History of Personal Computers

History of the Personal Computer Introduction: The history of the personal computer is vast and complex. As computers continue to develop, each development brings greater opportunities and challenges to the world of computing. ————————————————- Learn how it all started and where it has led to in today’s world. Quiz 1. The first accurate mechanical calculator was invented in 1642 by __________. a. Charles Babbage b. Blaise Pascal c. Joseph Marie Jacquard d. Herman Hollerith 2. In 1993, the invention of which browser allowed Internet users to view multimedia files? e. Netscape Navigator . Internet Explorer g. Opera h. Mosaic 3. In 1975, Popular Electronics magazine advertised the __________ as the first computer available for personal use. i. Altair j. Apple Lisa k. IBM l. ENIAC 4. The principal features of the graphical user interface were developed by __________. m. Apple n. Microsoft o. Lotus p. Xerox 5. The __________, which can alter its electric state between on and off, is the basic building block for computer circuitry. q. Processor r. Circuit s. Transistor t. Microprocessor 6. Released in 1979, the first word processing application for personal computers was __________. . Word v. WordAssistant w. WordPerfect x. WordStar 7. Built in 1939, the __________ computer was the first to use vacuum tubes instead of mechanical switches to store binary data. y. ENIAC z. Altair {. Atanasoff-Berry |. IBM 8. Which computer was the first to use magnetic storage tape instead of punched cards? }. UNIVAC ~. ENIAC . Altair . ADA 9. The __________ is considered to be the first successful high-speed electronic digital computer. . Hollerith tabulating machine . Jacquard loom . ENIAC . Pascaline calculator 10. Who is considered the first computer programmer? Charles Babbage . Herman Hollerith . Grace Hopper . Ada Lovelace Projects Interviews Task: Interview pe ople of varying ages to find out how computers were used when they were in their childhood. Assignment: Interview four people of varying age ranges to find out how computers were used when they were in their childhood. Write a summary of how computers were used during their childhood. History of the Computer Task: View the history of the computer. Assignment: Visit www. pbs. org/nerds/timeline and view the history of the computer.Write a short description of the events during each of the following phases. 1. Prehistory 2. Electronics 3. Mini 4. Micro 5. Network The 1952 Presidential Election Task: We trust our lives to computers. They control planes in flight, calculate our payrolls, and monitor vital hospital equipment. It was not always this way, though. Let’s look at a computer’s role in predicting the 1952 presidential election. Assignment: Visit www. wired. com/science/discoveries/news/2008/11/dayintech_1104 to see what trust was placed in an early computer. 1. Wh at computer was used to predict the 1952 election? 2.Which network used the computer during a live broadcast of the election results? 3. Although the broadcast was from New York City, where was the computer located? 4. Who was predicted by preelection polls to be the winner? 5. Who did the computer predict the winner to be? 6. What were the numbers of electoral votes predicted to be? 7. What were the odds that this candidate would have even the minimum 266 electoral votes to win? 8. How did the news department respond to this information? 9. What were the final electoral vote counts, and what was the percentage of error from the initial prediction?

Friedrich Nietzsche Essay

Existentialism provides a moving account of the agony of being in the world. The spirit of existen- tialism has a long history in philosophy. But it be- came a major movement in the second half of the 20th century. Existentialism is not a systematic body of thought like Marxism or psychoanalysis. Instead, it is more like an umbrella under which a very wide range of thinkers struggled with ques- tions about the meaning of life. Much of the appeal and popularity of Existential- ism is due to the sense of confusion, the crisis, and the feeling of rejection and rootlessness that Euro- peans felt during World War II and its aftermath. Existentialism’s focus on each person’s role in cre- ating meaning in their life was a major influence on the Phenomenological and Humanistic traditions in psychology and on the â€Å"human potential† move- ment that emerged from them. Rene Descartes (1596-1650) said, â€Å"Conquer your- self rather than the world. †. To modern existential- ists this means that the World itself has no real meaning or purpose. It is not the unfolding expres- sion of Human Destiny or a Divine plan, or even a set of natural laws. The only meaning is that which we create by acts of will. To have a meaningful life we have to act. But we should act without hope. Acting is meaningful but it doesn’t create meaning that lasts beyond the acts themselves or beyond our own lifetime. You are what you do – while you are doing it – and then nothing. (Very depressing. ) In The Myth of Sisyphus, Albert Camus (pronounced â€Å"Kam-moo†) (1913-1960) describes life as a kind of hopeless, endless, uphill labor. Hence, the only true problem is that of suicide. Yet, he rejects nihilism; for the human being must fight and never accept defeat. The problem is to be a saint without a God. The last judgment takes place everyday. The human being must do his best, try for what he can within the confinements of his situation. Camus describes Sisyphus condemned by the gods to push a stone up a hill over and over, only to have it roll back down each time he reaches the top. A task that can never be completed. But he finds meaning in the fact that Sisyphus at least gets to decide each time whether to carry on or end it all. Camus says, â€Å"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy. † Although there can never be any meaning in Sisy- phus’ task, there is meaning is choosing each time to continue. Despite encompassing a staggering range of phi- losophical, religious, and political ideologies, the underlying concepts of existentialism are simple: Mankind has free will. Life is a series of choices, creating stress. Few decisions are without any negative conse- quences. Some things are irrational or absurd, without explanation. If one makes a decision, he or she must follow through. Notes on Existentialism by Tanweer Akram. The fundamental problem of existentialism is con- cerned with the study of being. The human being’s existence is the first and basic fact; the human be- ing has no essence that comes before his existence. The human being, as a being, is nothing. This nothingness and the non-existence of an essence is the central source of the freedom the human being faces in each and every moment. The human being Notes on Existentialism Compiled for PSY 345 (Fall 2004) Existentialism Notes 2 has liberty in view of his situation, in decisions which makes himself and sets himself to solves his problems and live in the world. Thrown into the world, the human being is con- demned to be free. The human being must take this freedom of being and the responsibility and guilt of his actions. Each action negates the other possible courses of action and their consequences; so the human being must be accountable without excuse. The human being must not slip away from his re- sponsibilities. The human being must take deci- sions and assume responsibilities. There is no sig- nificance in this world, this universe. The human being cannot find any purpose in life; his existence is only a contingent fact. His being does not emerge from necessity. If a human being rejects the false pretensions, the illusions of his existence hav- ing a meaning, he encounters the absurdity, the fu- tility of life. The human being’s role in the world is not predetermined or fixed; every person is com- pelled to make a choice. Choice is one thing the human being must make. The trouble is that most often the human being refuses to choose. Hence, he cannot realize his freedom and the futility of his existence. Basically existence is of two types: authentic and inauthentic forms of existence. Authentic existence is contrasted with dynamic and is the being-for- itself, rising from the human being’s bad faith, by which the human being moves away from the bur- den of responsibility, through this beliefs in dogma and by regarding himself as subject to outside in- fluences and his actions to be predetermined. There is a striking contrast between the authentic and the inauthentic forms of being; the authentic being is the being of the human being and the inau- thentic being is the being for things. Yet, authentic being is only rarely attained by the human being; still it is what the human being must strive to gain. The inauthentic being-in-itself is characteristically distinctive of things; it is what the human being is diseased with for his failure to see himself as and act according as a free agent and his impotency to reject bad faith. Things are only what they are. But the human being is what can be. Things are deter- mined, fixed, and rigid; the human being is free; he can add essence to his life in the course of his life and he is in a constant state of flux and is able to comprehend his situation. The human being does not live in a pre-determined world; the human be- ing is free to realize his aims, to materialize his dreams; hence, he has only the destiny he forges for himself because in this world nothing happens out of necessity. The human being hides himself from freedom by self-deception, acting like a thing, as if he is a pas- sive subject, instead of realizing the authentic be- ing for the human being; this is bad faith. In bad faith, the human being shelter himself from re- sponsibility by not noticing the dimensions of al- ternative courses of action facing him; in bad faith, the human being behaves as others demand of him by conforming to the standards of accepted values and by adopting roles designed for him; in bad faith, the human being loses the autonomy of his moral will, his freedom to decide; in bad faith, the human being imprisons himself within inauthentic- ity for he has refused to take the challenge of re- sponsibility and the anxiety that comes along with his freedom. Anxiety ascends from the human being’s realiza- tion that the human being’s destiny is not fixed but is open to an undetermined future of infinite possi- bilities and limitless scope: The emptiness of fu- ture destiny must be filled by making choices for which he alone will assume responsibility and blame. This anxiety is present at every moment of the human being’s existence; anxiety is part and parcel of authentic existence. Anxiety leads the human being to take decisions and be committed. The human being tries to avoid this anguish through bad faith. But the free human being, in his authenticity, must be involved; for his own actions are only his, his responsibility is to himself, his being is his own. The human being must be com- mitted. To be committed means not to support this in place of that, but to attach a human being’s total- ity to a cause; it is the human being’s existential freedom that leads to total commitment. Existentialist thinkers begin from the human situa- tion in the world; the condition of despair, the modes of existence, the human being’s tendency to avoid authentic existence, his relation to things, his own body, and to other beings, with whom he can- not come into genuine communication, and the sufferings of life. Starting from the study of being, each existentialist thinkers originate their own doc- trines, with their own emphasis on particular as- pects. Very often their viewpoints is conflicting and sometimes contradictory; yet this philosophi-cal attitude of being, as a whole, can be described as the existentialist movement, which stresses upon the â€Å"being† of the human being. Existentialism Notes 3 Additional Notes on Existentialism Existentialism, philosophical movement or ten- dency, emphasizing individual existence, freedom, and choice, that influenced many diverse writers in the 19th and 20th centuries. Major Themes Because of the diversity of positions associated with existentialism, the term is impossible to define precisely. Certain themes common to virtually all existentialist writers can, however, be identified. The term itself suggests one major theme: the stress on concrete individual existence and, consequently, on subjectivity, individual freedom, and choice. Moral Individualism Most philosophers since Plato have held that the highest ethical good is the same for everyone; inso- far as one approaches moral perfection, one resem- bles other morally perfect individuals. The 19th- century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, who was the first writer to call himself existential, reacted against this tradition by insisting that the highest good for the individual is to find his or her own unique vocation. As he wrote in his journal, â€Å"I must find a truth that is true for me . . . the idea for which I can live or die. † Other existentialist writers have echoed Kierkegaard’s belief that one must choose one’s own way without the aid of universal, objective standards. Against the traditional view that moral choice involves an objective judgment of right and wrong, existentialists have argued that no objective, rational basis can be found for moral decisions. The 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche further contended that the indi- vidual must decide which situations are to count as moral situations. SubjectivityAll existentialists have followed Kierkegaard in s tressing the importance of passionate individual action in deciding questions of both morality and truth. They have insisted, accordingly, that per- sonal experience and acting on one’s own convic- tions are essential in arriving at the truth. Thus, the understanding of a situation by someone involved in that situation is superior to that of a detached, objective observer. This emphasis on the perspec- tive of the individual agent has also made existen- tialists suspicious of systematic reasoning. Kierke- gaard, Nietzsche, and other existentialist writers have been deliberately unsystematic in the exposi- tion of their philosophies, preferring to express themselves in aphorisms, dialogues, parables, and other literary forms. Despite their antirationalist position, however, most existentialists cannot be said to be irrationalists in the sense of denying all validity to rational thought. They have held that rational clarity is desirable wherever possible, but that the most important questions in life are not accessible to reason or science. Furthermore, they have argued that even science is not as rational as is commonly supposed. Nietzsche, for instance, asserted that the scientific assumption of an orderly universe is for the most part a useful fiction. Choice and Commitment Perhaps the most prominent theme in existentialist writing is that of choice. Humanity’s primary dis- tinction, in the view of most existentialists, is the freedom to choose. Existentialists have held that human beings do not have a fixed nature, or es- sence, as other animals and plants do; each human being makes choices that create his or her own na- ture. In the formulation of the 20th-century French philosopher Jean Paul Sartre, existence precedes essence. Choice is therefore central to human exis- tence, and it is inescapable; even the refusal to choose is a choice. Freedom of choice entails com- mitment and responsibility. Because individuals are free to choose their own path, existentialists have argued, they must accept the risk and respon- sibility of following their commitment wherever it leads. Dread and Anxiety Kierkegaard held that it is spiritually crucial to rec- ognize that one experiences not only a fear of spe- cific objects but also a feeling of general apprehen- sion, which he called dread. He interpreted it as God’s way of calling each individual to make a commitment to a personally valid way of life. The word anxiety (German Angst) has a similarly cru- cial role in the work of the 20th-century German philosopher Martin Heidegger; anxiety leads to the individual’s confrontation with nothingness and with the impossibility of finding ultimate justifica- tion for the choices he or she must make. In the philosophy of Sartre, the word nausea is used for the individual’s recognition of the pure contin- gency of the universe, and the word anguish is used for the recognition of the total freedom of choice that confronts the individual at every mo- ment. Existentialism Notes 4 History Existentialism as a distinct philosophical and liter- ary movement belongs to the 19th and 20th centu- ries, but elements of existentialism can be found in the thought (and life) of Socrates, in the Bible, and in the work of many premodern philosophers and writers. Pascal The first to anticipate the major concerns of mod- ern existentialism was the 17th-century French phi- losopher Blaise Pascal. Pascal rejected the rigorous rationalism of his contemporary Rene Descartes, asserting, in his Pensees (1670), that a systematic philosophy that presumes to explain God and hu- manity is a form of pride. Like later existentialist writers, he saw human life in terms of paradoxes: The human self, which combines mind and body, is itself a paradox and contradiction. Kierkegaard Kierkegaard, generally regarded as the founder of modern existentialism, reacted against the system- atic absolute idealism of the 19th-century German philosopher G. W. F. Hegel, who claimed to have worked out a total rational understanding of hu- manity and history. Kierkegaard, on the contrary, stressed the ambiguity and absurdity of the human situation. The individual’s response to this situation must be to live a totally committed life, and this commitment can only be understood by the indi- vidual who has made it. The individual therefore must always be prepared to defy the norms of soci- ety for the sake of the higher authority of a person- ally valid way of life. Kierkegaard ultimately advo- cated a â€Å"leap of faith† into a Christian way of life, which, although incomprehensible and full of risk, was the only commitment he believed could save the individual from despair. Nietzsche Nietzsche, who was not acquainted with the work of Kierkegaard, influenced subsequent existential- ist thought through his criticism of traditional metaphysical and moral assumptions and through his espousal of tragic pessimism and the life- affirming individual will that opposes itself to the moral conformity of the majority. In contrast to Kierkegaard, whose attack on conventional moral- ity led him to advocate a radically individualistic Christianity, Nietzsche proclaimed the â€Å"death of God† and went on to reject the entire Judeo- Christian moral tradition in favor of a heroic pagan ideal. Heidegger Heidegger, like Pascal and Kierkegaard, reacted against an attempt to put philosophy on a conclu- sive rationalistic basis—in this case the phenome- nology of the 20th-century German philosopher Edmund Husserl. Heidegger argued that humanity finds itself in an incomprehensible, indifferent world. Human beings can never hope to under- stand why they are here; instead, each individual must choose a goal and follow it with passionate conviction, aware of the certainty of death and the ultimate meaninglessness of one’s life. Heidegger contributed to existentialist thought an original em- phasis on being and ontology as well as on lan- guage. Sartre Sartre first gave the term existentialism general currency by using it for his own philosophy and by becoming the leading figure of a distinct move- ment in France that became internationally influen- tial after World War II. Sartre’s philosophy is ex- plicitly atheistic and pessimistic; he declared that human beings require a rational basis for their lives but are unable to achieve one, and thus human life is a â€Å"futile passion. † Sartre nevertheless insisted that his existentialism is a form of humanism, and he strongly emphasized human freedom, choice, and responsibility. He eventually tried to reconcile these existentialist concepts with a Marxist analy- sis of society and history. Existentialism and Theology Although existentialist thought encompasses the uncompromising atheism of Nietzsche and Sartre and the agnosticism of Heidegger, its origin in the intensely religious philosophies of Pascal and Kierkegaard foreshadowed its profound influence on 20th-century theology. The 20th-century Ger- man philosopher Karl Jaspers, although he rejected explicit religious doctrines, influenced contempo- rary theology through his preoccupation with tran- scendence and the limits of human experience. The German Protestant theologians Paul Tillich and Rudolf Bultmann, the French Roman Catholic theologian Gabriel Marcel, the Russian Orthodox philosopher Nikolay Berdyayev, and the German Jewish philosopher Martin Buber inherited many Existentialism Notes 5 of Kierkegaard’s concerns, especially that a per- sonal sense of authenticity and commitment is es- sential to religious faith. Existentialism and Literature A number of existentialist philosophers used liter- ary forms to convey their thought, and existential- ism has been as vital and as extensive a movement in literature as in philosophy. The 19th-century Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky is probably the greatest existentialist literary figure. In Notes from the Underground (1864), the alienated anti- hero rages against the optimistic assumptions of rationalist humanism. The view of human nature that emerges in this and other novels of Dostoyevsky is that it is unpredictable and per- versely self-destructive; only Christian love can save humanity from itself, but such love cannot be understood philosophically. As the character Alyo- sha says in The Brothers Karamazov (1879-80), â€Å"We must love life more than the meaning of it. † In the 20th century, the novels of the Austrian Jew- ish writer Franz Kafka, such as The Trial (1925; trans. 1937) and The Castle (1926; trans. 1930), present isolated men confronting vast, elusive, menacing bureaucracies; Kafka’s themes of anxi- ety, guilt, and solitude reflect the influence of Kierkegaard, Dostoyevsky, and Nietzsche. The in- fluence of Nietzsche is also discernible in the nov- els of the French writers Andre Malraux and in the plays of Sartre. The work of the French writer Al- bert Camus is usually associated with existential- ism because of the prominence in it of such themes as the apparent absurdity and futility of life, the indifference of the universe, and the necessity of engagement in a just cause. Existentialist themes are also reflected in the theater of the absurd, nota- bly in the plays of Samuel Beckett and Eugene Ionesco. In the United States, the influence of exis- tentialism on literature has been more indirect and diffuse, but traces of Kierkegaard’s thought can be found in the novels of Walker Percy and John Up- dike, and various existentialist themes are apparent in the work of such diverse writers as Norman Mailer, John Barth, and Arthur Miller. Conclusion Existentialists make endless claims. They never bother to show how they reached their claims or if these are, indeed, true. The existentialists when he pretends to present a representation of reality pro- vides no cognition; unverifiable assertions may well express powerful and even necessary emo- tions and passions, but that’s best left to the arts and literature. Existentialism is a highly passionate philosophy and, from the outset, seems to aim at a dynamic and fashionable life-style. Also it is mostly unsys- tematic and pays little attention to logic or science. Whatever one makes of its metaphysical claims, one cannot deny that existentialism was able to provide a moving account of the spirit of the con- temporary world and the nausea and frustration of survival. Indeed, it is basically for its richness in psychological insight and its impact on culture that existentialist philosophy will continued to be stud- ied.

Improving Communication Between Healthcare Providers and Patients Research Paper

Improving Communication Between Healthcare Providers and Patients - Research Paper Example e what they need to treat patients, but they must share pertinent information to make sure they are treating patients safely while also keeping them adequately aware of the realities. Verbal reports of the patients are extremely important for the care providers to know the acute details of the problems encountered and to scrutinize them later. Many times, when a patient is under huge mental pressure owing to deplorable physical condition and his/her relatives are unavailable to talk to, many fine points go unnoticed and absolutely ignored. Motivational interviewing is an important tool for that purpose and worth mentioning here that is a relatively simple, transparent and supportive talk therapy based on the principles of cognitive–behavior therapy. (Bundy, 2004, p. 43). This technique is designed to talk patients into changing their conservative approached towards new therapies and convince them to cooperate in better terms for optimal prevention of a disease. For the correct application of handoff system, a standardized approach needs to be observed, as identified by Ellingson. She says that by creating a transfer communication form aided by trip-tickets, which are basically assessment charts that verify if the patient is ok with the treatment, communication can be readily improved. The toolkit of handoffs and transitions is basically focused on enhancing communication between caregivers and patients. Many strategies for improving communication through handoff system are daily envisaged but the one identified by Ellingson covers physical as well as psycho-social issues noted by staff as necessary to satisfactorily take care of patients. (Torner, 2008). According to the Interpersonal Communication (IPC) toolkit identified in Aidsmark.org (n.d), one of the main strategies formulated for interpersonal communication programmes is the deep analysis of the social, economical, cultural and geographic factors related to different patients. The P Process program

Premise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Premise - Essay Example Currently, researchers cannot establish the exact numbers. Nonetheless, it is evident that the number of lives lost due to infections is significant (Draelos, 2011). In the existing literature, a connection has been established between hand-hygiene and the number of hospital acquired infections. Essentially, compliance to hand-hygiene reduces the number of hospital related infections. Nonetheless, the available literature fails to clarify how a hand hygiene program seeking to enhance compliance to relevant practises such as washing and gelling after each patient would affect the rate hospital related infection. This retrospective study will provide vital insight as to the extent that such a program can reduce the rate of hospital related infections. The inferences of the statistical result would enable medical practitioners to alter their program appositely so that they are effective in curbing hospital related infections (Fraise, Maillard & Sattar, 2009). Based on what is emphasized in the program medical practitioners will determine with considerable certainty the factors which cause infections in hospitals. The lack of scholarly work on the connection between hygiene programs and infections in hospitals makes the study important. It will contribute positively to the medical discourse since it will provide a theoretical background for doctors to undertake certain measures to deal with hospital infections (Salama et al. 2013). Overall, the study will investigate an area, which the medical discipline has overlooked, yet hospital related infections lead to a significant amount of deaths. The study will establish the connection between hand-hygiene programs and hospital acquired infections. This retrospective study will focus on the practitioners’ adherence to the recommended practises with regard to hand-hygiene (Bhattacharyya, 2009). Therefore, the research is hinged upon the hypothesis that observing basic hand-hygiene

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DATA ANALYSIS - Case Study Example nal Median 4 Percentile 3; 6 28 Gender 20 Nominal Mode 1 - Table 2 shows the variables whose measures were changed as there were coding errors in them. The variable name is shown together with the question number, the correct measure and the change that was made. The reason for the change is also provided. Name Question # Measure Changes Reason for change Tvprogram 4 Nominal Changed from ‘scale’ to ‘nominal’ Coding error Surfnet 7 Nominal Changed from ‘scale’ to ‘nominal’ Coding error Location 10 Ordinal Changed from ‘scale’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding error Distance 10 Ordinal Changed from ‘scale’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding error Wine 10 Ordinal Changed from ‘nominal’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding error Chef 10 Ordinal Changed from ‘scale’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding error Waitstaff 10 Ordinal Changed from ‘scale’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding er ror Unique 10 Ordinal Changed from ‘nominal’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding error Local 10 Ordinal Changed from ‘nominal’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding error Attractive 10 Ordinal Changed from ‘scale’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding error Music 10 Ordinal Changed from ‘scale’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding error Parking 10 Ordinal Changed from ‘nominal’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding error Birthyear 13 Scale (Ratio) Changed from ‘nominal’ to ‘scale’ Coding error Income 19 Ordinal Changed from ‘nominal’ to ‘ordinal’ Coding error Question 2 Gender Differences in Monthly Lunch or Dinner Spending This study examines whether male and female differ in their monthly spending on lunch or dinner at restaurants. In order to achieve this, the following hypothesis was tested using Independent-Samples T-Test: H0: There are no significant differences by gender in monthly expenditures on lunch or dinner at restaurants. H1: There are significant differences by gender in monthly expenditures on lunch or dinner at restaurants The results show that female (M = $ 169.99, SD = $ 86.79) spent more than male (M = $ 148.34, SD = $ 93.27) on lunch or dinner at restaurants monthly. The Levene’s Test for Equality of Variances was statistically significant for average monthly expenditure (p < .05). Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected in favour of alternative hypothesis. These results support the claim by Chef Gatson that men and women are different in terms of the amount they spend, on a monthly basis, on lunch or dinner at restaurant. Therefore, female spend more than male on lunch and dinner in restaurants on a monthly basis. The study recommends that Chef Gaston should focus on having lunch and dinner packages that will attract more female clients to the restaurant. Since they spend more

Qualitative Methods Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Qualitative Methods - Assignment Example In this method of qualitative research, the theory developed should be flexible enough to be able to cover a broad variety of varying instances more understandable, in such a way that it makes sense of the whole picture, and not just an aspect of it (Charmaz, 2007). This specific method may have a great impact on the mini-project. One of the capacities of the grounded theory method is that it can analyze and understand current social situations, such as spirituality in nursing, and then predict the changes in the said situations (Schreiber & Stern, 2001). Indeed, the basic steps of grounded theory shaped the steps utilized in the thematic analysis of the mini-project. For example, after the interview, although the questions were not really improved or refined, the coded transcriptions were compared with the results of others, in order to allow the relevant themes to emerge. After the said themes materialized, they were again re-evaluated through their comparison to other literature. By doing so, the mini-project was able to achieve an aim of grounded theory, which involves extracting the common meanings of experiences from individuals undergoing common experiences (Jannetti, 2005). More importantly, at the end of the mini-project, it was also a ble to provide a meaningful course for action (in promoting spirituality in workplace), which is something Birks and Mills (2011) stated that is achieved by grounded theory. Jannetti, A. J. (2005, February 24). Case and Grounded Theory As Qualitative Research Methods. Retrieved from Red Orbit:

Sports Logistics & Event Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sports Logistics & Event Planning - Essay Example It is always important and also necessary to send guardians to take care of the students and the best way of the sending few people to accompany the students is to bring along the teachers and other officials related to the school. In this way, there could be a great interaction with players as teachers could help out the students while interacting with players. Another thing is that safety of the whole group is ensured when there is someone accompanying them. Now that we are considering the trip, we also need to look at a financial aspect of the whole thing. Since we have mentioned that this trip is intended for the students of the school, one way of generating a part of funds is the use of the school donation money or the school deposits reserve. This way school can be a part of the whole affair and the trip would seem as an official visit to the school to the club and in way garner more respect and hence the hospitality levels of the whole trip attain new levels. Funds generated i n such a manner would also illustrate the levels of interaction with the education and sports bodies of the country. Another part of the funds can be generated by using a small amount of fee which is to be collected by the school authorities from the students who are taking part in the whole trip. Thus the concept of social responsibility of the individual towards the society also comes into picture wherein it is the responsibility of the students who are visiting the club to donate to the club for the development of the club in any manner. In this way funds of the trip can be generated to for the successful trip of the club. Now that we have discussed the methods and areas from where we can generate the funds, we need to look at the cost issue of whole trip so as to get an in depth idea about it. The following rates of the tours give us an idea about the cost of the trip. It is decided by the authorities of the club that along with tour of the club and related academies, visitors a lso are allowed to visit

Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Microeconomics - Essay Example Now, there is only a single supplier of potato chip all across the region (Brigham, 1976). As all firms decided to merge together to create a single monopoly, now there will be barriers to entry in the industry as no further firms can enter the market easily and threaten the existence of existing firms. The firm is now protected against any other foreign threat as no other firm can enter the market to compete with it. This monopoly is owned by a single firm and so the business enjoys the benefit of having the entire market share to itself without any pressure or constraints. However, this monopoly is not a natural monopoly and so it can charge its customers with whatever price suits it and gain higher profits. A monopoly also produces goods and services by producing required quantity at a price where marginal cost equals marginal revenue just like any other market structure. But, it can also choose to set a price at which quantity is demanded where price might exceed the marginal cos t (Case, 1996). Monopoly is highly beneficial to society and consumers as well. Large firms usually attain the benefit of gaining from economies of scale. Economies of scale is increase in efficiency as the number of goods produced by a firm increases. Due to economies of scale, the Average cost curve goes downwards. If the fall in Average cost curve is very large so a monopolist can charge its consumers a lower price and generate a higher output than the monopolistic competition of the market. This way, monopolist maximizes the profits. Marginal cost becomes equal to marginal revenue at this point. This means that now the consumers can enjoy potato chips at a lower price than it was when the market was monopolistic due to huge producer surplus. The society gains as well (Allen, 2005). As this monopoly is privately owned, and not a government regulated natural monopoly, government does not have any say here. But it can produce revenues for the entire economy in form of more and more exports. This single firm can take advantage of economies of scale from its home economy and maintain a cost advantage through which it can exploit the international market and can sell at a relatively cheap rate abroad. Governments do gain when the economies prosper as now government receives more money in form of taxes which it can utilize in infrastructure and other welfare activities (Allen, 2005). However, the change from monopolistic market structure to monopoly does come with a lot of changes in profits and revenues. In a monopolistic competition, the industry comprise of a huge number of firms, each one of those have relatively small size as compared to total market. That is why; no firm can affect the overall market price because of its small size. But, in a monopolistic structure, firms can differentiate their output by having some control over price (Allen, 2005). The short-run equilibrium of monopolistic market is achieved by setting the price where marginal cost is equ al to marginal revenue. The profits of a firm arise by entrance of similar products by different firms in the market; where every firm competes for only a percentage of the total demand. Whenever a new firm enters the market, the demand curve shifts downwards due to which profits remain no more (Allen, 2005). Now due to large entrants of firms in the market, the individual demand curve shifts to the left. Here, the zero profit condition arises where

Why ITT Tech students should not use this site Essay Example for Free

Why ITT Tech students should not use this site Essay If you are a student of ITT Tech and use this site I suggest that you read the plagiarism clause in your student handbooks. I am a adjunct professor at the school and use this site to catch my students teaching. By you using this site you are cheating yourself and risking failure / expulsion from the school. Any student who engages on or off the school’s premises in any of the following types of misconduct will be subject to discipline by the school, which may include, without limitation, the suspension and/or termination from one or more courses the student is taking or the student’s entire program of study at the school and the referral to the proper authorities. Any student who, prior to his or her enrollment at the school, has engaged in any of the following types of misconduct may be subject to discipline by the school, which may include, without limitation, the student’s suspension and/or termination from one or more courses the student is taking or the student’s entire program of study at the school. Section D: honesty, including, without limitation, provision of false information, alte ration or misuse of documents, plagiarism and other academic cheating, impersonation, misrepresentation or fraud.

Risk Management Essay Example for Free

Risk Management Essay The company generates its electricity at the Niagara Falls and distributes it to various Canadian provinces and the United States. Founded in 1906 as the Hydro-Electric Power Commission, the corporation was later renamed to Ontario Hydro in 1974. In 1998, the provincial government passed the â€Å"Energy Competition Act†. Ontario Hydro was restructured into two separate organizations: a power generation utility and a combined transmission/delivery business to be called Hydro one. 2. Hydro One’s Strategy and risks Hydro Ones strategy has changed a lot during the last years. First of all, the company thought they knew what was best for their customers. Eventually their focus changed into a more customer-based strategy. With the change in their focus in addressing the needs of their customers, customer satisfaction has, in some areas, doubled. Although results have been positive, problems for the electricity supply in the future might decrease the satisfaction of the customers. In the corporate risk profile trends, the electricity supply has become one of the biggest risks with a rating of ‘virtually certain’. Only â€Å"government policy uncertainty† and â€Å"getting the work done† have the same level of risk. In the impact-probability risk map of the firm, it is clear that problems with the electricity supply are quite probable and that the magnitude is considerably large. There’s always a risk of new outages, which can affect over 100. 000 customers for more than seven days in the worst-case scenario. Worst case expectations about the service quality indices predict that only 25% of the overall expected performance will be achieved when the best case scenario predicts 95%: it is already quite certain that the 100% achievement will be impossible. Another big issue in Hydro One’s strategy is cost efficiency. Due to its aging assets, the company had to focus on cutting costs. This initiative resulted in Rating Agencies improving Hydros rating on its long term debt to A, A2 and A (high), respectively. On the other hand, employees protested heavily against these measures by a major 18 weeks strike. Unfortunately, reducing unit costs to its desired level might fail in the end. Only in the minor case scenario the unit costs are not reduced, other scenarios predict an increase of 5 to more than 25%. Cheap electricity encouraged Canadian consumers to increase their purchases of energy-intensive consumer devices. Hydro One had to cope with this increased demand on its aging assets, so it launched an active conservation and demand management program. In this way, Hydro One is undertaking conservation initiatives, despite their adverse impact on the companys revenues and earnings. Electricity supply is one of the biggest risks; the former Pikangihum chief even mentioned the problem to turn on Christmas lights. The vision that CEO Formusa endorsed in a strategic plan is to make Hydro One the best transmission and distribution business in North America. This vision would be achieved by having the best safety record in the world, top quartile transmission and distribution reliability, 90% customer satisfaction across all segments, top quartile employee productivity, operating efficiency and an A credit rating. The CEO also intended to reach out and negotiate a long-term deal with the unions. The risks concerning safety were big from 2002 till 2004 but are under more under control since 2005. 3. Major drivers to get started with ERM at Hydro One As part of the firm’s spinoff from the previous Ontario Hydro and in preparation of an IPO, the management and board of Hydro One set high goals for being a best-practices organization with superior corporate governance and business conduct. In preparation of the IPO, they responded to the requirement of the Toronto Stock Exchange for listed companies to implement strategic risk management. Despite this IPO was forced to a halt in the Ontario Superior Court, Hydro One continued to follow their value creation strategy including the implementation of ERM and a risk-based investment planning system. At the same time, the government of Ontario posed a new challenge that had to be addressed with a scheduled deregulation of the electricity markets involving conservation initiatives. Other new policies in the energy industry like carbon legislation, the adoption of renewable technologies and climate change posed new threats and opportunities. In brief, the increased scrutiny on corporate governance called for a comprehensive risk management program. 4. Different stages of Hydro One’s ERM process Hydro One introduced a three-phase risk management program: In phase one, a risk management team organizes a series of interactive risk workshops in order to make the employees of the firm familiar with the companies’ key strategic objectives and the principal risks faced by the organization. Prior to these workshops, the risk team made a list of 60-70 potential risks or threats to the business. This list was e-mailed to the participating management. Based on their feedback, the risk team shortens the list to 8-10 risks. These shortlisted risks then are discussed during the workshops. In phase two, the risk team prepares a corporate risk profile report for the executive team twice a year, in January and July. In this report, the principal risks facing the organization are summarized. The chief risk officer conducts a series of one-to-one interviews with the top 30 to 40 top executives to review the corporate risk profile. This half-yearly monitoring and review of risk is very important within the ERM process, because risks do not remain static. In phase 3, during the annual planning process, the investment planning department and the risk management team jointly develop an approach for allocating resources to prioritized investment project proposals based on the risks identified. The chief financial officer argues that looking at investment proposals from a risk management point of view gives high visibility to capital expenditure planning in order to let the top management make the right investment decisions. 5. Up- and downsides of the ERM process Hydro One developed enterprise risk management in response to a new corporate governance requirement. A positive thing about Hydro One’s ERM process is that it includes all layers of the organization. Employees need to participate in a series of workshops to learn more about the company’s objectives and their risks. The method that Hydro One applies is structured, systematic and on a timely basis which are all key principles of risk management. It provides a foundation for all risk data across the organization and delivers visibility to this data. This has improved accountability and control within the company. An enormous benefit of the ERM process for Hydro One was that the company achieved a lower cost of debt. However, if the company decides to change its client-based strategy, it might be wise to review the ERM process and make some necessary changes. The corporation also uses the Delphi-method, which is a valuable communication technique when properly used. One needs to keep in mind, when applying the Delphi method, that the role of the supervisor may not be underestimated. It is he who needs to rearrange the data. Subjectivity might play a role, so it might be wise for Hydro One to find somebody else than Fraser to handle the risk management activities. In the end, ERM is more a state of mind than a technique or process. When all layers of the company have a mutual understanding about the company’s objectives and risks, one can say the ERM process has been successful. Hydro One’s ERM process will surely pass this test. 6. Framework There are a lot of different frameworks available these times. But the ISO 31000 Framework is the best practice framework because it is relatively easy to implement in an organization’s structure and still gives some good outcomes for the company. The Frameworks are used to facilitate the implementation of the ERM process into an organization. The core of the ISO 31000 Framework is the Risk Management Process (RMP). RMP consists of five important tasks. Further, the ISO 31000 Framework adds Management Information System (MIS). Risk management activities should be recorded. In this way, it is easier to know which actions are taken to counter the risk threats. The company will be able to react in a faster way to important changes in factors that could affect the organisation. Another important feature of the Framework can be found in Commit and Mandate. It is important to fully intergrate the ERM process in the organization. Every agent or stakeholder should be involved in the ERM process. Communication and consultation are key elements in every organization. But to implement the ERM process, communication becomes even more important. Communicating with all your stakeholders is crucial. Everyone needs to be aware of the possible risk the company is facing and the actions that are taken to mitigate these risks. The next important process of the ISO 31000 Framework is Accountability. For every identified risks, the company will have to assign a manager as risk-owner. They need to make clear who is responsible for which risk. Obviously, every agent or stakeholder has to participate in the process of countering risks. It is clear that the ERM process should be monitored and reviewed continuously. Because of a fast changing economic world, the ERM process should be adapted to these conditions. 6. 1 Establishing the context Hydro One is trying to be able to meet the high demand in hot weather springs and summers. Due to the aging infrastructure, Hydro One is facing high maintenance and growing costs. While they were planning to introduce cost-cutting initiatives they have to take into account these costs. Their main goal is to be able to report optimal financial results. This can be done in two ways. On the one hand, they have to make sure there are sufficient revenues. On the other hand, costs and expenses have to be kept under control. The problem of the 18-week during strike has caused an environment in the company where not everyone is heading in the same direction. So Hydro One is challenged to make sure there is a common culture in the company. 6. 2 Risk assessment Risk identification Identifying the likelihood and consequences of the different risks is done by organizing workshops wherein employees can participate. They are asked to express their feelings about the risks that might threaten the organization. Risk analysis Employees need to identify which business activities are affected by those different types of risks and in which degree on a 5-point scale. By doing this, every risk is looked at from another point of view. Each person identifies a different impact based on his or her area of expertise. Risks that are rated higher than 3, are more investigated in detail. They identify the worst-case scenario for each of those risks if something goes wrong within the company. After this process the company will have a clear view in the magnitude of a given risk, the probability of occurrence of a certain risk in a 2-3 year time period and the strength of the key controls in the company. If some of these key controls fail, it could cause a lot of damage to the company. Risk evaluation One had to be aware of the fact that risk is not a static concept. The level of risk a company is facing can depend on the whole environment of the company and the actions taken to mitigate the risk. So twice a year Hydro One made up a Corporate Risk Profile report to understand the changes in risk threats. 6. 3 Risk treatment options To reduce the risk threats to a tolerable level, action had to be taken. Everyone had to participate in these actions plans, but each manager was assigned as a risk-owner and had the full responsibility for taking actions to mitigate the risks. . 4 Communication and consultation It is really important to have a good and stable communication when implementing the ERM framework. Everyone has to know what their responsibilities are and what is going on in the company and its environment. If everyone is getting involved in the ERM process, each person will be able to look for solutions and thinks about different alternatives to handle different situations. Even the employees on the work floor should be consulted in the ERM process. They could have another view on the risks that threaten the company. They can discover some needs of the company the management could never be aware of. In conclusion, all stakeholders should be involved in the ERM process of the organization. 6. 5 Monitoring and reviewing To make sure the ERM Framework is implemented in the right way and has a positive effect for the company, it is important to monitoring and control the implementation of the Framework. And if needed some adjustments should be done to make the ERM process optimal. As mentioned earlier, the environment of the company and the risks threatening the company are not stable concepts. As a consequence, the ERM process is not stable even. 7. Conclusion One may never underestimate the importance of a well-balanced ERM process. By weighing up the implications of key decisions, appropriate actions can be agreed and delivered to support the chosen strategy. We can conclude that Hydro One’s ERM process is a valid one. ERM adds value for the company and supported the corporation’s managers in making good decisions about risk-based issues. [ 1 ]. ISO 31000, clause 4

Various Global Health Issues

Various Global Health Issues 1.1. Identify the global health risks (due to either internal or external sources) that threaten the health of the UK population. Global health is focused on people across the whole planet rather than the concerns of particular nations. It recognises that health is determined by problems, issues and concerns that transcend national boundaries (HM Government (HMG), 2008). Health risk is a disease precursor associated with a higher than average morbidity or mortality rate. (Mosbys Medical Dictionary, 2009) Global health risk therefore is the identification of the global and regional mortality and disease burden (Stevens, 2009). According to statistics, the leading global risks for mortality in the world are high blood pressure, tobacco use, high blood glu ­cose, physical inactivity, and overweight and obesity. They usually affect all income groups across the world (World Health Organization (WHO), 2009). On the other hand, the global burden of disease is classified into a first group which includes communicable disease, maternal, perinatal and nutritional disorders; a second group which includes non-communicable disease like cardiovascular disorders; and a third group which includes injury (Lindstrand, et al. 2009 p. 131). Patterns of disease vary across the world. In 2009, in low- and middle countries, as well as in all high-income countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the non-communicable diseases dominate as causes of mortality and DALYs lost (Lindstrand, et al., 2009 p. 131). In the UK, particularly in London, exacerbation of many infectious diseases which are unique to the country has been reported. The population of London is increased daily by millions of commuters and visitors, thus to communicable diseases is also increases. Rates of TB, STIs, blood borne infections, malaria and measles has greatly gone up. It is significant to note that London has much higher rates of communicable diseases compared to other capitals in the UK due to dense population (Maguire, 2005-2009). Donaldson (2007, p.7) states that, In todays globalised world, we can no longer consider the health of the UK in isolation. Chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, mental ill health, and alcohol- and tobacco-related illness once deemed the preserve of industrialised nations are now worldwide problems. The dramatic increase in the incidence of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in some countries, and the emergence of avian influenza in Asia, could pose major threats to the health of the UK population. It may be a clichà ©, but it is true that infectious diseases do not respect borders. 1.2. Assess the roles played by international organisations and agencies (both inter-governmental and non-governmental) in health promotion and disease prevention in developing countries. One of the major reasons why International organizations were formed is to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.It is organised as intergovernmental and non-governmental (Lindstrand, et al., 2009 p.292). Intergovernmental are those based on several governments. It could be international such as those belonging to the UN family. Non-governmental includes private, not-for-profit and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) (Lindstrand, et al., 2009). These international organisations play a great role in health promotion and disease prevention most especially in developing countries. The World Health Organisation (WHO) is a specialised UN agency that handles health and medical issues for the worlds nations. Its acts as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work. Its objectives are to promote solutions of international, economic, social health and related problems (Linstrand et al., 2009 p.293). According to Lindstand, et al (2009, p. 297) population is one of the major problems of developing countries. The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNPFA) deals with population division. It has four folded mandate: to build knowledge to respond to the needs in population, to promote awareness on population and family planning, to assist developing countries, and to play a leading role in the UN system coordinate projects in population. Development issues in the UN system are being dealt with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Its top priority is poverty eradication. This organisation has a special role to coordinate with the UN effort to monitor progress towards Millenium Developmental Goals (MDG) and assit countries to develop their own goals. (Linstrand et al., 2009 p.297-298). The World Bank (WB) is important in international financing of health services in low and middle income countries. Its role is vital in health promotion and disease prevention. They provide loans and funding to sustain economic development and reduce poverty in low-income countries. The bank has become more active in health policy issues as evidenced by their theme, Investing in Health in their annual publication in 1993 (Linstrand et al., 2009 p.298). Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are playing an increasingly important role in many countries. They are also active in heath activities and they are prominent at global level like the Red Cross and International Planned Parenthood Federation (Linstrand et al., 2009 p.301-302). Therefore, we could say that there are several international organisations and each one has their role to play in order to promote health and prevent diseases. 1.3 Evaluate the impact of global contribution in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and Malaria. HIV infection and malaria are among the top ten causes of healthy life lost and deaths in the world. Thus, international organisations have exerted efforts and contributed in the prevention of these diseases globally. Today, Aids is one of the main diseases of the world. The transmission is largely through commercial sex and intravenous drug use and as well as from blood transfusion.(Linstrand et al., 2009 p.144-145). Due to awareness of the rapid increase in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS across the globe, NGOs have run many community-based projects in order to reduce transmission of HIV/Aids. They have programmes to supply condoms to commercial sex workers. Health and social services provide education, care and social support group to most vulnerable people. These projects have decreased the expected spread of infection mainly in Thailand, Tanzania and The US (Linstrand et al., 2009 p.147). According to Lindstand, et al. (2009 p. 152), antiretroviral (ARV) drugs have been developed to combat or prevent HIV. But due to its high cost, only those who can afford could comply with the treatment. Thus, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) was created in response to the challenge to finance basic health services. It effect will be judge after some years. It may be an effective prevention or have a low effect due to low compliance. The UN-AIDS is also one of the agencies established by WHO to deal with AIDS. UNAIDS has been successful in lowering the price of antiretroviral drugs and on improving the monitoring of the HIV pandemic (Linstrand et al., 2009 p.299). According to WHO, 2001 (cited by Linstrand et al., 2009 p. 165), the malaria parasite is estimated to be the direct cause of about 1.3 million deaths. Because of the outbreaks, global strategies to prevent and treat malaria have been developed and the main challenge here is to find a method cheap enough to be sustainable among low-income countries. The GFATM is one of the agencies of WHO which help finance the projects against malaria across the world. Its projects have been effective in some areas but it appears that this intervention will only be feasible in only a few areas. WHO has also responded with a programme called Roll Back Malaria. The focus is to improve existing drugs and to improve the use of health services by the affected population (Linstrand et al., 2009 p.168). According to the BMJ (2004), Roll Back Malaria is currently a failing global campaign. Support from donors needs to be increased for the Global Fund to provide the best funding method for the fast procurement of malaria tools. Global contributions have a great impact in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and Malaria. It has greatly helped in the control of spread, treatment and prevention of these diseases although some methods have failed; the international and local sectors still continue to improve their mechanisms. 1.4. Recommend international measures that will assist further health improvements in developing countries. There are so many international measures that could further help improve health in developing countries. The general health situation is deterioration in several countries. Health is a good indicator of human life conditions and the health of the population of the country determines its general development. Although global health has deteriorated, improvements never ceased (Linstrand et al., 2009). International organisation such as the UN continuously develops measures that will assist further health improvement especially in developing countries. It is in the interest of all countries and persons that the global health situations improve, thus UN has established Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Almost half of the MDGs relate to health and targets the improvement of the least developed countries (Linstrand et al., 2009). According to the authors of global health (2009), there are two particular difficulties in global development. One is scientific and the other is political. In determining these two, one could understand the culture, social and political structures of a country and actions for a better development will have a greater chance of success. The World Bank, World Health Organizations and most other UN organisations now express similar view about development in health and alleviation of poverty. They regarded the eradication of poverty, freedom from hunger, access to safe water, basic education for all children, equal human rights for women and men, a healthy life and the sustainable use of natural resources as core aspect of development (Linstrand et al., 2009). The World Bank stated in its yearbook (cited by Linstrand et al., 2009), that a better life involves more that simply higher income. It stated that, Development encompasses as ends in themselves better education, higher standards of health and nutrition, less poverty, a cleaner environment, more equality of opportunity, greater individual freedom and a richer cultural life. The Non-governmental organisations, also suggests that the local communities should also be involve in order to sustain and achieve broader objectives of development goals and health improvements (Linstrand et al., 2009. These international measures suggested by international organizations, if properly implemented and complied will greatly assist health improvement not only in developing countries but in the develop countries as well. 2.1. Identify the elements that are the corner stones of healthcare systems A health care system is defined by Anderson and Frenk (1989 1994 respectively, cited by Lassey, et al., 1997), as the combination of health care institutions, supporting human resources, financing mechanisms, information system, organizational structures that link institutions and resources, and management structures that collectively culminate in the delivery of health services to the clients. These are what we call the elements of a health care system which are important in order to be more effective in delivering health care. These elements are formed in order to provide equity, efficiency and quality or safety in health care. According to Lassey, et al. (1997), the elements should collaborate with each other to produce health outcome or health services. In order to understand each of these elements, we must first discuss and consider their function in the system. Institutions are organizations that are responsible for the promotion of health, prevention of diseases and production of health care. It includes local, state and federal public health departments; public and private health care services providers such as hospitals and nursing homes; educational/training centres for health professionals; and environmental departments (Lassey, et al., 1997). Another very important element is the supporting human resources which includes public health professionals and other personnel who work in the field of health care. They are the ones who are directly involved in health promotion, illness prevention or health care (Lassey, et al., 1997). It is impossible to deliver health care without finance. Thus, financing mechanism is one of the most basic elements in a health care system. It includes direct government financing, private/national health insurance plans, managed care financing arrangements and other taxing systems that generate revenue for health care. Private out-of-pocket expenditures and any other sources that pay for the cost of care are also considered as financing mechanism (Lassey, et al., 1997). For an easy measurement of expenditure, outcomes for health care procedure and cost control, information system is needed. It facilitates sharing/exchange f information, collates data and contributes to greater understanding (Lassey, et al., 1997). Linking organizational mechanism is another element wherein association of professionals in school, hospital and other organizations attempt to link together the organizational units related to health care (Lassey, et al., 1997). But in order for these other components to function and produce health outcomes, it should first have to be managed. An organization should have a management structure or mechanism to function effectively and efficiently. These management structures include public health and administrative system that link multi institutional organizations such as hospital chains, financing administrations and other management mechanism (Lassey, et al., 1997). These elements are interrelated and work as a system. Therefore, each of these elements has an important role in operation of a health care system. They are all needed so that health care system could effectively deliver services and produce health outcomes. They are also important for a health care delivery system to be accessible, affordable, attainable and available to all sectors. 2.2. Justify the rationales for diverse forms of health care system There are many major influences that affect the heath of the population. Therefore, diverse forms of health care systems (HCS) are needed in order to meet the needs of the country. According to Lassey, et al. (1997), historical and cultural influences identify the political and economic structure of a country. The economic reality greatly influence the kind of health care system a nation can afford. The HCS of one country either private or public is affected by the combination of their physical, political, cultural, and community environment. Their structure also differs depending on the organizations health policies and health care delivery; accessibility of services; and economic factors affecting the health care delivery system (Lassey, et al., 1997). The European Observatory on Health Care Systems (EOHCS) 2002, conducted a study to provide up-to-date information on the health care systems of different countries and compared it to the UK health care system. This is conducted in order to improve the health care system and highlights that despite significant differences in how health systems are financed, organised and provided, all countries face a number of similar challenges. In the report of EOHCS (2002), diversity in health care system of eight countries has been discussed mainly highlighting the funding and delivering of health care systems. Denmark and Sweden is an example of a decentralised system of health care in terms of funding and delivery. Germany and the Netherlands have a social health insurance systems combined with private health insurance for high-income earners. France has a more centralised social health insurance model, offering universal coverage and with a mixture of public, private non-profit and for-profit providers In Australia, there are three tiers of government and there is an essential division of health care system. The economic and functional responsibilities are divided.The Commonwealth collects most of the taxes while the States delivers most of the public services. Australias HCS is mainly funded by public revenue. Out-of pocket payment, private health insurance and other sources of finance accounts only for about 30% health care expenditure (Healy, 2002). Both Australia and New Zealand have predominantly tax-financed systems of health care with differing degrees of decentralisation and privatisation of provision (EOHCS, 2002). In conclusion, diverse form of health care system is important because each country is different from another. Thus, they have to develop a health care system which responds effectively and appropriately to their needs in order to ensure equal accessibility to health services, to have a sustainable financing system, and to provide quality care to improve health outcome of ones country. 2.3. Evaluate the healthcare system of the UK making suggestions about facilitating a move from negative to positive outcomes. The United Kingdom is one of the first countries in Europe to implement a publicly funded National Health Service (NHS). The NHS act, enacted in 1948 adopted three principles for a publicly funded universal health care system. These are equal access to medical acre, Availability of comprehensive preventive and curative care and provision of serve ices to no cost at the point of service (Lassey, et al., 1997). As mentioned, health care in the UK is mainly funded through national taxation. Hospitals are predominantly owned with independent trust status. Health care services for privately insured patients or those who pay directly from their pocket are provided by private hospitals (EOHCS, 2002). The NHS covers all the legal residents of the UK and other residents of the European Economic Area and other countries who have reciprocal agreements with the UK. It is basically established to provide care services to the extent that it meets all reasonable requirements. Patients accessibility to health services is also being considered. According to the EOHCS (2002), there are several health care delivery systems in the UK. One of those is the ambulatory care which is provided by the general practitioner. There are walk-in clinics with GPs, practice nurses and other health professionals which provide primary care in several areas. Secondary care is provided by the in general acute NHS trusts, community hospitals, and tertiary level hospitals. In order to reduce unnecessary hospital admission and to avoid long-hospital stay, the government increased the number of intermediate care beds. This intermediate care is designed to prepare the patient to return home. Social care is also provided for those people with mental illness, learning difficulties and elderly who need domiciliary and residential care (EOHCS, 2002). There are also challenges that the UK health care system is facing. It has been recognized that the health care in the UK has been under funded as manifested by the long waiting lists for hospital appointments and poor quality hospital buildings. But the government is committed to straighten the situation. The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that over the next 4 years, there will be an increased public spending on the NHS. These will represent sustained rates of increased spending if achieved (EOHCS, 2002). The NHS Plan also aim to increase NHS workforce numbers (consultants, GPs and nurses) as well as to improve services provided like reduced waiting times. In order to drive these changes, a Modernisation Board has been set up. In addition, a Commission for Health Improvement has also been set up to monitor and improve performance and facilitate positive outcomes (EOHCS, 2002). 3.1. Assess the current global health priorities in terms of attainment of health-related MDGs. The centre of Millennium Development Goals is health. This is supported by the work of (Linstrand, et al., 2009). It is stated in their book that almost half of the MDGs are health related. There are eight Millennium Development Goals. These are: to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; to achieve universal primary education; to promote gender equality and to empower women; to reduce child mortality; to improve maternal health; to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; to ensure environmental sustainability; and to develop a global partnership for development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), 2010. By knowing and addressing the current global health priorities, health-related MDGs could be also attained. Blue (2007) identified 20 top global health priorities and categorized it into six clusters. First priority is raising public awareness. This includes promotion of healthy lifestyle through effective education. It also involves dissemination of valid information via sustained accurate media coverage to improve economic, social and public health awareness (Blue, 2007). Second health priority is enhancement of economic, legal and environmental policies. It focuses on studying and addressing the impacts government expenditure and taxation (Blue, 2007). The third priority is modifying the risk factors. This includes deploying a universal measure to reduce tobacco use, promoting physical activity and consumption of healthy food. It is also an important that environmental and cultural factors that change behaviour are better understood (Blue, 2007). It is also important to prioritize engagement of business and community. Business should be a key partner in health promotion and disease prevention (Blue, 2007). Mitigating health impacts of poverty and urbanization is also one of the health priorities. This is where poverty related risk factors and the links between the environment, urbanization and chronic non-communicable diseases are being identified and addressed (Blue, 2007). Reorientation of health system is also an important priority. Allocation of resources should be based on burden of diseases. Moving professional training and practices toward prevention while increasing the number and skills of health care professionals especially in developing countries. Building a health system that incorporate screening and prevention and increases accessibility to medications (Blue, 2007). By addressing these current global health priorities, there is a greater chance of attaining health-related MDGs. 3.2. Identify the UK contribution to a global health strategy. Give specific example Tony Blair states that, Improving global health is clearly in Britains interest, and the Commission for Africa and the Gleneagles G8 Summit made several commitments on health and health care. The UK has a major role to play, (Crisp, 2007). 3.3. Justify the need for international health care organisations operating globally to form partnerships to secure better health for populations (especially women ad children) in the developing countries. In order to deal with the threats to health worldwide, International Organizations need to collaborate. Global collaboration was originally formed for the purpose of preventing the spread of communicable diseases across the national boarders (Linstrand, et al., 2009). One of the goals of the MDG is to develop a partnership for development. It basically a global cooperation on aid, trade, debt, access to affordable essential medicines and new technologies and addressing the special needs of the least developed, landlocked and small island states (DESA, 2010). There are several important reasons why there is a need for international organizations to form partnership. Though it originated from varied self-interest reasons like to combat infections for other countries or to quest for profit or influence for another, they may still not be a bad motivation to develop cooperation (Linstrand, et al., 2009). One of the most evident examples of multinational health collaboration is the successful work of the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) in reducing childrens death and suffering through cost-effective interventions and protection of breastfeeding. The UNICEF is a unique organisation that reaches out to all countries through its national committees (Linstrand, et al., 2009). UNICEF has also broadened its approach and includes the three Fs: female education, food supplements and family planning. WHO has given it support to this intervention of UNICEF (Linstrand, et al., 2009). Countries cooperating in dealing with outbreaks like Ebola or SARS and the guidance of the World Bank on countries expenditures on healthcare justify also the need for global partnership.

Santiago as Code Hero in Hemingways The Old Man and The Sea Essay

Santiago as Code Hero in Hemingway's The Old Man and The Sea "The Old Man and the Sea" is a heroic tale of man's strength pitted against forces he cannot control. It is a story about an old Cuban fisherman and his three-day battle with a giant Marlin. Through the use of three prominent themes; friendship, bravery, and Christianity; the "Old Man and the Sea" strives to teach important life lessons to the reader while also epitomizing Santiago, the old fisherman, as a Hemingway code hero. The relationship between Santiago and the boy is introduced early in the story. They are unlikely companions; one is old and the other young, yet they share an insuperable amount of respect and loyalty for each other. Santiago does not treat Manolin as a young boy but rather as an equal. Age is not a factor in their relationship. Manolin does not even act as a young boy; he is mature and sensitive to Santiago's feelings. He even offers to disobey his parents and accompany Santiago on his fishing trips. Santiago is viewed as an outcast in his village because he has not caught any fish for more than eighty-four days and is therefore "unlucky". Nonetheless Manolin is loyal to Santiago and even when his parents forbid him he wants to help his friend. Their conversations are comfortable, like that of two friends who have known each other for a long time. When they speak it is usually about baseball or fishing, the two things they have most in common. Their favorite team is the Yankees and Santiago never loses faith in them even when the star player, Joe DiMaggio is injured with a heel spur. In this way Santiago not only teaches Manolin about fishing but also about important characteristics such as faith. In the story Santiago's bravery is uns... ...e does allow Christianity to be a more dominant theme than the other but instead makes it more symbolic than intentional. He does not smother the relationship between the old man and the young boy but instead separates them for a large part of the story. Finally, he does not make Santiago's bravery a central them by highlighting his weaknesses. In the end the old mans perseverance and faith pay off. He finally gains the respect of the village and succeeds in teaching Manolin the lessons of faith and bravery. In Ernest Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea", one will find many examples in which the main character, Santiago, surpasses many hardships while being courageous, brave, and being a friend. Each of these: courage, bravery, and friendship, are qualities in a Hemingway code hero. Hemingway, Ernest. "The Old Man and the Sea. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.

Essay example --

Report on copper ‘Copper is a commodity that measures the pulse of the global economy’ (Tutor2u, 2012). The features of this metal is the reason why it is demanded so highly around the world, which is the reason why â€Å"copper is the third most widely used metal in the world† (investopedia, 2013). What makes Copper so different from other metals? Firstly, pure copper is ductile which means it can easily be stretched and shaped into different forms. Secondly, the scientific elements of copper make it highly conductive in heat and electricity than any other metal, except silver which is 100 times more expensive. Thirdly, it is 100% recyclable. Did you know 80% of copper ever mined is still in use today? Fourthly, it is highly alloyable. Lastly, it is one of three metals that has its own unique colour other than silver or grey. In the current market copper is used in a variety of ways due to its specification. 5% of copper production is used in combining with other metals to form a lloys such as brass and bronze. 15% is used in industrial machinery, because coppers superior conductivity improves the electrical energy efficiency of motor-driven systems. 20% is used in roofing and plumbing because the lifespan of copper is estimated to be 100 years before major defects in the material start to occur. Lastly, the remaining 60% of copper is used in electrical wires and the reason why such a huge proportion is used in electrical wires is because there are no close substitutes for copper. Aluminium wiring is comparably priced, but is unsafe and can start fires and silver is a slightly better conductor of electricity; however it is too expensive (visual capitalist, 2013). In this report I will cover the supply and demand of copper and how it a... ...e amounts of copper (oracle mining, 2013). Copper is an example of a good that has low price elasticity of demand, which means that a change in price would lead smaller change in demand. The reason for this is because there is a lack of close substitutes in the market. For some products that use copper components can be substituted for aluminium or plastic; however, the costs and delays involved in switching between substitute goods aren’t worth it sometimes (copper investing news). Copper is used in a variety of different ways in some uses it would be a necessity an in others it would be a luxury. For example in some plumbing cases you would be able to use flexible plastic pipes, which is cheaper to use, however if you choose not to then copper would be deemed an luxury product. On the other hand, in some plumbing cases you have no choice but to use copper pipes. Essay example -- Report on copper ‘Copper is a commodity that measures the pulse of the global economy’ (Tutor2u, 2012). The features of this metal is the reason why it is demanded so highly around the world, which is the reason why â€Å"copper is the third most widely used metal in the world† (investopedia, 2013). What makes Copper so different from other metals? Firstly, pure copper is ductile which means it can easily be stretched and shaped into different forms. Secondly, the scientific elements of copper make it highly conductive in heat and electricity than any other metal, except silver which is 100 times more expensive. Thirdly, it is 100% recyclable. Did you know 80% of copper ever mined is still in use today? Fourthly, it is highly alloyable. Lastly, it is one of three metals that has its own unique colour other than silver or grey. In the current market copper is used in a variety of ways due to its specification. 5% of copper production is used in combining with other metals to form a lloys such as brass and bronze. 15% is used in industrial machinery, because coppers superior conductivity improves the electrical energy efficiency of motor-driven systems. 20% is used in roofing and plumbing because the lifespan of copper is estimated to be 100 years before major defects in the material start to occur. Lastly, the remaining 60% of copper is used in electrical wires and the reason why such a huge proportion is used in electrical wires is because there are no close substitutes for copper. Aluminium wiring is comparably priced, but is unsafe and can start fires and silver is a slightly better conductor of electricity; however it is too expensive (visual capitalist, 2013). In this report I will cover the supply and demand of copper and how it a... ...e amounts of copper (oracle mining, 2013). Copper is an example of a good that has low price elasticity of demand, which means that a change in price would lead smaller change in demand. The reason for this is because there is a lack of close substitutes in the market. For some products that use copper components can be substituted for aluminium or plastic; however, the costs and delays involved in switching between substitute goods aren’t worth it sometimes (copper investing news). Copper is used in a variety of different ways in some uses it would be a necessity an in others it would be a luxury. For example in some plumbing cases you would be able to use flexible plastic pipes, which is cheaper to use, however if you choose not to then copper would be deemed an luxury product. On the other hand, in some plumbing cases you have no choice but to use copper pipes.

Assembly language vs. Mechanical language Essay

Assembly language can execute the same commands as machine language; however, the commands have names instead of numbers. Assembly language, unlike machine language, is a symbolic representation of operation codes, symbolic memory addresses and pseudo codes, which makes the virtual environment user friendly. Machine language, on the other hand, is represented as binary bits consisting of a string of 0s and 1s, which makes the virtual world challenging since the lingo is only comprehended primarily by computers. Therefore, assembly language is considered more user friendly than machine language. Assembly language enables programmers to relate op codes using symbolic names in place of numbers to perform an instruction or input a piece of data. Programmers can inscribe op codes using purposeful words like JUMP, CLEAR, and ADD as an alternative to cryptic binary codes consisting of series of 0s and 1s. An example of assembly language, machine language and its meaning are listed in the book called, â€Å"Invitation to Computer Science† (Schneider & Gersting, 2013, pp. 285, fig. 6.5). In figure 6.5, assembly language is clearly easier to comprehend than machine language, which makes assembly language user friendly. In addition, assembly language allows programmers to utilize symbolic addresses to replace numeric memory addresses in binary bits to execute a command or input data. Computer specialist can link symbolic labels to an instruction or piece of data in the program. In other words, the symbolic label turns into a permanent tag for the instruction or piece of data disregarding where it populates in the program or where it relocates in the memory. However, machine language is more complicated. To perform an instruction or input data in the memory in a specific location, the computer specialist must specify the direct address. For example, â€Å"In machine language, to jump to the instruction stored in memory location 18, you must specify directly to address 18 (write JUMP 18 in binary code). The programming is complicated if a new instruction or data is introduced anywhere within the 18 lines of the program, the jump location 18 shifted to 19. According to Schneider and Gersting, â€Å"This makes modifying programs very difficult, and even small changes become big efforts† (2013, pp. 285). Assembly language use symbolic address is proven to be more user friendly than a numeric address for programmers. Moreover, pseudo code allows the programmer to use a special type of assembly language to be converted into op code referred to as pseudo op. Unlike other operation codes, a pseudo –op does not develop a machine language for instructions or data. In order to execute such task, pseudo-op implores the service of the assembler. One of the many services provided by the assembler is the ability to generate instructions or data into the suitable binary likeness for the system. A brief summary of the conversion is documented in the publication â€Å"Invitation to Computer Science† (Schneider & Gersting, 2013, pp. 287). The summary breaks down how the pseudo-op commands the assembler to generate a binary representation for the integer, and so on. If a programmer had to manually construct the conversion, this would prove to be a very cumbersome task. Therefore the application of assembly language pseudo-op makes the task more favorable for the user. Consequently, assembly language symbolic representation of op codes, addresses, and pseudo codes all makes the virtual environmental experience for users more appealing than that of machine language. Assembly language is developed with the human factor in mind and with that, the experience for the programmer is uncomplicated. Advancement in the virtual world deemed assembly language more appropriate named low-level programming language. Where machine language in the virtual world was once considered primitive, assembly language to, now resides in the same era. In the land of programming, the assembly language created for a specific task or data input must be converted into machine language. The conversion is executed by an assembler. Therefore, low-level programming language, in the same manner, has to convert into machine language the same. More specifically, â€Å"Each symbolic assembly language instruction is translated into exactly one binary machine language instruction† (Schneider & Gersting, 2013, pp. 282). The translation into binary machine language means that instructions or data is represented by a series of 0s and 1s in order for the computer to execute the instruction or store the data information given. Schneider and Gersting said it best when they stated, â€Å"†¦it is the language of the hardware itself† (2013, pp. 282). Since programmers are not hardware the process could prove to very cumbersome for users. The silver lining in this storm is the creation of high-level programming language. Unlike low-level programming language, high-level programming language is more maneuverable by the programmer. High-level programming language is created to use both natural language and mathematical notation. In other words, Schneider and Gersting states, â€Å"A single high-level language instruction is typically translated into many machine language instructions, and the virtual environment created by a high-level language is much more powerful than the one produced by an assembly language† (2013, pp. 282). In short, high-level programming language differs from low-level programming language in that the translation into many machine languages versus translation into one machine language is more powerful. Moreover, high-level programming language is user friendly rather than low-level programming language which is computer friendly. Since the general idea is making the virtual world friendlier for its users, if Internet did not exist, I would not be so friendly. I access the internet on a daily basis for a variety of tasks like; paying bills, scheduling and canceling appointments, recipes, purchases, banking, and the list could go on and on. However, the most important area of internet use is paying bills. Prior to the internet, paying bill required physically visiting the establishment where the bill is to be paid, purchasing a money order in some cases, writing a check or even more archaic, paying with cash. Somehow, a bill or two slipped through the cracks. Now that the primitive days are over and technology has advanced the human nation, auto pay makes life much easier. The merchants that are due payment for services rendered receive payment automatically and all that is required, is manually setting the date, amount and merchant to be paid. Auto pay is convenient, one less tree is destroyed and gas is saved for another day. Simple as my reasons may be, it works for me. Advance in virtual technology make life easier for internet user, however, piracy can present itself as a problem if certain protocols are not put in place. When communicating with others over the internet, there are many ways to safeguard your computer, here are five protocols used as protection while communicating over the internet, authentication, authorization, encryption, system administrator, and firewalls. A combination of all these protocol could safeguard users while communicating over the internet. Authentication is a way of verify the individual right to access a computer. The individual accessing the computer usually has a unique username and password that allows the computer to recognize the individual to allow access to the system. For example, most employers allow their employees access to computers on the job for various duties. However, some user have restrictions where as others do not. In, â€Å"Invitation to Computer science†, a passage on authentication reads, â€Å"When a user attempts to log on to the machine, the operating system reads the user ID and checks that the password matches the password for that user in the password file† (Schneider & Gersting, 2013, pp. 391). Piracy can still occur if this is the only protocol used. However, if authentication is partnered with encryption, communication may not be compromised over the internet. Encryption allows users to create a message in plain text but before it is send to its destination the message is encrypted also known as ciphertext. When the message is obtained by the receiver the content is decoded so it is able to be read. However, if the message is hijacked by the incorrect receiver, the plain text remains encrypted. Encryption according to Schneider & Gersting, â€Å"is the process of using an algorithm to convert information into a representation that cannot be understood or utilized by anyone without the proper decryption algorithm;†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (2013, pp. 401). Moving along in safe communication over the internet is authorization. Authorization dictates what an authenticated user has permission to do. Contingent on whom the authorized individual may be, they possess the ability to read, write, execute or delete files. The text, â€Å"Invitation to Computer Science† states, â€Å"The system administrator or superuser has access to everything, and is the person who sets up the authorization privileges for all other users† (Schneider & Gersting, 2013, pp. 395). A more tangible explanation is, I am the system administrator for my personal laptop and I delegate authorization to other users. Next in safety is firewall software. Firewall software blocks access points to a users’ computer. It inhibits communication to or from sites you the user do not allow. In addition to safety while communicating over the internet, safeguarding your computer against viruses is vital. One measure a user can utilize to safeguard their computer against viruses is antivirus software. There is much antivirus software available on the market but the main two that comes to mind is Norton and McAfee antivirus software. Both seem to be popular amongst consumers of today. Antivirus software recognizes viruses, worms and Trojan horses by unique signature these programs transmit. The software wipes out the tainted program being transmitted which safeguards your computer from any threats. In the last 12 months, the following three computer viruses have had a significant impact on business are Shamoon which attacked Saudi Aramco oil company computer, St. Barnabas Healthcare System e-mails were infiltrated by Melissa and a Chinese hacker infiltrated the Times computer system through malware which granted them access to any computer on the Times network. The morning of August 15, 2012 a virus was unleashed to execute the destruction of a company called Aramco’s, corporate PCs documents, spreadsheets, e-mails, files putting in place of all the items demolished, an image of a burning American flag. The person responsible for such destruction is unknown but the article states, â€Å"†¦a person with privileged access to the Saudi state-owned oil company’s computers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is the villain (Perlroth 2012). The name of the virus that collapsed Aramco’s computers is called Shamoon. The virus compelled the company to terminate the company’s internal network in efforts to hinder the virus from spreading like wildfire. In another article, St. Barnabas Health Care System e-mails were sabotaged by the horrendous e-mail virus Melissa. The virus surfer the information highway and infected E-mail systems worldwide, hindering networks and hard drives and to add insult to injury destroyed data. In efforts to save the St. Barnabas Health Care System immediate shut down of the system and networks was in order to rid the organization of the problem. In the same manner, Chinese hackers installed malware to infiltrate Times computer system to obtain passwords for personnel employed by Times. The Chinese hacker had a four month running spree of consistently attacking Times systems. The article states, â€Å"The timing of the attacks coincided with the reporting for a Times investigation, published online on Oct. 25, that found that the relatives of Wen Jiabao, China’s prime minister, had accumulated a fortune worth several billion dollars through business dealings† (Perlroth 2013). In efforts to intercept the Chinese hackers attacks, Times employed security guru to detect and block the attacks. Perlroth reports, â€Å"Computer security experts found no evidence that sensitive e-mails or files from the reporting of our articles about the Wen family were accessed, downloaded or copied,† said Jill Abramson, executive editor of The Times† (2013) References Larson, A. (1999, July 12). Global Security Servey: Virus Attack. Information Week, http://www.informationweek.com/743/security.htm Perlroth, N. (2012, October 23). In Cyberattack on Saudi Firm, U.S. Sees Iran Firing Back. New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/business/global/cyberattack-on-saudi-oil-firm-disquiets-us.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Perlroth, N. (2013, January 30). Hackers in China Attacked The Times for Last 4 Months. New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/technology/chinese-hackers-infiltrate-new-york-times-computers.html?pagewanted=all Schneider, G.M. & Gersting, J.L., (2013). Invitation to Computer Science. (6th ed.). Boston, Ma: press