appear in an AE department; from patients with cuts, sprains and limb fractures, to patients with more serious life threatening conditions such as cardiovascular emergencies, gastrointestinal problems, neurovascular emergencies and traumatic injuries. Due to the nature of work in this environment, nursing care and management often occurs as a rapid sequence of events commencing with the recognition of life-threatening needs (Etherington 2003). Patients attending AE are seen immediately and there needs for treatment assessed. This initial assessment is a process known as triage designed to allocate clinical priority (See appendix). The Manchester triage group set up in 1994 is the most widely used triage method in the UK. The system selects patients with the highest priority first and works without making any assumptions about diagnosis. This is deliberate as AE departments are largely driven by patients presenting with signs and symptoms (Mackaway-Jones 1997). Once patients are triaged they are categorised according to a scale of urgency. The triage scale is colour coded for example: patients requiring immediate resuscitation and treatment are coded red, and would normally be met by a team standing by after prior notification by the ambulance service (Crouch and Marrow 1996). People presenting with serious injury or illness require a skilled team who follow recognised life support protocols within agreed roles (Etherington 2003). This assignment will focus on red coded patients brought into a resuscitation department requiring immediate care management for the preservation of life. Effective management of these patients is pivotal in reducing mortality rates and a skilled team is of great importance. In health care, teamwork or inter-professional collaboration is an essential component of safety. Research suggests that improvement in patient safety can be made by drawing on the science of team effectiveness (Salas, Rosen and king 2007). However, literature regarding emergency teams suggests that human factors such as communication and inter-professional relationships, can affect a teams performance regardless of how clinically skilled the team members are (Cole Crichton 2006, Lynch and Cole 2006). Ineffective teamwork can lead to errors in diagnosis and treatment (Salas, Rosen and king 2007) and is apparent in the many accusations of poor care and inadequate communication evident in malpractice lawsuits (Gro ff 2003). As breakdowns in teamwork can lead to poor patient safety, I aim to critically evaluate and defend the importance of inter-professional collaboration in the resuscitation department. Example scenarios of patients that were brought into the resuscitation department requiring immediate care management will illustrate different team approaches to working, barriers to effective team working, and leadership of teams. The nurses role in the maintaining patient safety via risk management strategies will also be explored. This is important because the resuscitation department is a fast paced environment potentially vulnerable to risks. I intend to conclude how each scenario was managed and from these, draw up recommendations for streamlined nursing care and inter-professional team working in a resuscitation department. Throughout this essay, I will adhere to confidentiality as stated in the Nursing Midwifery Councils Code (2008) and no identities regarding the patients or the trust shall be named. I acknowledge that some reference sources used in this assignment are dated, however they are still commonly cited in much up-to-date literature. The resuscitation room and the nurses role The resuscitation room is designed for the assessment and treatment of patients whose injury or illness is life-threatening (Etherington 2003). Anything can emerge with little warning (Walsh and Kent 2000) however, departments often receive prior warning of a patients arrival which allows the preparation of the resuscitation area and the team (Etherington 2003). All team members should be appropriately prepared to care for the patient in a systematic manner. AE nurses are vital components of the team (Hadfield-Law 2000) because they are usually among the first team members to meet patients and typically remain with them throughout their stay within the department (OMahoney 2005). A nurse with advanced life support (ALS) training is best placed to care for patients in the resuscitation room (Etherington 2003). This is where their training can be best utilized and this assists the inter-professional team to practice mutual working skills modelled on evidenced based protocols (DH 2005). Successful resuscitation depends on a number of factors, many of which can be influenced by AE nurses such as the environment and the equipment. Patient (2007) highlights various elements of AE nurses role in the preparation for patient arrival. This would include preparing the area, having equipment in ready and working order and having a team on stand by. These tasks underline the risk management strategies involved in maintaining a safe environment such as checking and cleaning everything on a regular basis (Etherington 2003), a practice which I observed is routinely carried between patient occupancy. The importance of carrying out such checks contributes to teams being prepared with equipment ready and working to treat patients safely. Once the patient has arrived, other roles and tasks the AE nurse might undertake include: maintaining a patients airway, patient assessment, taking vital observations, monitoring intravenous therapy, managing wound care, pain management, keeping rubbish clear to maintain a safe working environment, catheterisation, and communication and liaison between patients, relatives and the inter-professional team (Patient 2007, Etherington 2003). McCloskey et al., (1996) cited in Drach-Zahavy and Dagan (2002) describe this linking role of nursing as glue function as it is nurses who maintain the holistic overview of the care given to the patient by all members of the inter-professional team. From the literature (Patient 2007, Etherington 2003, McCloskey et al., 1996), it is evident that nurses working in the resuscitation area must be able to integrate with the inter-professional team and not only maintain the safety of the patient, but also everyone working in that environment. It is the nurses responsibility to manage the resuscitation room which incorporates preparing the environment and ensuring equipment is in working order. Investigation into the resuscitation room and the nurses role within that area has highlighted that nurses have many important management roles to carry out. For the purpose of this assignment, focus will be upon the nurse working as part of the inter-professional team, and the risk management strategies that take place to support that team. I had the opportunity to observe how inter-professional teams worked together to benefit the patient and ensure safety. Two examples of patients brought into the resuscitation department within the same week will now illustrate different team approaches to care management. Example 1 10:00 Saturday morning, the department receives a call from ambulance control warning that they have a patient with cardiac arrest on the way in approximately ten minutes. Immediately the lead nurse of the emergency department informs the two nurses managing the resuscitation department of the patient en route. The Nurses put a call out to the emergency inter-professional team to stand by and prepared the area by having the defibrillator in position, the oxygen mask ready and the adrenaline at hand. The emergency inter-professional team start flooding into the area and there is a mixture of bodies standing around in rubber gloves and aprons. The team consisted of three nurses, an anaesthetist, a physicians assistant, two junior medical students, two nursing students, a registrar, and a consultant equating 11 people. The ambulance crew arrived and they rushed the patient in promptly transferring her over from stretcher to trolley. The paramedic commenced a detailed handover to the team. The patient was a 69 year old woman who was found unconscious and not breathing at a holiday camp. The ambulance crew had been doing cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for 45 minutes from scene to hospital. The patient was still not breathing. During the time of this handover, it was observed by the nurse that there was a short hesitancy between continuity of CPR. After the ambulance crew transferred the woman over to the trolley, no one took the lead of directing the team or continuing CPR. After this brief hesitancy a nurse took the lead by suggesting someone start CPR. Another nurse then stepped forward and commenced chest compressions whilst the anaesthetist placed a bag and mask over the patients airway. The team crowded around and the consultant stepped forward and started making orders loudly in relation to current advanced resuscitation guidelines. The defibrillator was attached and the team was advised by the nurse operating it to stand clear. Shocks were delivered without success. The team took it in turn to do chest compressions for fifteen minutes whilst other members gathered around obtaining intravenous access. The consultant then suggested that they stop. The team stood back and started to disperse out of the resuscitation room leaving the nurses to continue care and management of the patient and her family. The patient was disconnected from the defibrillator and a nurse cleaned the resuscitation area. Example 2 At 02:30 ambulance control report that they have a patient involved in a road traffic collision (RTC) on route due in approximately twenty minutes. The lead nurse informs the two nurses running the resuscitation area who then inform the inter-professional team to stand by. The resuscitation area is prepared and a team of seven including two nurses, a registrar, an anaesthetist, a physicians assistant, an orthopaedic doctor, and a nursing student await the patients arrival. The team pre-decided on who is to do what tasks. The ambulance crew arrive with the patient on a spinal board. The crew hand over the patient, a 42 year old male who was intoxicated with alcohol and overdosed on analgesics, had been involved in a high-speed police chase and sped off the road overturning his car and going through the windscreen. The patient had recently discovered that his wife was having an affair and this was the suspected cause of his actions. The police awaited outside the resuscitation department. The patient was semi conscious maintaining his own airway. The registrar took the medical lead advising calmly who to do what. The anaesthetist took the management of the airway, a nurse provided comfort and reassurance to the patient whist taking observations. Another nurse cut the patients clothes off him and covered him with sheets. The protocol used for patients involved in trauma is the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) system (American College of Surgeons 1997) which is a widely adopted management plan for trauma victims. Initial assessment consists of preparation, a primary survey, resuscitation, secondary survey and definitive care phase which is the ongoing management of trauma. Because the ATLS involves medical and nursing staff, they encourage inter-professional learning. This occurs when two or more professions learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care (DH 2007). Most AE departments use the ATLS protocols (Etherington 2003) as this system of managing the severely injured has now become part of best practice (Royal College of Surgeons 2000). The registrar and the nurses all appeared highly familiar with ATLS protocol and a primary survey, secondary survey followed by definitive care phase was carried out systemically and smoothly. The team anticipated each others actions and care management resulted in the patient being able to maintain his own airway, breathing and circulation. Other team members that became involved in the care management of this patient included the radiographer, lab technicians and the police. The nurses liaised with all these people and acted as a mediator of communication between the team. This reinforces Drach-Zahavy and Dagans (2002) concept of glue function as it is nurses who maintain the holistic overview of the care given to the patient by all members of the inter-professional team. It is worth noting that these examples are comparatively different in relation to the time of day they occurred, the teams that attended, and the age and presentation of the patients. These factors will be taken into consideration during discussion of the two examples. Inter-professional team working Nurses are obliged to adhere to the NMC Code which in relation to team working, clearly states that nurses must work effectively as part of a team and respect the skills, expertise and contributions of colleagues (NMC 2008). The importance of inter-professional working has been emphasised in a succession of government white papers addressing care (Hewison 2004) which call for more team working, extended roles for professionals and the removal of hindrances to collaboration (DH 2000a/b, 2004, 2005). During a critical care emergency, effective teamwork, prioritising and speed of care delivery may mean the difference between life and death (Denton and Giddins 2009). National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA 2008) and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE 2007) agree that healthcare professionals are required to be able to respond appropriately in emergency situations. This entails an up-to-date knowledge of current evidence-based resuscitation guidelines (Resuscitation Council 2005, 2006) and the need for a team approach to care management of acutely ill individuals (Denton and Giddins 2009). An exploration of inter-professional team working in a resuscitation area will now follow, using the above examples to appraise the importance of inter-professional collaboration. Teams and team effectiveness will be discussed as this is essential in identifying the mechanisms of teamwork involved in patient management and safety (Salas, Rosen and King 2007). The DH (2005) recognise that outcomes of health care services are a product of teamwork and, the use of the word team is a broad spectrum term aimed to include all healthcare professionals working inter-professionally. Mohrman et al., (1995) definition includes individuals who work together to deliver services for which they are mutually accountable and, integrating with one another is included among the responsibilities of each member. Leathard (1994) depicts inter-professional practice to refer to people with distinct disciplinary training, working together making different yet complementary contributions to patient focused care. The philosophy of care in the local AE department incorporates these definitions stating; professionals aim to promote team spirit with support to each other and encourage relations with other disciplines (Trust AE nursing philosophy 2008). Salas, Rosen and King (2007) suggest effective teams have several unique characteristics including: a dynamic social interaction with significant interdependencies, a discrete lifespan, a distributed expertise, clearly assigned roles and responsibilities, and shared common values and beliefs (Wiles and Robinson 1994). These characteristics require goal directedness, communication and flexibility between members (Webster 2002). From these definitions, it is apparent that in healthcare a common and vital feature in teamwork is shared values and goals (Salas, Rosen and King 2007, Wiles and Robinson 1994). This serves as the teams focus point and appears to be at the pinnacle of what members strive towards. In example 1, shared values and goals are evident in the ALS protocols that the team followed. However, individuals roles were not clearly recognised and the team did not seem to be familiar with one-another. In example 2, the team again demonstrated shared values and goals by following agreed protocols (ATLS). This was further demonstrated in how the team interacted with each other and anticipated one-anothers actions. Pre-agreed tasks were organised by the team and they demonstrated mutual understanding of one-anothers roles. When members of trauma teams are given pre-assigned roles, they can perform a practice known as horizontal organisation which refers to the ability of performing several interventions simultaneously (Patient 2007 and Cole 2004). Taking on pre-agreed roles and responsibilities can influence patient outcomes, limiting resuscitation times and lowering mortality rates (Lomas and Goodall 1994). Salas, Rosen and King (2007) advise teams take time to develop a discipline of pre-brief where the team clarifies the goals, roles and performance strategies required. Example 2 demonstrates how, this preparation is proven to amplify performance levels when functioning under stressful conditions (Inzana et al., 1996 cited in Salas, Rosen and King 2007). A team approach in resuscitation has proved highly effective in reducing mortality rates (Walsh and Kent 2000). However, evidence suggests that human factors such as poor communication and lack of understanding of team members roles can breakdown team effectiveness leading to poor patient safety. (Xyrichis and Ream 2008, Atwal and Caldwell 2006). In relation to example 1, there were many team members present; nobody knew clearly who was who. To understand what makes an effective team, barriers inter-professional teams face and what can be done to overcome these obstacles shall be explored. Barriers to Inter-professional team working We have established that emergency care management involves many professionals each with their own discipline, knowledge and skills. Due to this diversity, professionals may have limited knowledge of each others roles and so undervalue the contribution of care delivered to patients, making inter-professional team working difficult (Spry 2006). Also, the way which individuals work together depends greatly on personalities and individual compatibility (Webster 2002). If personalities clash, this is a barrier to team effectiveness. In example 2, the team were familiar with one another and had evidently worked together in many trauma care situations as they seemed to trust and respect each other. This team were on their 3rd consecutive night shift working together therefore they had built a rapport with each other. Similarly in Cole and Crichtons (2006) study exploring the culture of a trauma team in relation to influencing human factors, many respondents described an amity and familiarity. They argued that teams work when people know their roles, have the required technical expertise and are knowledgeable about trauma. Cole and Crichton (2006) interviewed a consultant team leader who reports; you can have the most gruesome scenario where you have a new surgical SHO and a new anaesthetic SHO, no-one knows each other and its atrocious! Teams made up of individuals who are familiar with each other work with greater efficacy than teams composed of strangers (Guzzo and Dickson 1996 cited in Cole and Crichton 2006). This report illustrates the challenges that team unfamiliarity poses. In Cole and Crichtons (2006) study, focused ethnography was used to explore the culture of a trauma team in a teaching hospital. Many ethnographic studies focus on a distinct problem amongst a small group. This method is appropriate when focussing on the meanings of individuals customs and behaviours in the environment in which they are occurring (Savage 2000). Six periods of observation of trauma teams attending trauma calls was undertaken followed by 11 semi-structured interviews with purposively chosen key personnel. Their findings are based on the trauma teams working in one hospital; therefore this study is quite narrow. Cole and Crichton acknowledge that this method of study can be criticized for producing only one snapshot in time, potentially reducing its credibility. Taking these limitations into account, I believe their findings could be used to inform best practice where if the opportunity existed teams could be facilitated to practice working together. This would allow me mbers to become familiar with each others personalities and roles. Teams operating within an emergency medicine context face complex, dynamic and high-stress environments (Salas, Rosen and King 2007). However Denton and Giddins (2009) suggest staff in these areas become experienced in managing emergencies, know each others roles and have developed close team-working skills. Example 2 shows evidence to support this. Conversely, in example 1, the team seemed disjointed and nobody seemed to know each other. They assembled for the resuscitation but a lack of role perception hindered the teams ability to work effectively together. Research into inter-professional team working and resuscitation attempts is limited (Denton and Giddins 2009). However, a small study of cardiopulmonary resuscitation conducted in a trust hospital by Meerabeau and Page (1999) found that, although team members of a resuscitation attempt may have a common goal (to resuscitate the patient) and some of the attributes associated with effective teams, many features may not be present . These features encompass regular interaction and clear roles as their evidence concludes, CPR teams generally did not work together nor practice their skills together. These findings support Cole and Crichtons (2006) results and could be applicable to example 1 indicating that; although CPR teams trained specifically to react in CPR situations, factors such as regular interaction and clear roles influence team effectiveness. If integrated inter-professional working is to become a reality, it is fundamental that people have opportunities to work closely together to build up personal relationships and understand others roles (Hewison 2004). Professional education needs to play a vital part in supporting this (Webster 2002). The DH actively encouraged initiatives in the NHS and in higher education institutions to encourage greater role awareness amongst health professionals and support effective team working (DH 2007, 2004a, 2000b). This allows team members to devise precise expectations of their team mates actions and requirements during high-stress work episodes (Salas, Rosen and King 2007). This is a logical solution but like Salas, Rosen and King (2007) note, teams come together for a discrete lifespan and depend upon who is on duty and time of day. Consequently having opportunities for developing personal relationships and understanding each others roles becomes a challenge. A lack of specialist skills required to manage the care of critically ill patients is a potential barrier to delivering effective team care as this could escalate into inter-professional conflict. This is when nurses skills and doctors expectations of these skills differed (Tippins 2005). This barrier highlights the relevance of the ATLS training. Patient (2007) confirms that individuals who have undertaken the ATLS course claim they have gained an insight into each others roles and resultantly, can communicate with one another better (Hadfield-Law 1994). The number of staff available varies between departments and is influenced by time of day (Etherington 2003). Example 1 took place on a busy Saturday morning and the department was bustling with staff. The team that attended to the patient was large and appeared disorganised. There were 11 members to this team, 4 of which were students who were perhaps encouraged to attend and observe the situation. The team that attended the patient in example 2 was comparatively smaller and appeared more organised. In an article by Tippins (2005) exploring nurses experiences of managing critical illness in an AE department, one nurse describes how the nature of the experiences depended on the size and dynamics of a team: Because it was such a big trauma, there were so many people there, actually you feel its not managed very well because there were so many people. It was just a bit chaotic really. This example along with example 1 demonstrates that large numbers of people can make inter-professiona l working difficult. The ideal number of team members in a resuscitation team is uncertain (Patient 2007). Etherington (2003) reinforces that effective teamwork is possible with just 3 people present providing leadership, trust and collaboration are achieved. Relating back to example 2, leadership, trust and collaboration was evident. There was also a strong awareness of roles and task distribution as opposed to example 1 where the team appeared to gather in an unorganised fashion. These examples demonstrate that the size of a team does not reflect quality. It is influencing factors such as role perception, communication and good leadership that make an effective team. Within inter-professional teams individuals also need emotional intelligence to work effectively with colleagues and patients (Mc Callin and Bamford 2007). According to Goleman (1998), someone with high emotional intelligence is aware of emotions and how to regulate them and use this data to guide their thinking and actions (Faugier and Woolnough 2002). Self-awareness, social awareness and social skill are central to emotional intelligence. This is the heart of effective teamwork and influences excellence and job satisfaction (Mc Callin and Bamford 2007). The team in example 2 displayed emotional intelligence in their interactions amongst each other and the patient. For example, the registrar and the nurses constantly communicated with the patient recognising his distress. Team members also displayed horizontal organization demonstrating their awareness and anticipation of one anothers roles and task allocation. Breakdown in communication has been highlighted a root cause of serious incidents (National Patient Safety Agency 2006) and trauma resuscitations are especially vulnerable. Heavy workload and constantly changing staff can inhibit communication between team members and so affect adversely patient outcomes for example; medication errors or amputation of wrong limbs (Lynch and Cole 2006). Salas, Rosen and King (2007) highlight how communication often breaks down in the inherently stressful nature of responding to crises which can consequently result in clinical errors during decision making. Paradoxically, this is when communication needs to be at its finest (Haire 1998). Many examples of high-quality nursing practice in managing critically ill patients involve good communication skills between staff, patients and relatives (Tippins 2005). Good communication begins and ends with self (Dickensen-Hazard and Root 2000). This relates back to the concept of emotional intelligence and awareness where every person, particularly the leader, should have a clear picture of self, of what is valued and believed and how that blends with the organisation served. Overall, clear, precise and direct channels of communication need to be in place to enhance patient outcome, team functioning (Haire 1998), patient safety and quality care. Leadership The concept of inter-professional team working and the barriers that hinder team effectiveness has been discussed. Now an analysis on team leadership will follow. Leadership is defined as a particular form of selected behaviour that manages team activity and develops team and individual performance (Lynch and Cole 2006). There is a strong focus on leadership within the health service as a resource for delivering quality care and treatment. This is noted in the NHS plan (DH 2000b) which states: Delivering the plans radical change programme will require first class leaders at all levels of NHS. By having visible leaders at all levels contributes to setting high standards and amending errors efficiently. Consequently this contributes to maintaining a safe environment. A resuscitation team needs a visible leader who has the knowledge and communication skills to direct team members (Etherington 2003). In relation to example 1, there was no immediate visible leader who took the task of preparing the team. Only later did the consultant take the lead. As suggested earlier, resuscitation teams are effective when team members adopt specific, pre-agreed roles, which can be carried out simultaneously. The consultant was unable to prepare the team as he arrived only seconds prior to the patient. In the AE department, effective leadership is of prime importance due to the fast paced nature of the environment, which lends potential for staff to feel threatened by the perceived chaos. The leader needs to foster an environment where care delivery has some structure, and staff have guidance and security (Cook and Holt 2000). This role of team leader is pivotal for the effective functioning of the team (Cole and Crichton 2006). The consultant in example 1 and the registrar in example 2 were the identified team leaders. There are few recommendations made about the education necessary to become a team leader other than experience and seniority. The Royal College of Surgeons (2000) report that the team leader should be experienced in emergency management from either an emergency, intensive care or surgical specialty and have completed an ATLS course (Cole and Crichton 2006, American College of Surgeons 1997). From observation of leadership in the local resuscitation department, it appears that the most senior team member takes the lead. Etherington (2003) argues that many AE nurses perform the leader role as well as their medical colleagues. Meanwhile, Gilligan et al., (2005) argue that in many emergency departments AE nurses do not assume a lead role in advanced resuscitation. Their study investigated whether emergency nurses with previous ALS training provided good team leadership in a simulated cardiac arrest situation concluding that, ALS trained nurses performed equally as well as ALS trained emergency Senior House Officers (SHOs). This study was conducted at five emergency departments. All participants went through the same scenario. Participants included 20 ALS trained nurses, 19 ALS trained emergency SHOs, and 18 emergency SHOs without formal ALS training. The overall mean score for doctors without ALS training was 69.5%, compared with 72.3% for ALS trained doctors and 73.7% for ALS trained nurses. The evidence drawn from Gilligan et al., (2005) suggests it may be

Essay --

The Protestant Reformation and Its Impact on European Society Martin Luther was born in 1483 in Eiselben, Germany. He originally intended to pursue a career in law, but changed his path to theology after surviving a dangerous lightning storm. As a monk, he wrestled with his conflicting views in faith. During his time in an Augustinian monastery, he began to develop a belief that God was cruel for requiring him to devote so much effort into living a pious life. Luther soon began to believe that God was directly connected with people and that actions did not lead to salvation. During his lifetime, a philosophy known as Renaissance Humanism had been developing. It called for researching the original sources of records as well as empowering all humans. He established his theological beliefs by studying the Bible directly instead of following Catholic tradition. The act of going back to the source of information was part of Humanist philosophy. Luther then translated the source of The Bible into vernacular, which went along with another Humanist ide a of educating the common person. Luther became a professor in Wittenberg, Germany in 1508. There he attempted to institute Humanist philosophy as the basis of academics instead of the Medieval Scholasticism, which was the established teaching style of the time. Scholasticism was set up by the Church as a teaching style for Universities around 400 years prior and eventually became an attempt to reconcile Christian doctrine and ancient Greek philosophy. Luther ultimately became critical of many of the traditions in the Church and his objections spread throughout Europe, starting with his 95 Theses in 1517. Although he originally was only interested in intellectual discussion, Luther became ... ...he Anabaptists represented a more extreme side of the Reformation. Among their views were adult baptism and separation of church and state. The Anabaptists were persecuted by both Catholics and other Protestants, though they survived in Northern Germany and the Netherlands. These many divisions in Christianity likely would not have formed if Luther did not raise his questions against the Church. Science in Europe could develop more easily as people were not as restricted by the Church’s authority. The Catholic Church was not against science, but it had adopted old Greek methods, which were reconciled with Christianity by Aquinas, to become the accepted philosophy of the Church. This paradigm was part of the traditional Scholasticism method of critical thought and, because it was the established teaching and learning style of the Church, few desired to go against it.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Spanish Languages Influence on the Puerto Rican Identity Essay

Spanish Language's Influence on the Puerto Rican Identity The initial occupation of Puerto Rico by the Spaniards carries an important implication for language as part of the Puerto Rican identity. The Spanish language was imposed upon the inhabitants of the island, the Tainos, in the sixteenth century, when the Spanish inhabited the island in 1502, after the Spanish conquerors claimed the island in the name of Spain in 1493. Eventually, the Spanish had moved out or taken over the ways of the old and their culture infiltrated that of the Taino to create a new dimension of the first storey, where the Spanish language was incorporated as the building blocks of the foundation of the Puerto Rican identity (Figueroa, Sept.15). The Spanish maintained control over the island until 1898, when Spain relinquished Puerto Rico to the United States as a result of the Spanish American War. This change begins the construction of the third storey (the second storey involved the economic and political growth of the island under Spanish rule). The 400 years of Spanish history and influence on the island caused conflict for notions of identity and has great impact on Puerto Rican identity. Although the Spanish had come to the island and taken over, decimating the entire Taino population, Puerto Ricans now take pride in the fact that the Spanish contributes to their identity (a result of acculturation), and that they are a (mainly) Spanish speaking nation. Although it wasn't initially intended to be, the acquisition of Puerto Rico resulted in the island becoming an unincorporated territory (http://Welcome.ToPuertoRico.org/history.htm). The passing of various acts, such as the English Only Act (1902), the Foraker Law (1900- establishing un... ...". From Negrà ³n-Muntaner and Grosfoguel (Eds.), Puerto Rican Jam: Essays on Culture and Politics. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 257-285. Rivera, Angel, Q. "Music, Social Classes, and the National Question in Puerto Rico". In Glasser. Scarano, Francisco. "Sugar and Slavery in Puerto Rico, 1815-1849: An Overview," from Scarano, 1984, Sugar and Slavery in Puerto Rico: The Plantation Economy of Ponce, 1800-1850. Madison: U of Wisconsin Press. pp.3-34 Trà ­as-Monge, J. (1997). "The Shaping of a Colonial Policy". From Trà ­as-Monge, Puerto Rico: the Trials of the Oldest Colony of the World. New Haven: Yale University Press, 36-51. Walker, Rich. (1998). A Multicultural Alternative to Language and Nationalism. Http://frontpage.trincoll.edu/rwalker. Waxer, Lise. (October 29, 1998). Puerto Rican Music Between Rafael Hernandez and Rafael Cortijo.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Peer Reviewed Article Summary

Peer-reviewed Articles Kimberly Winkler Psy/500 October 8, 2012 Bridgette Jenkins Abstract Resilience in any human being is vital but it also is important because it is the human capacity to face, overcome and strengthen by or even transformed by the adversities of life (Grotberg E. , Unknown). Every individual faces some sort of adversities which means that no one is exempt (Grotberg E. Unknown). Children are no exception to adversities so they must form resilience so they can overcome trauma (Grotberg E. , Unknown).Articles that will be discussed will show different mother-child interaction and resilience in children with early developmental risk and also using the resiliency scales for children and adolescents who are in the school settings. An article which discusses the comparison of maternal and paternal influences on young children’s behavior and resilience will also be deliberated upon. Mother-Child Interaction and resilience in children with early developmental risk M other Child interaction and resilience in children with early developmental risk speaks about a study which tests 50 children with early developmental delays.The article focused on the contributions of child characteristics and mother-child interaction to the prediction of formal intellectual disability (ID) among children with identified early developmental delays (Fenning & Baker, 2012). Children become resilient in certain situations and the study that was performed showed that children remain at risk for learning difficulties and teaching them resilience tools will help the children at risk for ID (Fenning & Baker, 2012).This article was extremely informative because it showed that mother-child interaction are very important to a child’s wellbeing and if not appropriately followed through with during preschool period they can be at risk for ID which increases resilience. Mother-child interaction is essential to resilience and this article portrays the importance of this. Fenning, R. M. , & Baker, J. K. (2012). Mother–child interaction and resilience in children with early developmental risk. Journal Of Family Psychology, 26(3), 411-420. doi:10. 1037/a0028287Assessing Personal Resiliency in the context of school settings: using the resiliency scales for children and adolescents Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents (RSCA) is a method to measure resiliency in students that is applicable for schools private use to utilize within the classroom environment (Embury, 2011). The RSCA will test students and pay attention to the strengths and limitations in personal resiliency (Embury, 2011). Resiliency interventions are then put into place depending on the results of the RSCA test and can be used in the school setting.School settings are just as significant as a child’s environment at home and when testing the children it will only set a foundation to better a child’s personal resiliency tools. The RSCA is easy to use and has ta ken studies pertaining to resilience and put them into a test form for the benefit of children in the school setting. Prince-Embury, S. (2011). Assessing personal resiliency in the context of school settings: Using the resiliency scales for children and adolescents. Psychology In The Schools, 48(7), 672-685. doi:10. 1002/pits. 20581The Comparison and Interdependence of Maternal and Paternal Influences on Young Children’s Behavior and Resilience We all go through tough times in our life and more people than others suffer with bouts of depressions and that does not exclude mothers and fathers. Systematically it has been understood that a mother-child relationship and a mothers depressed mood will affect children more so that a father-child relationship and a fathers depressed mood (Malmberg & Flouri, 2011). Research was done to decipher how depression affects young children’s behavior and their resilience to situations.I was intrigued to discover that economic deprivatio n and family stress have a negative effect on the mother-child relationship and in turn have a poor child outcome. Also, it was stated that during the research there was little evidence that showed the quality of father-child relationships promote resilience ( Malmberg & Flouri, 2011). As important as parent-child relationships are we can learn from them to promote positive behavior and form a positive resilience which is a natural part of young children.Malmberg, L. , & Flouri, E. (2011). The Comparison and Interdependence of Maternal and Paternal Influences on Young Children's Behavior and Resilience. Journal Of Clinical Child ; Adolescent Psychology, 40(3), 434-444. doi:10. 1080/15374416. 2011. 563469 References Edith H. Grotberg, Ph. D. (Unknown). Early Childhood Development: Practice and Reflections. In Guide to Promoting Resilience in Children: Strengthening the Human Spirit. Retrieved October 8, 2012, from http://resilnet. uiuc. edu/library/grotb95b. html.