Health Promotion Study Guide Essay

Illness – is an event that manifests itself through observable/felt changes in the body. Illness is the state in which the physical, emotional, social, intellectual or spiritual functioning is diminished or impaired compared with previous experience. It is NOT synonymous with disease and may or may not be related to disease. Illness is highly subjective. Wellness – is the state of being healthy in both body and mind as the result of deliberate effort. Wellness is the state of well-being. It is an approach to healthcare that emphasizes preventing illness and prolonging life as opposed to emphasizing treating diseases. Anspaugh et al propose 7 components of wellness: 1) Physical 2) Social 3) Emotional 4) Intellectual 5) Spiritual 6) Occupational and 7) Environmental. Well-being/Wellness is a subjective perception of vitality and feeling well which can be described objectively, experienced, and measured and can be plotted on a continuum. Dunn’s concept of high level wellness theorizes that wellness is the degree of illness/health modified by the environment. It says that it is an integrated method of functioning that is oriented towards maximizing the potential of which the person is capable. It requires that the individual maintain a continuum of balance and purposeful direction within the environment where he is functioning. The patient’s perception of health, wellness and illness must be considered by the nurse in order to provide individualized, quality care. Lifestyle factors that influence health: (PP Health Promotion and Disease Prevention) Internal and external factors influence health status. Internal factors include Age, Genetics, Physiologic, Lifestyle, Health habits (smoking, drugs, alcohol, eating habits, exercise and stress). External factors include: Environment (radiation, air pollution, H20 and sun exposure), Safety (seatbelts, riding on motorcycle), and Standard of living (less educated the poorer the health). How to take a patient’s temperature using different routes: (Lab & Kozier PP. 532-537) There are a number of body sites for measuring body temperature. The most common are oral, rectal, axillary, tympanic and temporal artery. Normal adult temperature is 37 degree C and 98. 6 degree F. In older adults ( > 70), temp is usually 36 degrees C or 96. 8 degrees F. Newborns- 1 yr old are usually 98. 2 degree F and 36. 8 degree C. Oral: Most common route. Place thermometer underneath the tongue on either side of the frenulum. Do NOT take in someone with mouth lesions or if patient has had oral surgery. Be sure to ask if patient has had anything cold/hot to drink in last 30 minutes. Rectal: Most accurate route. Place Pt. in lateral or Sim’s position. Apply gloves and instruct patient to take a slow deep breath during insertion. Insert 1. 5 inches in adults. Do NOT take in Pt that has had rectal surgery, has lower GI problems, is immuno-suppressed, has a clotting disorder or Pt that has hemorrhoids. In some agencies taking rectal temps is contraindicated in patients who have had an MI. It is believed that this can stimulate the Vagus nerve which can cause myocardial damage. Tympanic: Temps measured in this site are usually 1. 1-1. 5 degrees higher than oral. These are non invasive and quick. To measure temp, pull pinna slightly upward and back( adults) and point the probe slightly anteriorly, toward eardrum. Insert the probe slowly using a circular motion until snug. Axillary: The least accurate route but safest route. Dry arm pit if moist. Place thermometer bulb in center of axilla. In order to obtain a more accurate reading it must be left in place for a long time. Temporal Artery: Safe, noninvasive and very fast. Equipment slightly more expensive, as it is a scanning infrared thermometer. The probe is placed in the middle of the forehead then drawn laterally to the hairline. If Pt has perspiration on forehead the probe is also touched behind earlobe. Levels of preventive health care: Three levels of preventative care are: Primary – focuses on health promotion and protection against specific health problems or health risks. Primary prevention precedes disease or dysfunction and is applied to generally healthy individuals or groups. Examples include: Immunizations; risk assessments for specific disease i. e. iabetes; health education about injury and poisoning prevention. Secondary- focuses on early identification of health problems and prompt intervention to alleviate health problems. Goal is to identify people in early stages of disease process and to limit future disability. It is curative in nature. It emphasizes health maintenance for people with health problems (i. e. someone with diabetes who has it under control). This level includes prevention of complications and disabilities. Examples include: Encouraging regular medical/ dental checkups; Teaching self exam of breast; screening surveys hypertension). Tertiary- focuses on restoration and rehabilitation with the goal of returning the person to optimal level of functioning, within the constraints of the disability. This level of prevention occurs after an illness, when a defect is stabilized or fixed and determined to be irreversible. Examples include: caring for someone with a chronic disease; referring patient with colostomy to support group; teaching patient with diabetes to identify and prevent complications ( heart disease); referring patient with spinal cord injury to a rehab to receive training to maximize his remaining abilities. Understand who the older adult is and physiological/psychological changes: Successful psychological aging is reflected in the older person’s ability to adapt to physical, social, and emotional losses and to achieve contentment, serenity, and life considerations. The older adult continues to learn and problems solve and intelligence and personality remain as they have always been. A person’s social ability does not change during the course of their life: if you were a young extrovert/introvert you will be an old extrovert/introvert. Wisdom increases as we age. As a person becomes older they go through physiological and psychosocial changes. Some physical changes are visible and some are not. In general lean body mass decreases, fat tissue increases, and bone mass decreases. Intracellular fluid decreases which can cause dehydration. Skin becomes drier and less elastic and they become more susceptible to skin tears. Bony prominences may become visible. There is a loss of overall stature and osteoporosis can occur in people who have insufficient intake of calcium and in women who have been through menopause. There is a steady decrease in muscle fibers. Reaction time slows. There is loss of visual acuity and progressive loss of hearing and reduced elasticity and increased rigidity of arteries and an increase in blood pressure. Orthostatic hypotension is common. GI changes include increase in indigestion and constipation. There is increase in frequency and urgency of urination and incontinence in many older adults. Decreased immune response and lowered resistance to infection is normal. Many older people have decreased thyroid function and increased insulin resistance. Respiratory efficiency is reduced with age. Older adults may experience many health problems including physical injuries and chronic disabling disease, and dementia. Psychologically people have much to adapt to as they become older. Some of these things are 1) Retirement – this is often a difficult time of adjustment for people. Many have a sense of self worth from working and lose a sense of identity when they stop working. Income decreases sometimes by 35% during this time. 2) Economic Change- Decrease in finances related to retirement and lack of pension plans/savings. Health care costs skyrocket because of increase in illnesses. This decrease in monetary resources can cause older people to become less independent. This causes them to lose self esteem and become depressed. 3) Grand-parenting: At this time in life older people become grandparents and are able to provide support to younger family members in a number of ways. 4) Relocating- many people move closer to their children for general support and supervision. This is a very big stressor. Older adults can either live with their children; live in assisted living, live at home with adult day care, live in a long term care facility or in private group homes. ) Maintaining Independence and Self Esteem- This is a big one. Elders thrive on independence and it is important for them to be able to maintain their self esteem. The more they can do for themselves the better. 5) Facing Death and Grieving – as people age the chance of their spouse dying increases. Friends and family members die and this is a period of adjustment and grieving. The older person h as feelings of loss, emptiness and loneliness during this time. According to Erickson the developmental task at this time is ego vs. despair. People who attain ego integrity view life with a sense of wholeness and derive satisfaction from past accomplishments. This is the time of life where many older people start focusing on their faith and spirituality. Most people start an internal life review and seriously start thinking about their own imminent death. Caregiver Role Strain†¦what is it? What nursing interventions would the nurse provide? (P. 137) Caregiver role strain is when they have physical, emotional, social, and financial burdens that can seriously jeopardize their own health and well-being. Nursing intervention would be to encourage caregivers to express their feelings and at the same time convey understanding about the difficulties associated with caregiving and acknowledge the caregivers competence. Through conversation with the caregiver assess areas where assistance may be desired or need. Identify possible source of help. Like volunteer (family, neighbor, friends, church, caregiver support groups) or agency sources (home health aide, meals on wheels, day care, transportation, and counseling and social services. Remind the caregiver of the importance of caring for themselves. Know about these nursing diagnoses: Coping Ineffective, Fear, Anxiety (PP. 1069-1070) NANDA diagnostic labels related to stress, adaptation, and coping: Anxiety: Vague, uneasy feeling of discomfort or dread accompanied by an automatic response (the source often nonspecific or unknown to the individual); a feeling of apprehension caused by the anticipation of danger. It is an alerting signal that warns of impending danger and enables the individual to take measures to deal with a threat. Fear: response to perceived threat is consciously recognized as a danger. Ineffective Coping: Inability to from a valid appraisal of the stressors, inadequate choices of practiced responses, and/or inability to use resources. Terms associated with assessment of pulse (CHP 29, PP. 538-540) Assessment of pulse: Terms Locations: Temporal, carotid, apical, brachial, radial, femoral, popliteal, posterior tibial, pedal (dorsalis pedis) Pulse: wave of blood created by contraction of the left ventricle of the heart. Cardiac output: volume of blood pumped into the arteries by the heart and equals Stroke Volume (SV) X Heart Rate (HR) per minute. Compliance: ability of the arteries to expand Peripheral pulse: pulse located away from the heart Apical Pulse: central pulse; apex of the heart (PMI) point of maximal impulse Palpation: feeling Auscultation: hearing DUS: Doppler ultrasound stethoscope Tachycardia: excessively fast heart rate ( over 100 BPM in an adult). Bradychardia: A heart rate less than 60 BPM in an adult. Pulse rhythm: pattern of the beats and the intervals between beats. Dysrhythmia/arrythmia: irregular rhythm. Pulse volume: pulse strength or amplitude, refers to the force of the blood with each beat. Elasticity of the arterial wall: reflects its expansibility or its deformities. Perfusion: blood flow to a particular area of the body Understand different tools for therapeutic communication: (P. 469-470 box 26-2) Broad opening statement General leads Reflecting/paraphrasing Sharing observations Acknowledging feelings Silence Giving information Clarifying Implied verbal communication Summarizing Focusing (from power point #18 in communication) further information can be found on pg. 469 and 470 box 26-2 Different domains of learning: cognitive, affective, psychomotor: (P. 89) Cognitive domain – the â€Å"thinking† domain, includes six intellectual abilities and thinking processes beginning with knowing, comprehending, and applying to analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Affective domain – the â€Å"feeling† domain is divided into categories that specify the degree of a â€Å"person’s depth of emotional response to tasks†. Psychomotor domain – the â€Å"skill† domain, includes motor skills such as giving an injection. Know normal vital signs for the adult and older adult. Average range for adults: (P. 529) 96. 8-100. 4. Older adults (>75) are at risk for hypothermia ( temperatures

Hawaii’s Annexation to the US

History is rife with instances of nations wielding power over independent states as a means to gain socio-political or economic ends. In the case of the US, numerous factors buoyed its resolve to acquire territories during the 1890s. Foremost of these is that resource-rich countries showed promise of fueling an industrial America. On the other hand, there was the influence of naval strategists. They succeeded in expounding the overall view to American political leaders that there are vast benefits in acquiring territories and ports of strategic naval importance. Under the guise of Manifest Destiny, which rationalized dominant nations’ imperialist expansion in the mid- to late 1800s, the US proceeded to aggressively expand and take control of nations, among them Hawaii. Hawaii’s Annexation to the US The annexation of Hawaii to the United States was preceded by a sequence of events that finally led to that crucial turning point in history. Still reeling from the ruins and desolation of the Civil War, America had rapidly marshalled efforts to promote its interests and embark on an overt colonization of countries that offered it distinct advantages. Before it plunged head-on into an aggressive territorial expansion, it kept a wary eye both on foreign territories that were ideal for its commercial interests, as well as on dominant European powers that were also expanding beyond their borders and establishing colonies. Political and business leaders put forth the idea that â€Å"the rapid industrial development of the United States required the acquisition of foreign territories to gain easier access to vital raw materials† (Tindall and Shi, 2006, p. 59). The desire for new markets to be exploited economically eventually turned to coveting nations and creating an American empire, at all expense. William H. Seward, the United States Secretary of State from 1861 to1869, believed that â€Å"the United States first had to remove all foreign interests from the northern Pacific coast and gain access to that region’s valuable ports† (Tindall & Shi, 2006, p. 862) if it intends to successfully conquer Asian markets. A strategic imperialistic ploy adopted to indirectly take control over the economic life of a nation was to enter into trade agreements with them. Many years after the signing of a friendship treaty, came the sealing of the 1875 reciprocal trade agreement between Hawaii and the US, â€Å"under which Hawaiian sugar would enter the United States duty-free and Hawaii promised that none of its territory would be leased or granted to a third power† (Tindall & Shi, 2006, p. 86 3). This precipitated the next events that would lead to Hawaii’s annexation. Decades earlier, economic treaties had been offered to Hawaii by Great Britain and France, but the US had asserted itself to uphold its interests in Hawaii. The latter had actually â€Å"signed trade and peace treaties with the United States, England and other foreign nations, each recognizing Hawaii's independence† (Sforza, 1996, para. 5) and this is why on hindsight, it sees the broken agreement with the US as some sort of betrayal. In retrospect, back in 1820, American missionaries from Boston in 1820 stayed in Hawaii and soon turned out to be powerful sugar planters and politicians who served as advisers to the reigning monarchy (Sforza, 1996, para. 5). Queen Liliuokalani sought to shift power back to the monarchy, but the rapid succession of events eventually led to political turmoil â€Å"engineered mainly by the American planters hoping to take advantage of the subsidy for sugar grown in the United States† (Tindall ; Shi, 2006, p. 64). The imprisoned Queen Liliuokalani had issued a statement that pointed to the role of American diplomat, John L. Stevens in the conspiracy to overthrow the Kingdom of Hawaii. Amidst the commotion, a committee representative of the group that seized power from Hawaii’s reigning Queen Liliuokalani had shown up in the US seat of government in Washington with a treaty calling for Hawaii’s annexation to the US. President Grover Cleveland opposed the treaty and had attempted to restore the queen to power while seeking to provide amnesty to the coup instigators (Tindall ; Shi, 2006, p. 864). In December 1893, he expressed, â€Å"By an act of war, committed with the participation of a diplomatic representative of the United States and without authority of Congress, the government of a feeble but friendly and confiding people has been overthrown† (Sforza, 1996, para. 13). Party politics and other issues, however, eased Cleveland out of office. As fate and US maneuvering would have it, Hawaii was eventually annexed to the US in 1898 â€Å"at the urging of President William McKinley† (â€Å"Annexation of Hawaii,† n. d. , para. 3). The island state became a territory in 1900. Statehood was deferred â€Å"until a bipartisan compromise linked Hawaii's status to Alaska, and both became states in 1959† (â€Å"Annexation of Hawaii,† n. d. , para. 3). References Sforza, Terry (1996). Hawaii’s annexation a story of betrayal.   Retrieved September 20, 2008, from http://www.hawaii-nation.org/betrayal.html Tindall, G., & Shi, D. (2006). America – a narrative history (7th ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Co.

Five Force Analysis Essay

The Bible says in Philippians 2:3-4 â€Å"Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others†. The industry-based view of strategy is underpinned by the five forces framework, first advocated by Michael Porter, it was later strengthen by others. The five forces strategy forms the backbone of the industry-based view of strategy. Since its introduction in 1979, has become the framework for industry analysis. The five forces measure the competitiveness of the market deriving its attractiveness (Peng, 2009). Soft drink industry needs huge amount of money to spend on advertisement and marketing. In 2000, Pepsi, Coke and their bottler’s invested approximately $2.58 billion. This makes exceptionally hard for a new competitor to struggle with current market and expand visibility. (MBA lectures, 2010). The Coca Cola Company has little worries when it comes to threats of potential entry. The beverage industry there is no consumer switching cost and zero capital requirement. Coca Cola is a beverage but it is also seen as a brand. Coke has held a significant market share for a long and their customers are loyal trying new brands are not likely. Actions indicative of a high degree of rivalry include frequent price wars, proliferation of new products, intense advertising campaigns and high cost competitive actions and reactions (Peng, 2009). The intensity of the rival threatens firms by reducing profits. Currently, the main competitor Coca Cola has is Pepsi. Pepsi has a wide range of beverage products under its brand. Coca-Cola and Pepsi are the predominant carbonated beverages and committed heavily to sponsoring outdoor events and activities. The market have other soda brands that are popular such as Dr. Pepper because of its unique flavors. The other brands haven’t been as succ essful as Pepsi or Coca Cola. Threat of existing rival is high among Coca Cola and Pepsi. Coke and Pepsi are primarily competing on advertising and differentiation rather than on pricing. Substitutes are products of different industries that satisfy customer needs currently met  by the focal industry (Peng, 2009). Microeconomic teaches the more substitutes a product has, the demand for the product becomes elastic. Pepsi is not a substitute for Coke because they are in the same industry. Tea, coffee, juice, and water are substitutes because they are beverages but are in a different product category. There are many kinds of energy drink, soda, and juice product in the market Coke doesn’t really have a unique taste it’s hard for many people to tell in a taste test which one is which. All the suppliers of these substitutes need massive advertising, brand equity, brand loyalty and making sure that their brands are effortlessly accessible to consumers (MBA Lectures, 2010). The bargaining power of buyers weather corporate or individual, firms in the focal industr y are essentially supplies. A small number of buyers leads to strong bargaining power. Buyers may enhance their bargaining power if products of an industry do not clearly produce cost saving or enhance the quality of life for buyers. Buyers may have strong bargaining power if they purchase standard, commodity products from suppliers. Buyers are just like suppliers they may enhance their bargaining power by entering the focal industry through backward integration (Peng, 2009). The most important buyers for the Soft Drink industry are fast food fountain, vending, convenience stores, restaurants, college canteens and other in the categorize of market share (MBA Lectures, 2010). The bargaining power of buyers for Coca Cola has low pressure. The individual has no pressure on Coca Cola. The consumer brand loyalty helps Coca Cola when it comes large retailers like Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart have power in bargaining because of the large order quantity. Bargaining power of suppliers are low for Coca Cola. Suppliers are organization that provide inputs, such as materials, services, and manpower, to firms in the focal industry. The bargaining power of suppliers refers to their ability to raise and reduce quality of goods and services. If the supplier industry is dominated by a few firms, they may gain an upper hand (Peng, 2009). The main ingredient for soft drink are carbonated water, phosphoric acid, sweetener, and caffeine. The supplier are not concentrated. Coca Cola is the largest customer for these suppliers. Supplier’s products are important input for the manufactures in this industry because these product are not substituted. Reference: Holy Bible Peng, M.W. (2009). Global Strategy (3rd. ed.) Mason, Ohio: South-Western Cengage Learning Porter’s Five Forces Model of Coca Cola. Nov 25, 2010

The effects of female reproductive cycle on metabolic rate Literature review

The effects of female reproductive cycle on metabolic rate - Literature review Example Much is known about the reproductive cycle and its effects on co-morbid conditions during normal function, the pathology of disease states specifically or indirectly affecting reproduction, and changes due to ageing. However, considerably less is understood about the effects of the reproductive cycle in healthy women on many individual factors, as this is their normal state and so there is no control against which to test, though there does exist some research into the differences in metabolism between healthy women with amenorrhoea and those with a regular reproductive cycle (Maughan 2000). No standard exists for the correct levels of bleeding at different ages, for example, which is becoming a fairly substantial public health issue (Harlow & Ephross 1995). However, this research hopes to quantify differences in individual women at different points in their own reproductive cycle, focusing specifically on changes in metabolism, rather than comparing the women as a group to some othe r standard. The hypothesis to be tested is that a woman's point in the reproductive cycle will have an effect on resting and post-exercise metabolism; the null hypothesis being used is that it will not have an effect. Declining conception rates combined with an increase in obesity among women of childbearing age make this research important to the future of reproductive medicine; it is vital that the connection between metabolism and reproduction is fully understood (Crain et al. 2008). In order to achieve this, metabolic rates will be measured at rest and after exercise using expired gas analysis weekly for four weeks. This timing has been chosen to ensure that a sample is taken during or close to each of the four stages of the reproductive cycle. These are the menstruation phase, the follicular phase, the ovulatory phase, and the luteal phase (Porter 2009). The different length of time for each phase in individual women make it extremely difficult to ensure samples are taken durin g each phase, but the day within the cycle can be monitored so that the data can be corrected for this factor. Additionally, algorithms do exist to monitor an individual's reproductive cycle and measure at which point a particular woman is in her cycle, allowing careful recording of this related data (Wactawski-Wende et al. 2009). Each of these phases has a different effect on the woman experiencing them. The menstruation phase, which traditionally marks the start of the next reproductive cycle, is the period of time during which the uterine wall is shed in response to a reduction in oestrogen and progesterone levels. Bleeding occurs, though usually only in a volume of about fifteen to seventy-five millilitres. Menstruation actually during the â€Å"next† phase of the cycle, the follicular phase, though they are being considered separately for purposes of this research. During this follicular phase, there is an increase in follicle-stimulating hormone, which causes several fo llicles to begin to grow in preparation for releasing an ovum, or egg cell. This follicle then begins to produce oestrogen, of which levels peak at the ovulation phase. The ovulation phase is the point where the ovum is released from the follicle and is precipitated by a surge in both lutenizing and follicle-stimulat

Social Performance, Part 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social Performance, Part 2 - Essay Example In this regards, Total Company has some similar code of ethics with other companies. For instance, among the common ethics in most of the companies in similar industry is code of conduct towards the shareholders and the owners. The shareholders and owners should look for a fair way of balancing between capital and work in a manner that employees bet a fair pay in commensurate with work done. It is the duty of the shareholders to design their company as one of the greatest instruments to generate wealth, make their irrefutable objecting of earning a profit in line with sustainable, sound environmentally and social development, and also ensure that all the activities are done responsively and in an ethical manner. In addition, the company shareholders have to define and uphold the values and mission of the company in accordance to its code of ethics (Marianna Sigala, 2012). As in the case of other companies, there have been loop holes when it comes to implementation of their code of et hics. For instance, there has been a conflict of interest between the owners of the company and the company itself. The owners of the company have been using company assets for their own gain therefore leading to lack of transparency. This has led to strained relationship between the shareholders and the management. ... In relation to company clients and suppliers, there has been a continuous strained relationship between the company and its suppliers. The suppliers are not paid in time as expected and have resulted in delays in supplies. The choice of suppliers has been another big problem since some of them could not uphold best business practices and respect human dignity. Good business ethics provides for the choice of suppliers who respects and upholds good business practices (Ladd, 2011). With the issue of competition, the other companies have been using their market position to intimidate companies whose market share is still small. Code of ethics should ensure that there is no abuse of weaker competitors in the market place. There has been also discrimination of employees basing on their nationality, sex and age. After criticizing the shortcomings of other organizations, Total Company has designed the following code of ethics: Prohibition of conflict of interest and bribery- activities of th e company should be conducted with the highest level of integrity. Both the employees and the external stakeholders are expected to reject corruption and bribery in all forms Labor rights- Total Company ensures that its employee operational policies and practices prevent and prohibit forced labour, child labor and discrimination and respect international labour standards Contributions to local development- the company offers employment to local people and also participates in education, economic health development programs and infrastructures. Security and Human rights- the company is committed to respecting the protection of Human rights and implements the generally acceptable

Bus270 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bus270 - Assignment Example Today’s approach is hands free, the leader leaves the employee to be creative, inclusiveness is taken as important and everyone’s act is supported. What can we do to help rather than what is this. 3. Connection of the organization and the environment takes place through understanding the customer more than the competitor. Increasing sales will rely on how well the business caters for the customer needs rather than how they combat competition. It is important to understand what is changing through the weekly business plan review and ensuring all the data and research is used to change the policy in relation to the changing environment. 4. A) Ford as a global organization has a single plan that is global and that is built on the mission, One Ford Plan that is achieved through the One Ford Team. The team is working for more than themselves and they have stayed focused on their work. This has ensured that they are always global on the needs of the customers. The efforts are only made global through a team belief that is engaged in the mission of One Ford Plan. B) Business plan review is a weekly meeting that involves all the leaders who come together to look at the world environment changes. It looks at the risks and the opportunities in the current market environment. It provides a platform from which the financial statement data is analyzed and changes can be made depending on how the research will have provided as a proper fact that ought to be changed. 5. a) The company understands that the future is not bright with the increasing price of energy, especially in terms of petroleum and they believe that it would become difficult for the product to be brought to the market, and the society has decided to go for the alternative sources of energy. The company has also decided to create vehicles that range from gasoline consumers to the diesel user and the natural gases. b) Characteristic of self led individual refers to

Hardware Replacement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hardware Replacement - Essay Example This essay outlines if it is necessary for a firm to upgrade hardware. To do it in order to accommodate a new software system is a rather radical change that must be thought thoroughly beforehand. It is good to evaluate the risks first and the benefits and disadvantages of all the alternatives in order to weigh the options appropriately. Employ or designate people who are knowledgeable in the ins and outs of the new system and put into place a clear and specific timeline for the completion of the project. Finally, there should be sufficient resources and information for the employees affected by such change since, overall, the success of the business venture is dependent on how the end-users will respond to the change. The five variables of project management such as scope, time, cost, quality and risk will need to be evaluated thoroughly. If the CRM is to be implemented in the corporate offices, it has to be defined on how the new software is targeted to be used and up to what exten t. The target users of the new system will have to be distinct. The boundaries need to be defined in order to make sure that the project will not go beyond its target use or users. No unnecessary training or resources will be wasted to those that will not be affected by the change. Time-frame has to be defined as well. By changing the current equipment or hardware being used, factors such as how long it will take for the current equipment to be replaced with new equipment and before it will be fully functional must be taken into consideration

India Caste System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

India Caste System - Essay Example The Viashyas were merchants, farmers, carpenters while the Shudras were the tenant farmers, laborious. Towards the edge of the hierarchy were the untouchables’. The untouchables considered outcasts practiced activities such as scavenging and animal skinning. The untouchable activities were considered unclean and polluting. They were to be far away from other castes. For instance, if their shadows were within the visibility of the Brahmans then the Brahmans would be polluted. The Hindu laws insisted on only four castes excluding the untouchables and they would face criminal charges by their polluting presence. The Brahmans were allowed to give their food to people of other castes but would not be given food from other castes. This would be considered pollution. These barriers limited interactions (Singh 35). The caste systems shared some commonalities. For instant the castes were hereditary. Individual born in a particular caste belonged to that very caste and it was impossible to shift to other castes. Another commonality was that the systems were endogamous. Marriage was only acceptable between those of the same caste (Singh 34). Below the Varnas was the sub castes referred to as Jatis. Each Jati comprised of people of the same occupation. A person born from a particular Jati is a member of that Jati by the virtue of birth (Singh 35). The elements of the castes are hierarchical, hereditary and repulsion. The hierarchical element discourages and does not accommodate the rise of status of a group and mixture of occupation. There are rule that India caste system impose that if not adhered to may result into one status being lowered form one caste system to another. The most vital characteristic is endogamy and occupation restriction. Violation of the above rules results in excommunication from the family as well as caste. Another restriction is on diet and food habits of the members. According to castes only certain foods would be

The effect of Oil prices on the performance of stock markets of the Assignment

The effect of Oil prices on the performance of stock markets of the GCC countries - Assignment Example However, the concentration of the studies is in developed economies their analysis focuses on the impact oil price shocks have on stock returns. To determine the link, there should be an assessment of the changes in the prices of crude oil and the effects of such changes on the equity returns especially in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The assessment is both at country-level and industry-level. Studies show that the stock market in most of the GCC countries shows a significant response to oil price shocks. As per the industries, the shocks have a significant impact on returns of several industries (Mohanty, Nandha, Turkistani, and Alaitani, 2011). A conclusive study of the impact oil prices have on stock prices in GCC countries is, therefore, necessary. There GCC is composed of Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The Countries mainly import manufactured goods from other developed and developing nations. Any fluctuations in oil prices could therefore indirectly cause effects to GCC markets as they affect the prices of the products they import. A rise in prices of oil may lead to changes in interest rates and all types of investment. The effects of oil price shocks on the returns of stock depend more on how the negative and positive effects outweigh each other (Ravichandran and Alkhathlan, 2010). The GCC stock markets have limitations such as smaller number of listed firms, low sector wise diversification, and large institutional holdings. A key point to note is that GCC countries depend on oil to different extents and the efforts towards diversification, and economic liberalization differs in the different countries (Arouri, Lahiani, and Bellalah, 2010). That is despite them having several charac teristics in common. Among the six members of the GCC, there is a positive relation between changes in oil prices and stock market returns in three countries. The countries are Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab

Ethical issues in packaging practices Research Paper - 3

Ethical issues in packaging practices - Research Paper Example issues and packaging, views regarding how a sample company and some authors regard how ethical a number of packaging issues in the contemporary sense are, and identify various areas that have the existence of ethical gaps in packaging. Packaging is the protecting, handling, and delivering or presenting a processed good or a raw material in items like boxes, crates, pallets, containers, bags, sacks, and plastic bottles. In case an item is intended for sale to consumers and is packaged, it is considered to be safe and healthy to the consumers. For instance, a brush of mascara that forms the closure of the container part is packaging also (Shimp, 2003). Marketers can make proper use of information for labeling to mislead consumers and exaggerate their product attributes. There are several cases in which they use pictures in packaging that do not show the real or actual product that they are selling to their customers. A number of marketers label their products as friendly to the environment even at times when they do not actually have attributes that are environmentally friend. There are various issues related to ethics of packaging that affect the manner in which products are relayed to the clients. They put labels that mislead the buyers of the products. For instance, information related to nutrition like cholesterol free, low fat, and 100% pure juice can be attributes on the label of a given product. Another case can be Johnson & Johnson’s Acuvue that labels its products for use every day and different labeling. The company sells similar products in different diversified labels. There are many issues that marketers use pictures for packaging that fail to represent the actual or the real product. The product label can make it look nice and attractive to customers while in the real sense the content does not reach the exaggerated appeal. When consumers open the well-labeled product, they do not find the expected product in the same. It addition, some brands

Scientific and Critical Management Theories Article

Scientific and Critical Management Theories - Article Example The slaves were simply organic tools fed just like cows or horses in order to create more tools or goods. Through coercive compulsion, subjugation is attained; through cultural conditioning, subjugation is maintained. These few examples show that while the Homo Sapiens create and command tools, they also possess the uncanny instinct to exchange and thereby evaluate their own kind as tools. That notion of human beings considered as tools and valued more for his or her productivity than anything else is the compelling force behind Critical Management Studies (CMS). Its is hinged on the overarching framework of Critical Studies, which seeks to dismantle hegemonic structures in society by first stripping them of their seemingly-benign coverings. Critical legal studies (CLS), for instance, a branch of Critical Studies, does away with the all-too-convenient givens of a legal system - that there is but one set of "correct" rules and that legal decisions are but logical outcomes of tested principles that are empirically-replicable (Altman, 1986). It aspires to expose the ideological content of the law obscured by layers upon layers of social conditioning by demonstrating how the large areas of legal indeterminacy provide fertile ground for the cooptation of the legal system to reinforce existing power arrangements. In like manner, Critical Management Studies attempts to unmask and expose the ideological agenda behind traditional management structures, obscured and sterilized by such terms such as "scientific" and "objective". Such school of thought in the words of Grey and Willmott is nothing more than "a recycled version of the thinking of elite groups institutionalized as received wisdom." (2005) The crux of Scientific Management Theory (SMT) is that the interests of labor and capital are one and the same, and that any antagonism between the two could only result in detriment for production. To quote Frederick W. Taylor (1911), "No one can be found who will deny that in the case of any single individual the greatest prosperity can exist only when that individual has reached his highest state of efficiency; that is, when he is turning out his largest daily output." This paper will analyze these two divergent schools of thought - Critical Management Theory and Scientific Management Theory - in terms of how it affects the hegemonic structures of organizations and society with an end in view of determining which school of thought can provide the better lens by which society at large can be viewed, analyzed and, it is hoped, reformed. Ontology and Epistemology of Scientific Management Theory "Scientific Management Theory" was coined in a social milieu wherein the benchmark of success of a business organization was the size of its assembly line. Work was

Uncontrollable Jealousy Essay Example for Free

Uncontrollable Jealousy Essay Jealousy is a lethal weapon if used in the wrong hands. Jealousy is the feeling of resentment against someone’s success or advantages. In the texts, â€Å"Othello† and â€Å"How to Get into Medical School, Part l and Part ll†, the authors William Shakespeare and Vincent Lam decide to use the theme of jealousy to develop an appealing plot for the reader. The story of Fitzgerald in â€Å"How to Get into Medical School, Part l and Part ll† has the theme of jealousy written all over. The first glimpse of Fitzgerald’s envious thoughts occurs when Ming tells Fitzgerald that she gets accepted to medical school while Fitzgerald replies with a mocking â€Å"Well, congratulations, Doctor Ming† (page 16). Later on, Fitzgerald’s jealous mind turns towards Karl. â€Å"he hated knowing that his marks were soaring as a result of Karl’s study methods.† (page 60). Fitzgerald’s jealous thoughts only appear to slip out at tense moments. The jealousy throughout Fitzgerald’s role in the story creates a more interesting plot line for the reader. While the text â€Å"How to Get into Medical School, Part l and Part ll† demonstrates the theme of jealousy very well; Othello, being one of the classic Shakespearean plays, has gained its reputation for the theme of jealousy. In the novel â€Å"Othello† Iago is a victim of jealousy and causes him to act out of the ordinary. At the beginning of the plot Iago is blindsided by Othello because Othello chooses Cassio over Iago for the job of lieutenant. Jealousy takes control of Iago and causes him to plot revenge against Othello. â€Å"Till I am even’d with him, wife for wife, or failing so, yet that I put the Moor at least into a jealousy so strong that judgment cannot cure† (II, i, 299-302). Although jealousy is strongest between Iago and the Moor, the theme can also be found between Emilia and Desdemona, and Roderigo and Othello, and Desdemona and Othello. Very similar to the love triangle in â€Å"Twelfth Night† by William Shakespeare, this triangle can be found in this novel as well but replaced with jealousy. Shakespeare successfully implied the theme of jealousy into his novel â€Å"Othello†. Although used in different ways, jealousy was efficiently portrayed in both â€Å"Othello† and â€Å"How to Get into Medical School, Part l and Part ll†. The authors decided to use jealousy as the main theme because it is an interesting topic to read about and it catches the reader’s attention. Many  of the readers have had real life situations of jealousy which allows them to relate to the text more often. This will hook them onto the text much more. That is why the theme of jealousy is such a successful theme to write about. Jealousy can be used in so many different ways and can still be as effective. Jealousy is a strong theme and is capable of creating an effective plot if used correctly. The use of jealousy is very evident in both novels by Shakespeare and Vincent Lam. Both authors created a near-perfect atmosphere of jealousy for the reader. Work Cited Shakespeare, William. Othello. Vol. 1. Toronto: Harcourt Canada Ltd., 2000. Print. Lam, Vincent. Bloodletting Miraculous Cures. Toronto: Random House of Canada Ltd., 2005. Print.

Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in Nurses

Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in Nurses Appendices APPENDIX C SECTION 1: ERGONOMIC FOR PREVENTION OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDER Introduction Nurses provide care to physically demanding patient and assist them in mobilization and other activities like bath, feeding etc. Patient handling tasks such as lifting, transferring or repositioning are contributing factors for MSP among nurses particularly the back being most prevalent. These tasks can entail high physical strains due to different body size involved, leaning over a bed or working in cramped postures, supporting patient during gait activities, and many other factors. The risk factors that health care workers face include: Force: the amount of physical effort required to lift or to maintain control of heavy equipment or tools; Repetition: performing same task over and over continually or frequently; and Awkward postures assuming positions that put strain on the body, such as working above shoulder height, kneeling, squatting, leaning over a bed, or twisting the back while lifting. Identifying Problems and Implementing Solutions for patient Lifting and Repositioning Manual handling tasks such as lifting and repositioning can be variable, dynamic, and unpredictable in nature. In addition, factors such as patient self-esteem, safety, and medical contraindications should be taken into consideration. The analysis of any handling task involves an assessment of the requirements and capacities of the patient. The patient assessment should include an analysis of the following factors: The level of cooperation from the patient; The body size and weight of the patient; Any health anomalies that may influence the choice of lifting or repositioning techniques. Repositioning in Chair Description: Variable position Geri chairs When to Use: Repositioning partial- or non-weight-bearing patients who are cooperative. Points to Remember: One caregiver can assist if patient has strength in both upper extremities of arms. If patient cannot assist in self-repositioning on chair, help from at least 2 caregivers and friction reducing device may be required. Ensure that chair is easily adjustable; wheels are freely movable flexible and steer. Lock wheels on chair before repositioning. Remove trays, footrests, and seat belts where appropriate. Ensure device correspond with patient weight. Various Activities of Daily Living and Bedside Assistance Description: Work practices for feeding, dressing and grooming. When to Use: During feeding, dressing, personal hygiene tasks, vital sign assessment, and other bedside assistance. Bedside Assistance: Lower side rails, position patient as close as possible to edge for safety purposes. Sit or stand in front and near to side of patient. Adjust height of tables and electric beds to waist level and place supplies close by to prevent back flexion and bending. Collect supplies in advance and place them on a table that is located perpendicular to the patient. Avoid leaning across patient; rather, move to other side. Carry items close to the body. Provide adaptive equipment that offer independence to patients and reduce assistance from caregiver. Feeding: Chop food into pieces before placing it in front of patient. Dressing and grooming: Ensure that patients feet lie flat on the ground or a stool for stability when sitting. Place feebler limb in pant or sleeve first. Use suitable adaptive equipment for dressing, grooming and oral hygiene. Activities of Daily Living Activity: Administrating medications Description: Low profile medication cart and cartridge pill dispenser When to Use: Dispensing medications. The cart increases precision and lessens time required to perform task. Medications cart: Classify medications according to day and time. Low profile carts with easy side opening drawer are recommended to accommodate hand height of shorter nurses. Cartridge dispenser: Use cartridges with a â€Å"flip top† for drug storage until administered rather than wrapping the doses individually in foil of paper or small container that require more finger forces and a sharp object to break the seal. Bathtub, Shower, and Toileting activities Description: Long-handled extension tools on hand-held showerheads wash or scrub brushes. When to Use: When bathing or showering patients. Points to Remember: These equipments limit the extent of bending, reaching, and twisting required when cleaning feet, legs, and trunk of patients. Patients who are autonomous can also use these devices to facilitate personal hygiene care. Guiding and Slowing Falls Description: Method for guiding and slowing falls. When to Use: When patient is falling. Points to Remember: Utilization of transfer or gait belts may aid nurses in guiding the fall. Grip onto the belt/handles and slowly lower the patient to the floor using proper body mechanics. Reviewing patient assessments and monitoring for signs of weakness are effective strategies of preventing falls. Stand with back straight, tighten stomach muscles, bend legs, and stay adjacent to patient if it practical to do so. Don’t try to stop the fall abruptly as this may increase the risk of injury among nurses. Lifting from the Floor Description: Methods to lift patients from floor When to Use: After a patient fall. Points to Remember: Assess patient for injury prior to lifting and use a powered portable or ceiling-mounted lift device to move patient with minimal assistance. If patient can maintain standing position with minimal assistance, use gait or transfer belt with handles to support patient. If manual assistance is required ensure a team lift are s are available to provide assistance as needed. Use 2 or more caregivers when assisting heavy patients. Stand with back straight, bend legs, and stay near to patient as possible. Ambulation Description: Ambulation assist device When to Use: For patients, who are able to support their body weight, cooperative, need extra security and assistance when ambulating. Increases patient safety and reduces risk of falls during ambulation Points to Remember: Typically needs one caregiver. The device provides assistance to patients as they walk and pushes it along during ambulation. Ensure device is in good working condition with height adjusted correctly before use and rated for the load weight to be lifted. Apply brakes before positioning patient in or releasing patient from device. Implementing solutions for patient lifting and repositioning Ergonomics is the science of designing equipment and work tasks to conform to the capability of the worker and provides a means of adaptation to work environment and work practices to prevent injuries. Ergonomic solutions are proposed to reduce musculoskeletal disorders among the staff nurses. The recommended solutions brought forward are not intended to be an exhaustive list, nor do all of them will be used in any given set up. The material signifies a variety of options available that a facility can consider using. Many of the solutions are simple to implement and do not require substantial time or resources such as modification in procedures or equipment. Others may require more significant efforts. The integration of various solutions into hospital management, can lead to beneficial outcome in the long run. Patient and Equipment handling solutions Lateral Transfer Description: Ceiling-mounted device with horizontal frame system or litter When to Use: Moving patients who are totally helpless, non-weight bearing, has other physical impairment, or are very big in size and cannot be safely shifted by staff between 2 horizontal surfaces, such as from bed to stretcher or gurney in supine position. Points to Remember: Motors can be fixed or portable (lightweight). Device can be functioned by hand-held control attached to unit or by infrared remote control. Always ensure lifting device is in good working condition before use and is assessed for the load weight to be lifted. Lateral Transfer Description: Gurneys with transfer devices When to Use: Transferring a partial- or non-weight-bearing patient between 2 horizontal sides, such as from bed to stretcher or gurney in supine position. Points to Remember: Two nurses are required to achieve this type of transfer. Additional assistance may be required depending on patient status, e.g., for heavier or uncooperative patients. Motorized height-adjustable gurneys with built-in slide boards are preferred to those adjusted by crank mechanism to lessen physical effort required by caregiver. Always ensure that lifting device is in good working condition before use and is evaluated for the load weight to be shifted. Ensure wheels on equipment are locked and transfer surfaces are same level to at waist level of caregivers in order to avoid over reached and back flexion Lateral Transfer; Repositioning Description: Air-assist lateral sliding aid; flexible mattress inflated by portable air supply When to Use: Transporting a partial- or non-weight bearing resident between two horizontal sides such as from bed to stretcher or gurney in supine position. It can also be used for repositioning a patient in bed, increase patient well-being and reduces risk of tissue injury during transfer. Points to Remember: Two caregivers are needed to achieve this type of transfer. Additional assistance may be required depending on patient ability, e.g., for heavier or uncooperative patients. Ensure wheels on equipment are locked and transfer surfaces are at level and height that permits nurses to work at waist level to avoid over reach and back flexion. Count down and coordinate the transfer motion between caregivers. Patient Lifting Description: Ceiling-mounted lift device When to Use: Lifting patients who are totally helpless, are partial- or non-weight bearing, very heavy, or have other physical impairment. Transfers from bed to chair (wheel chair, Geri or cardiac chair), chair or floor to bed, or for bathing and toileting. Points to Remember: May need 2 or more nurses. Some patients can use the device quicker than portable device without assistance. Motors can be fixed or portable (lightweight). Device can be activated by hand-held control attached to unit or by infrared remote control. Ensure lifting device is in good working condition before use and is assessed for the load weight to be lifted. Transfer from Sitting to Standing Position Description: Stand-assist devices; can be fixed to bed or chair or be free-standing When to Use: Transferring patients who are able to support their weight and cooperative and can pull themselves up from sitting to standing position. It can be used for independent patients who need extra lift to stand and aid patient independence. Points to Remember: Check that device is constant before use and is evaluated for patient weight to be held. Ensure frame is firmly attached to bed, or if depend on mattress support that mattress is big enough to support the frame. 1

The Theoretical Studies Of Organizational Culture Commerce Essay

The Theoretical Studies Of Organizational Culture Commerce Essay The term culture has been used by anthropologists to refer to the customs and rituals that societies develop over the history. It has also been used by some organizational researchers and managers to refer to the climate and practices that organizations build up around the espoused values and credo of an organization. ( Edgar H. Schein,organizational culture and leadership p7). (Hofstede et al. 1990) define Culture as holistic and that involves a larger group of individuals. He asserts that Culture is historically related; it is an emergent phenomenon and is conveyed through traditions and customs and that people tend to hold on to their ideas, values and traditions. Culture is not something inherent but learned and it is human made. It is shared by a group of people. Culture is build upon interactions between people, who are sharing values and beliefs to produce behavioral norms. According to Trompenaars (2003: 26) Culture is necessary for human, it is like a guide. The culture allows to the human to have norms and valuesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the culture plays an important role in business. Culture is learnt and passed on from generation to generation; it belongs to one group in particular and it influences the behavior of group members in uniform and predictable ways (Mead 1998, p.4) A culture is a powerful determinant of group behavior and is setted up by the way employees work and behaves in the work place. Culture is considered a powerful, enduring and pervasive influence on human behavior through the socialization process within a culture individuals learn the norms and expectations of membership of that society the right and wrong of doing things. (Cartwright and cooper,1992). The culture concept is not only deep but also wide and complex (Schein, 1992). The onion diagram: According to Hofstede (2001) culture appear in numerous levels of depth such as symbols, heroes, rituals, and values. The first three layers, symbols, heroes, and rituals represent the layers of culture that are visible to outsiders. These are the practices of a given culture but their cultural meaning may not be obvious to those who are not a part of that culture hofstede(2001 10:8). Symbols are words, gestures, pictures and objects that hold a particular meaning only recognizable by people who share the same culture. The words in a language or jargon belong to this category, as do dress, hairstyles. New symbols are easily developed and old ones disappear (Hofstede, 2001). Heroes are persons, alive or dead, real or imaginary, who possess characteristics which are highly prized in a certain culture, and who serve as models for behavior (Hofstede, 2001). Rituals are collective activities, technically superfluous in reaching desired ends, but within a culture are considered as socially essential. Rituals are also ways of greeting and paying respects to others, together with social and religious ceremonies for example (Hofstede, 2001). Symbols, heroes, rituals are considered as practices. The core of culture is formed by values. Values are broad tendencies to prefer certain states of affairs over others. Values are feelings with an arrow on it: they have a plus and a minus side (Hofstede, 2001). They deal with evil vs. good, dirty vs. clean, ugly vs. beautiful, abnormal vs. normal, irrational vs. rational, etc (Hofstede, 2001). Values are one of the first things that children learn unconsciously and implicitly. Because they were acquired early, many values remain unconscious to those who hold them. as a result, they cannot be discussed nor can they be directly observed by outsiders , They can only be inferred from the way people act under various circumstances (Hofstede, 2001). Definition of corporate culture: The concepts of organizational culture and corporate culture can be debated to hold opposing views although the concepts often are used interchangeable in literature. A plethora of definitions of corporate culture exist in the organizational theory literature. Anthropologists have proposed at least 164 different definitions of culture (Howard, 1998). Although all the theorists believe in the importance of the culture in the organizational studies but Very little consensus exists with regard to a general theory (Sorensen, 2002). There is still no Generally agreed definition of the concept or dominant point of view itself but rather a richer mixture of ideas and approaches. The study of organizational culture indicate the way people are living and working together. Nahavandi and Malekzadeh (1998:80) state that culture is the beliefs and assumption shared by members of an organization. The term culture is often used as if companies do have only one culture, but in reality most companies do have more than one set of culture. Similarly, Krystek (1992) confirms that there are different cultures in different parts of an organization. Alike, Buono Bowditch (1989) assert that in most big companies, there is more than one unified corporate culture. In other words, the organizational culture affects practically all aspects of organizational life (Buono 2002; Cartwright Cooper, 1996). Barney(1986) define culture asa complex set of values, beliefs, assumptions, and symbols that define the way in which a firm conducts its business. Harrison and Stokes (1992) describe  «culture is to an organization what personality is to an individual. It is that distinctive constellation of beliefs, values, work styles and relationships that distinguish one organization from another. OReilly and Chatman (1996, p.166) define organizational culture as a set of norms and values that are widely shared and strongly held throughout the organization. Values define what is important and norms define appropriate attitudes and behaviors for organizational members. OReilly and Chatman (1996, p.160). Sadri and Lees (2001, p.853) states that the corporate culture originates from the fact that the individuals inside an organization have different ethnical or social backgrounds. Inside an organization they together build up norms and rules which results in a corporate culture. Schein (1988, p.9-10) emphasize that in a company where there are only one or a few individuals in the organization they create the organizational culture solitary on their own beliefs. In larger organizations the culture is heavily depending on the originator or the stronger people inside the organization, often people who have worked there for a long time or management. A quotation from Lee, Kim and Yu (2004, p.340) illustrate the corporate culture, a common expression used for describing a particular work practice inside an organization. The way we do things around here. The culture does not only consist of one assumption or one belief, the culture is constructed by all the common assumptions and beliefs which the members of the organization have. (Hatch, 1997, p.213 and Schein 1988, p.9-10) According to Edgar Schein(1992), a noted MIT Professor of Management, researcher and author in the area of organizational culture defines culture in his classic book: organizational culture and a leadership as a pattern of shared basic assumptions, invented or developed by a given group as it learns to cope with the problems of external adaption and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and therefore is taught to new members of the group as the correct way to perceive, think and feel in relation to those problems. Furthermore, he define that cultures inside organizations consist of three different levels, assumptions, values and artifacts. According to (Hatch.1997, p.210) these three levels affect and describe the culture inside an organization: Artifacts The artifacts are the tangible things which the organizational members have constructed (Hatch, 1997, p.216). Artifacts are the visible elements in a culture. It is important to know that although the Artifacts are tangible and can be easily discerned but are hard to understand by people not part of the culture. They are at the outer limit of the culture and therefore easy to misinterpret, as they often are individuals reflections of the assumptions, they do not have to represent the core of the culture (Hatch, 1997, p.217 Schein, 1988, p.11). Artifacts can be dress codes, furniture Through a process of realization, artifacts take on the symbolic meaning of the organizations values, work climate, work processes, etc. Espoused values   Espoused values are the second level which affects the organizational culture, it consists of the social principles and goals set by members of the group. The values could be represented by the philosophies, democracy, tradition or other principles which the members endorse of or believe in. (Hatch, 1997, p.214 Schein 1988 p.9) Norms are a part of values, and these are the unwritten rules which exist in the organization. The norms express what is expected from the members and how they should behave in certain situations. The values are an extension from the assumptions, and make the culture more alive (Hatch, 1997, p.216 Schein 1988, p17) Assumptions   Schein (1988, p.9-10) claims that assumptions are the ground and core of the organizational culture, which could be seen as the beliefs inside an organization. The assumption represents the reality which the members inside the organization accept as true and what they perceive as important. This constructs the truth which permeates trough the organization .They are difficult to discern because they exist at a largely unconscious level. (Hatch, 1997, p.217) claims that the assumptions affect all the other levels. Members from the organization create values and artifacts which symbolizes the cultural core as they are based on the organizations assumptions. Smircich (1983) covers the same ground as Schein, but in five stages. Lees (2003) has adapted the theories from Schein and Smircich and conducted a model of culture that is especially relevant for mergers and acquisitions (see table 2-1). Following the viewing of the different definitions of corporate culture, we can sum up that corporate culture is a philosophy or norms that guide an organizations policy or the climate in which members of that organization act together and work together. Corporate culture in merger: Organizational culture is an important aspect in shaping individuals commitment, productivity, and longevity with the organization (OReilly, Chatman Caldwell, 1991). An organizations culture helps to shape and determine the manner of conduct by the members and the practices inside the organization that lead to success. it can be considered as a driver of workforce behavior. It has a significant impact on the way employee feel, think, act and make decision. In todays business world, corporate culture has a high influence and become an important issue in organization because its play a vital role in the success and achievement of goals that why it is important not to ignore or neglect it while planning and executing mergers and acquisition . The concept of corporate culture must be understood in order to allow managers to describe and understand any organization and keep staff company together to achieve its organizational goals and objectives. An effective corporate culture is a remarkable competitive advantage and the key to organizational effectiveness in MA. Organizations that strongly align their organizational culture to maintain their business strategies have a tendency to outperform those organizations whose strategy and culture are not aligned. The corporate culture is perceived when companies merge can be compared to what culture is to an organization what personality is to an individual. When two dissimilar organizational cultures are brought together typically the case in mergers and acquisitions we can expect only two outcomes: it will produce discomfort and end up with a cultural clash or both cultures will fit each other under the umbrella of one unifying culture. Strong culture Robbins, S. P., (1998) defined a strong culture is one that is internally consistent, is widely shared, and makes it clear what it expects and how it wishes people to behave. Kaufman, (2002) stated that a positive organizational culture reinforces the core beliefs and behaviors that a leader desires while weakening the values and actions the leader rejects. Peters and Waterman (1982) indicates that a negative culture becomes toxic, poisoning the life of the organization and hindering any future potential for growth Strong culture exist where employee react to incentive because of their alignment to organizational values. on the contrary, there is a Weak Culture where there is little alignment with organizational values and control must be exercised through extensive procedures and bureaucracy. Kilmann, Saxton, and Serpa, (1986) defined strong cultures as those where organization members place pressure on other members to adhere to norms. Byrne, (2002) indicates that a strong organizational culture will exert more influence on employees than a weak one. If the culture is strong and supports high ethical standards, it should have a very powerful and positive influence on employee behaviour. the corporate culture is divided into strong culture and weak culture. Strong culture takes place in organization where staff responds to stimulus because of their alignment to organizational values. Certainly, strong organizational cultures are those where the core values of the dominant culture are strongly believed by the great majority of organizational members. On the contrary, weak culture exists where there is little alignment with organizational values and where the control must be exercised through extensive procedures and bureaucracy. Strong cultures in which the key values are deeply held and widely shared have a greater influence on employees than the weak cultures. The more employees accept the organizations key values, the greater is their commitment to those values and the stronger the culture is. Strong culture vs weak culture Quantitative analysis has shown that firms with strong cultures outperform firms with weak cultures by facilitating coordination and control, emphasising common goals and increasing employees efforts (Kotter and Heskett, 1992; Gordon and DiTomaso, 1992). a strong culture enhances an organizations ability to execute its strategy (Tushman and OReilly, 1997). In an organization with strong culture, employees are more prepared to take responsibility and fulfill their mission within the organization with enthusiasm. Strong organizational culture serves to provide group members with a way of giving meaning to their daily lives, setting guidelines and rules for how to behave. ( Schein, 1991, p. 15. ) The types of corporate culture Four types of organizational culture were proposed by Harrison (1972) and used in Cartwright and Cooper (1992) work. The Understanding of an organizations culture permits to identify cultures and classify them by making comparative overview. The type of corporate culture classify organizations by a set of characteristics that describe how employee interact with each other ;what are incentive and rewarding system that motivated the workers to furnish their commitment and output in order to attain the underlined goals . Type 1: Power culture. It is characterized by the concentration of power in the hand of a single or small group of individuals (the president, the founder, a key of manager) .in this type of culture, Culture is autocratic and control is the key element and it is common in small entrepreneurial organizations or family tradition business. Reward systems are often inequitable as they are influenced by personal preferences. Employees are motivated by feelings and a sense of personal of loyalty towards their boss or owner because Power cultures tend to have inequitable compensation systems and other benefits based on favoritism and loyalty, as well as performance. Employee demonstrated their loyalty seeking the reward due to out a fear of punishment. Decisions are centralized around one key individual element and tend to be based on hunches and past successes as on logical way of thinking. Type 2: Role culture. Today this type of culture is common in almost organizations. Culture is highly autocratic and it is based on logic, rationality and search of effectiveness. There is an obvious division and specialization of Labor and the culture is results-oriented. The procedures and regulations are clearly defined. Organizations are split into various functions and each person within the function is giving a particular role that has to be executed. This type of culture tends to be inflexible and slow to change due to the high degree of formalization. This culture can be experienced by employees as impersonal and frustrating. Type 3: Task/achievement cultures. Emphasize on the accomplishment of the task and problem solving with success being judged on the achievement. The culture is team-oriented as individuals are gathered around and committed to work in teams for a specific task. The structure is active and flexible depending on the given task . Employees are flexible, creative, and highly autonomous. Employees are respected for their knowledge and valuable skills rather of their hierarchical seniority. People tend to be creative and the working environment is generally satisfying. Type 4: Person/support culture. It is characterized by egalitarianism. Person cultures are commonly found in charities or nonprofit organizations. Organizations with a person/support culture have minimal structure and decision making is carried out on a shared collective opinions. The managerial style is supportive and quick to respond to individual needs. Furthermore, information is shared collectively. Decision-making occurs after discussion of all involved members and with their consensus. Organizational versus National Culture   The purpose of this paper is to examine what is the difference between national and organizational culture and how they are related to each other? What is appropriate in one national setting is wholly offensive in another.   What is rational in one national setting is wholly irrational in another.   And, corporate culture never trumps national culture.  Dr. Geert Hofstede In this part, we focus an insight regarding the cultural aspect of mergers and Acquisitions and to identify the role and the differences between national cultures and corporate culture. Due to the globalization and international trade, many mergers and acquisitions are now crossborder, which imply to give a lot of attention to national cultures that differ from country to another. After an MA transaction, many acquired companies experience many cultural issues possibly because their employees do not like the acquiring companys way of doing thing. Lees (2003) claim that corporate culture is seen as a subculture of the national culture with visible points of distinctiveness and large parts of invisible similarities. Therefore, the organizational culture is divided into the organizational climate (as superficial part) and the national culture (the deep culture part). National culture can be noticed in human interactions and organizations, whereas corporate culture can be related to the environment of business organizations. The common values, customs, practices and behaviors of people groups differ widely between countries; therefore employees bring their cultural inheritance inside the company. All this components that exist outside the company, in the national culture, exist also inside the company as well. Additionally, in cross borders MA the culture of the company reveal peoples values and beliefs, which found its basis in the national culture. Organizations are small and tiny entity with a distinct structure including a set of basic norms, values and assumptions, which are reflected in a variety of patterns of actions by employee and subcultures of the wide national culture. There are different subcultures in one culture. According to Lees (2003), the best manner to make a difference between national and organizational culture is through sorting out organizational culture as subculture of national culture. Researchers often consider organizational culture as the micro context and national culture as the macro-context in which employees operate. In the same way, Hofstede et al. (1990) state that organizational cultures should be distinguished from national cultures; others assert that national culture must be consider along with corporate culture (Scott and Meyer, 1994; Sagiv and Schwartz, 2007; Dickson et al., 2000). The prevailing judgment in researches has been leaded by cross-national comparison based on the hypothesis that culture is principally equivalent to nation. The observations of Nancy Adler (1983 International Dimensions of Organizational Behavior) drive out the myth that organizational culture can Moderate or even erase the influence of national culture; a faith often found within large global corporations and concluded that national culture outweighs organizational culture.   (Lees, 2003:269) affirm: To really understand the organizational culture in a foreign target, acquirers first need to Understand the national culture . According Dr. Geert Hofstede, there are differences between national and organizational cultures. -The national culture is related to our deeply held values regarding and change slowly over the course of generations.    -in contrast, Organizational culture is comprised of broad guidelines which are rooted in organizational practices learned on the job.   The difference between national and organizational cultures is that the differences between national cultures are mainly found in the values of the different cultures, whereas differences between corporate cultures are mainly found in the practices between different companies. (Hofstede, 1991) Some authors as Hellriegel Slocum (1993), and Schein (1999) state that corporate culture is a system of shared values and beliefs that are common to the members of an organization. Hofstede (1997) argues that the core of organizational culture is not values, which he attributes to national culture, but shared perceptions of daily practices because an organization is not a nation. The main difference between organizational and national cultures is the role that manifestation of culture, presented in the onionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ diagram as practices, play in each level (Hofstede, 1997) because Values are acquired early in the life, from family, school, surrounding environment. Practices are learned later, when already as an adult people start working (Hofstede, 1997). In the process of merger and acquisition, what is often disregarded and underestimate is that the differences between cultures may create managerial challenges for the new entity mingling employee from different cultures. For example in the merger, people from different cultural backgrounds and national cultures can be socialized into the culture of the merged company, and therefore follow the corporate culture, but if the corporate values are contradictory and counter the national cultural values, employees will be resisting the companys corporate culture. Since the corporate culture is argued to be deeply embedded in the organizations history and in the behaviour of the employees, corporate culture creates difficulties when implementing change in MA (Lees, 2003). Melewar and Wooldridge (2001) argue that corporate culture cannot be easily manipulated. Laurent (1986, in Weber et al., 1996), on the other hand, argues that it is possible to change artefacts and values and beliefs, but it is not possible to affect the underlying assumptions because they are derived from ones national culture. However, researchers have demonstrated that organizational and national cultures are different constructs with distinct contents and influences (e.g., Bartunek, 1984; Hofstede et al., 1990; Sackmann, 1992; Chatman and Jehn, 1994; Numic, 2008). (Hofstede et al., 1990) found evidence for this in a study conducted across 20 Danish and Dutch organisational units ,His research showed that organizational cultures differ mainly at the levels of symbols, heroes and rituals. This stream of literature recommends distinguishing between national culture and organizational culture. Finally, National culture can be seen as one of the most Influential factors that determine organizational phenomena. The company corporate culture reflects to a large extent the national culture of which the company is part (Schneider and Barsoux, 2003). Hence, The differences between corporate and national cultures can lead to cultural clashes . National culture: Merger and acquisition join two companies reflecting two different national cultures. Many differences can be established between national cultures because those cultures are shaped by common experiences, beliefs and organizations, national values and orientations In MA, national culture is more apparent to strangers because local people are not conscious of their own culture And employees are not willing to change their ways of doing things. Thats why its essential for the acquiring company to understand the national culture of its target because it will be helpful during the acquisition while the acquirer have to plan the integration as well as shaping the corporate culture together (Schneider and Barsoux, 2003). The culture of a nation where a company is set up influence many business variables For example differences in the organizational structure and coordination, career and reward system. People carry their cultures, ways of thinking and behaving, with them into the work place (Hofstede, 1997). The ways in which a firm typically deals with aspects of organizing its business activities vary significantly in different countries and these variations have been shown to be in direct association with national cultural distance between organizations in different countries (Hofstede, 1997). Kogut and Singh (1988) define national cultural distance as the degree to which cultural norms in one country are different from those in another country. A landmark in the research of national culture, and cultural differences, is Hofstedes (1980) work on comparative culture, where he conducted a field survey of over 116 000 IBM employees across 40 countries. Hofstedes theory on national cultures Hofstede (1980:21) defines culture as collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one human group from another and proposes that cultural differences between nations can be described and differentiated along five dimensions. Hofstede (2001) created a model through a study in 50 countries, which depicts five dimensions of cultures. This model emphasizes power distance, uncertainty, avoidance, masculinity and individualism. (Salter, LewisValdes2004, Phatak et al 2005, GerhartFang 2005,ArdichviliKuchinke 2002) Power Distance The first dimension relates to the degree of equality/inequality between people in the society. Power distance is defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally (Hofstede, 2005, p46). Hofstede (1997) argues however, that Power and inequality are extremely fundamental facts of any society and anybody with some international experience will be aware that all societies are unequal, but some are more unequal than others. Some countries differ in the way it handles inequality. In the power distance index (PDI) a high score suggests that there is a large power distance between subordinates and bosses in organizations. A low score, on the other hand, indicates small power distance and that there is a limited dependence of subordinates on bosses (Hofstede, 1997).In lower power distance the superiors are more approachable while in higher power distance there is a emotional distance between subordinates an d bosses. Individualism versus Collectivism The second dimension focuses on the degree to which a society reinforces individual or collective achievement and interpersonal relationships. Individualism is in societies in which the ties between individuals are loose it refers to the extent to which everyone is expected to look after himself and his immediate family. Collectivism, is the degree to which individuals are integrated into groups refers to the group societies in which people from birth and onwards are integrated into strong, cohesive ingroups, which throughout peoples lifetime continue to protect the in exchange for unquestioned loyalty (Hofstede, 1997:51). As an example management in an individualistic society is the management of individuals. If incentives for example are given these should be linked to an individuals performance, not to the group as in a collectivistic society (Hofstede,1997). Masculinity-Femininity This dimension regards the degree of importance of relationships versus tasks(op citp.119). Hofstede (1997:82-83) argues that masculinity pertains to societies in which social gender roles are clearly distinct and femininity pertains to societies in which social gender roles overlap. In masculine societies, recognition, advancement and a challenging work are the factors Hofstede (1980) finds to be the most important. Whereas having a good working relationship with your superior, cooperation, employment security and to live in a desirable area are the most important factors for feminist societies (Hofstede, 1980). This dimension pertains to the degree societies reinforce, or do not reinforce, the traditional masculine work role model of male achievement, control, and power. A high Masculinity score indicates that a country experiences a higher degree of gender differentiation. In such cultures, males tend to dominate a significant portion of the society and power structure. A low Masculinity score means a society has a lower level of differentiation and inequity between genders. In these cultures, females are treated equally to males in all aspects of the society. Uncertainty Avoidance The fourth dimension Hofstede (1980) investigated concerns the tolerance of ambiguity in different societies. He refers to it as uncertainty avoidance which can be defined as the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by uncertain or unknown situations (Hofstede, 2005p.167). One of the key differences between weak and strong uncertainty avoidance is the establishments of law and rules, where cultures with weak uncertainty avoidance have few and general la

Physics of Fencing :: sport physics fencing sword fighting

Before I begin my discussion about how physics effects fencing and how fencers use physics for more effective fencing, I will briefly discuss the origins of the sport of fencing. The first two fencing manuals were created and published in 1471and 1474. These emerged from an attempt at developing a system to teach people how to weild a light sword more effectively inbattle and duels in Frankfurt, Germany. Over the years, two distinct styles emerge. They were French and Italian. The french style relied mostly on strategy while Itialian used mostly physical strenght(Roswell). The first foils emerged during the seventeenth century for a more effective way of teaching students the "art" of dueling. In the eighteenth century, the rules were created for fencing as a sport. It is from these rules that today's rules for fencing were created(Roswell) In fencing there are three types of weapons that are taught. They are the epee, foil, and sabre. For the sake of this paper, the weapon being demonstrated is foil and the style is modern Italian. So without further ado.... Let us begin our discussion of physics with basic moves, and then move on to more advanced moves in fencing. Basic Fencing To begin with, we will discuss the effects of gravity on the body in the regular or "on garde" stance., and what forces are used during the "thrust" and the "lunge". On Garde Look at a picture of what a fencer looks like in the "on garde" position. As you can see, the larger arrow shows the pull of gravity. The smaller arrows show where gravity is pulling the limbs. Red being for the legs and yellow for the arms. Lunge Next, we will discuss the lunge. Below you will see two more images. First it is from the thrust position. Then the next image shows the lunge position. The lunge picture shows the forward momentum in the blue arrow. As in the previous pictures, the same colors are used for the same gravity applications, but the major difference is the effects of gravity on the legs. In this position, the effects of gravity are more severe because the legs are again further from the center mass of the body and therefore, more of the force of gravity is "pushing down" on the legs. So that will conclude the discussion of basic stances and physics of them. Next, we will discuss the more advanced moves and how fencers use physics to their advantage with them.

A Comparison of Sei Shonagon and Marie de France Essay -- comparison c

A Comparison of Sei Shonagon and Marie de France         Though more than two hundred years have separated Sei Shonagon and Marie de France, the scene is much the same. A courtly lady sits in a candle-lit room, with her writing hand poised above a book of parchment. Her face brightens in an instant of inspiration and she scribbles furiously onto the paper. This woman is closely associated with the royal court and is something of an anachronism, a woman author in a male-dominated world. The scene pictured here could have taken place in either Shonagon's late tenth century Japan or the twelfth century France of Marie de France. The differences that exist between these two authors are a result of their differing cultures and personalities. Marie de France writes as a product of her time, expressing herself through her characters, while keeping in mind the mandates of the church. Sei Shonagon is ruled by no such mandates and as a result wrote with merciless honesty. Accordingly, the structure, diction and imagery used by each author r eflects her own distinct personality and values.    Sei Shonagon is most well known for her Pillow Book, a collection of her personal thoughts and observations during her time at court. The structure, or lack thereof, in this work gives the reader a peek at Shonagon's personality. She writes in short bursts, giving the mini-chapters such titles as "The Sliding Screen in the Back of the Hall," "Hateful Things," and "Oxen Should Have Very Small Foreheads." The titles are representative of her tendency to write at length on subjects that may seem inconsequential, or as the author admits in the last segment of the Pillow Book, "most trivial." In fact, these so-called trivial observations provide a s... ...es and cultures. One author is governed by her strict faith and adherence to the church, the other by her own strongly-held opinions. Each woman's writing clearly reflects her own distinct personality and temperament: Marie de France, more eager and spiritual, Sei Shonagon, more satirical and opinionated. Both courtly ladies seem faithful to their own beliefs and reflective of their time and culture.       Works Cited    Sei Shonagon. The Pillow Book. Trans. Richard Bowring. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Expanded Edition. Ed. Maynard Mack. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. 1995. 2191-2218. All quotations are from this text.    De France, Marie. "Eliduc". Trans. John Fowles. The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. Expanded Edition. Ed. Maynard Mack. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. 1995. 1680-1692. All quotations are from this text.   

Prescription Drug Abuse and Addiction

These medications are prescribed by a physician and purchased at a pharmacy to treat cute or chronic pain (Byrne, Lander, & Ferris, 2009). Description Prescription Drug misuse and abuse affects all members of society to include the rich and famous, homemakers, physicians, executives, teachers, the young and the elderly. The fact that the medications are self-administered substances prescribed to treat acute or chronic conditions contributes to the increased Incidence of Dalton (Wolfed, Appear, & DuPont, 2011).There are some factors that affect the rated of prescription drug abuse such as older people and women are less likely to abuse drugs (Weaver, & Jarvis, 2010). However adults that range In age thirty- five to forty-four have the highest drug abuse rates as wells as residences of the Southern and Western regions of the US (CDC, 2008). Rationale Everyday increasing amounts of the patients seek treatment in the emergency departments across the Valley of the Sun. These patients are actively seeking prescription painkillers.Some of the patients have legitimate pain issues but most do not. Many of the high emergency room utilizes are treated in over four different hospital emergency departments per week. Many have been caught altering, or forging prescriptions. Patients give explanations such as their medication was lost, stolen, or the pharmacist did not give the correct amount of drugs for the Increased frequency of the need for refills (Wilfred, Appear, & DuPont, 2011). There are increased incidences of identity theft and patients using aliases to obtain prescriptions.

Introduction to Personality

Introduction to Personality Paper Katie McMichael Axia College of University of Phoenix November 26, 2012 Introduction Who am I? What are my good qualities? What are my bad qualities? Why do I behave like that sometimes? Why can’t I stop doing this? How do I see myself? How do others see me? How did my personality come to be what it is today? How has it changed? When thinking about our personality, these are questions that we ask ourselves. The only way to answer these questions is to observe ourselves and analyze what we found as a result of this research.There are several theories of personality that were introduced in order to do just that. The purpose of this paper is to further understand personality and it’s concepts by defining personality, Examining theoretical approaches in studying personality, and Analyzing factors that may influence an individual’s personality development. Defining Personality Since so many theories of personality exist, there is no s ingle definition. The most widely accepted of personality is â€Å"a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give consistency and individuality to a person’s behavior. (Feist & Feist, 2009) as you can see from the definition, each personality is different from each other. Also, from the definition you can see that personality is made up from the combination of characteristics and traits and serves as its base structure. Characteristics and traits are adjectives such as pretty, overweight, athletic, anxious, smart, etc. These adjectives help to give you a sense of self as well as influence your behavior. The reason that these traits and characteristics are the base structure of your personality is because they have consistency and stability in your behaviors over time. Feist & Feist, 2009) Traits have more to do with actions or physical appearance. For example, blue eyes would be considered a trait. A characteristic is merely anything that stand s out or is noticeable that can be used to describe them. For example a pitched laugh can be a characteristic. Although similar, these two parts are different, what is similar is that they work together in developing patterns what is known as your personality. People will have similar characteristics or traits that will produce similar personalities but no two personalities will ever be the same. Theoretical ApproachesAs stated earlier there are many different theories of personality. Each theorist has different methods, research and obviously conclusions as to why personalities are what they are and why they are so different from one another. One thing is certain with each theory is that a specific order of approach is important to substantiate a theory. Most theories of personalities grow from the personality of the theorist (Feist & Feist, 2009). As stated earlier, in order to get a better understanding of personalities, including your own, you must start with observations and ex perimental research.Psychologists use systematic approaches such as assessment techniques to support their hypotheses. Tests such as the Big Five Personality Test are the most valid and accurate personality assessment to date. The Big Five Personality test breaks down five areas of personalities which include dimensions such as: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. When it comes to other tests, the two types of validity focused upon by psychologists are construct and predictive.In construct validity â€Å"A test has construct validity if it demonstrates an association between the test scores and the prediction of a theoretical trait. †(Cherry, 2012) An example of construct validity would be an IQ test. In predictive validity â€Å"the criterion measures are obtained at a time after the test. †(Cherry, 2012) An example of this would be a career aptitude test. Both are hypothetical tests based on traits and preferences and neither wo uld be extremely accurate. These tests would be a way to get an idea of where you are and where you might end up based on your personality.Factors that Influence Personality There are two generally accepted factors that contribute to personality development which are heredity and environment. Obviously, if your traits are heretic, they were past to you through your genes from your parents and other ancestors. These traits are commonly skin color, eye color, hair color, face shape, height, and body shape. â€Å"Research by psychologists over the last several decades has increasingly pointed to hereditary factors being more important, especially for basic personality traits such as emotional tone. (Neill, 2006) This is different than what most people think. Most people seem to believe that environmental factors are substantially more influential because they have root in our morals, beliefs, and behaviors. Environmental facts that would influence personalities would be that of childh ood upbringing, learning atmospheres, social interactions, occupational interactions, and child rearing. All of these unique influences contribute to personality and even if two people have the same experiences they will respond to them different.For example men and women are different and interact and respond different usually because their upbringing is different. â€Å"Boys and girls are socialized differently to some extent in all societies. They receive different messages from their parents and other adults as to what is appropriate for them to do in life. †(Neill, 2006) It is hard to tell which factor is more influential but as you can see each one plays an important part. It doesn’t really matter what has the most influence, just important to remember that they both have influence. ConclusionWhether you take a test or just observe yourself for a while you might find out more about yourself than you knew. Observation and research are what really keeps us finding new things, why not ourselves? With a little time and effort, a person can accomplish anything. With each unique person and each personality we are doing more and learning more every day. The world never stops changing and neither do we. Our personality above all changes its face day to day from birth to death. That is what makes us unique, that is what makes us different from the animals.We have the ability to change and are smart enough to recognize it. We can define it, analyze it, study it, observe it, but our personality is always going to change as we do. In essence, our personality makes us the people that we are. References Cherry, K. (2012). What is validity? Retrieved November 26, 2012 from http://psychology. about. com/od/researchmethods/f/validity. htm Feist, J. , Feist, G. (2009). Theories of Personalities. (7th ed). New York: McGraw-Hill O’Neill, D. (2006). Personality Development. Retrieved November 26, 2012 from https://anthro. palomar. edu