The effects of technology on teenagers

The modern technological world is swiftly changing and advancing before our very eyes. Technology has become part of our every day lives with, mobile phones, laptops, iPods, Wi-Fi spots available nearly everywhere, mp3 players and an enormous array of gaming consoles – there is no avoiding it. Technology has fully developed into the 21st century and seems to have brought with it an unending list of potential detriments. These especially have negative effects on teenagers although it is argued that technology may have also provided a positive impact on today’s youth, for instance, an increase in social activity. I myself, being a teenager of the 21st century cannot even begin to fathom the capabilities of technology. The possibilities are literally endless, however if used without discretion it could also create a generation that solely relies on technology for satisfaction and happiness. The first main problem technology brings to teenagers is the Internet – a global network connecting millions of computers. Now you may be failing to see what the problem is in this description but the budding dangers of the Internet are extremely high and are all around even if they don’t seem obvious at first. Seeing as the Internet is a huge part of a teenager’s life because it provides so many positive opportunities, it isn’t hard to fall into the easy traps of the Internet. For example information such as pictures, projects, videos and documents can be sent with a click of a button; it primarily simplifies teenage life. So, where is the issue in this? The key issue is that whatever goes on the Internet can never truly be gone, even after it has been deleted. The moment that something is posted online, it falls into the hands of millions of strangers who can then download that photo or video, or save a copy of that post. My main point is that what goes on the Internet stays on the Internet and could most likely end up downloaded on someone’s computer. Recently, this issue has affected more and more teenagers. This is mainly because the youth of today are so used to using the Internet, it has become a part of their life but so many are unaware of how to stay safe online. In addition to potentially putting yourself in danger at the click of a button, technology can also take a toll on your behaviour. As teenagers we are still discovering ourselves and establishing our identities. The majority of us have a strong desire for acceptance in society and the images that are available for teenagers to see on the Internet or on television have a strong effect on the process of becoming who we are. These images often stimulate the ideals of the perfect body or how you should behave, especially for young girls. In one study, 69% of girls said that models they see on television fix their idea of what a perfect body shape is. With this much influence from technology it isn’t surprising that eating disorders have grown 400% since 1970. Girls as young as eight years old are becoming conscious of their weight because of these ideals that are set by the world of technology. As upsetting as these statistics are, it does reflect life for young people in the 21st century. Most teenagers can say they have been influenced by the images they see online but the real problem that technology brings is that nowadays, more often than not; these influences are being taken to extremities. Most importantly, technology can be affecting our health. During the past 20 years, obesity in young people has risen drastically and the main contributor is technology. Today, teenagers spend a lot more time in front of the television, or playing video games or using computers. Technology has become a constant companion, completely replacing the idea of active play. More than 40 studies have proven that technology contributes to an inactive lifestyle and weight gain in teenagers. Therefore, this issue is also a reflection of teenage life nowadays as child obesity has become a social epidemic Overall, technology is the perfect example of what life is like in the UK in the 21st century. It is the one thing that has developed the most throughout the years; almost to an extent where people rely on it so much they cannot live without it. It is certainly a huge aspect of young people’s lives as a recent survey showed that 93% of all teenagers aged 12-17 uses the Internet or emails. The worrying statistic is that 58% of teens don’t believe that posting photos or other personal information on social networking sites is unsafe. Things like this are an even bigger aspect of teenage life and unfortunately also reflects life in the 21st century as teenagers are becoming increasingly active online and are at a high risk of falling into the trap of online predators. Nevertheless, I am not completely against technology. I am part of that 93% of teenagers and of course it does have its benefits too, such as educating us, making life easier and simply for its entertainment and social capabilities.

Historical Fiction Narrative

Historical Fiction Narrative My name is Elizabeth, I’m 15 and I’m moving to the West with my family. We are going there for something called the Homestead Act. The Homestead Act is when you get 160 acres of land for free for 5 years. During the 5 years, you must grow crops. But my father is going to the West for mining gold. It’s May 8th, 1861. Tomorrow my family and I leave for the West. We are going by railroad. It will be my first time going on the railroad.I’m so excited yet nervous. I heard that it’s a Transcontinental Railroad. That means that it’s a railroad that spans the continent. May 9th, 1861 Man: â€Å"So what are you on this train for? † Me: â€Å"Moving to the West. My family is getting a big house with 160 acres of land for free and my dads going to be a miner. † Man: â€Å"Oh, the Homestead Act! † Me: â€Å"Yeah. What are you here for? † Man: â€Å"Gold mining of course! I wanna strike gold and be come rich! Me: â€Å"Well, I have to go now so good luck and safe traveling. † Man: â€Å"Good luck and safe trip to you too! † 24 hours later My family and I are now in the West. The train ride was actually not that bad. But now we’re going to our house. Momma and poppa say it’s a big house. My older brother, Frank whose 19, might either stay with momma and I or go mining with poppa and my little sister, Sally whose 5, is staying with momma and I. I’m so excited that we’re here.It’s beautiful here. The fields, the land, everything! Now we’re at the house. It’s beautiful. And it’s really big and the land is beautiful. It’s like living a dream: fields of blue grass, beautiful blue skies, white puffy clouds. At night, I plan on laying outside in the fields and just watching the starts twinkle like little diamonds. I’m so happy to be here and I’m really excited to be spending the next 5 years and to start a new life in the West with my family.

Psychological and cultural insights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Psychological and cultural insights - Essay Example The binary nature of the ethnic perception has created two distinct cultural segments â€Å"the east and the west†. The segments are not only geographically separated by political borders but are also diversified in terms of psychographic nature of the residing people ((Luo, 2008). On a geographical perspective, the western countries include the nations like the UK, USA, France, Germany, etc and on contrary the eastern countries encompasses Mainland China, India, UAE, Thailand, etc. Although the geographic distinction is quite apparent, however, that is not the only rationale for diversity of perception. According to The Hofstede Centre (2015), the cultural practices vary largely across national borders. The people bear different psychological profile and engage in different social practices, which is a clear reflection of psychographic diversity.Eng and Bogaert, (2010) mentioned that the psychographic profile of an individual largely influences his perception of a particular stimulus. To put it simply, two individuals belonging from different cultural background is most likely to react differently to a same stimulus. This theory stands corrected in the Watson and Wright’s (2000) study of ethnocentric consumer behaviour. A consumer’s perception of a particular brand is largely influenced by his ethnicity. His country of origin and his cultural background plays a major role in deciding the perceived value of a brand. This is mostly because of the fact that an individual designs his perception based on his surroundings.

Elements of Negotiation and Bargaining Skills Coursework

Elements of Negotiation and Bargaining Skills - Coursework Example Communication is crucial to the success of most activities. Communications individuals gather information about the other members of the negotiation. Interest involves what the negotiators want from the interaction. The option of a negotiation in a deal involves looking for the best alternative to putting into action. Legitimacy is vital in interaction between who are bargaining for a commodity or a service (Carrell & Heavrin, 2008). The parties to a negotiation should be committed to the communication because both of them stand to gain from the success of the negotiation. The skills required to conduct a successful negotiation are crucial to most corporations. Effective negotiators need to have the problem-solving skills to determine the intention of the parties in a deal. In relation to, top negotiators need to have good communication skills to understand the details of the negotiations. Effective negotiators have interpersonal skills that they use to maintain a good working relationship with the parties to a negotiation (Carrell & Heavrin, 2008). Collaboration and teamwork are a skill significant to negotiators to unite the associates of a contract. Lastly, decision-making is a primary skill because it helps negotiators act decisively. Rational choice theory is the situation that individuals behave the way they do because the decision to do the actions has more benefits than costs. It relates to the negotiation process in the sense that individual use their rational mind to make decisions (Carrell & Heavrin,

Church-State Relations in Western Societies Essay

Church-State Relations in Western Societies - Essay Example Hence, such influence may impact on the development of Muslim communities and practices. Post 9/11, however, such influence has metamorphosed to interference even in religious and social organizations and institutions so much so that the Muslim communities in these states feel discriminated not only due to the differences in treatment as against the majority community but also as against treatment meted out to other minority groups such as the Sikhs and the Jews. Anti-terror legislations give law enforcement agencies sweeping powers to inspect individuals, organizations and institutions making members of the Muslim community feel insecure and marginalized. Coupled with other interference in cultural practices such as the wearing of hijab by Muslim school girls, the heat of the state's interferences in their exclusive domain has alienated the community to an extent where it has become difficult to gauge the feelings and intentions of a patriot from a paranoid (Jocelyne Cesari, p65). In a climate dominated by fears of international Islamic terrorism, an oscillation in French public policy between including the diversity of Muslims and favoring specific tendencies has shaped the state organization of Islam (Jocelyne Cesari, p73). Also, different countries in Europe have different opinion and attitudes on Islam. ... Also, different countries in Europe have different opinion and attitudes on Islam. Germany, Britain, and Spain recognize Islam. But some countries like France do not recognize Islam and do not have any Islamic institutions like school in their country. On the whole, the attitude is one of disapproval and discouragement where Islam is concerned. One study conducted by Cornell University in 2004 revealed that 44 percent of Americans surveyed were not opposed to the restriction of certain basic civil liberties in the case of Muslims (Jocelyne Cesari, ch3). Muslim communities, in particular, are currently subject to unprecedented levels of intervention and regulation by the British State. There has been deepening of the 'moral panic' about those allegedly 'in' but not 'of' the West. (Jocelyne Cesari, ch4). Muslim Bureaucratic and parochial leaders Muslim community leaders have invariably been lay leaders and not, strictly speaking, qualified or qualified religious leaders. Their authority is largely drawn from a cultural capital that overlaps with traditional leadership. They may or may not be literate and their nomination in the bureaucracy and religious hierarchy may depend on their popularity ((Jocelyne Cesari, p62). Mismatch in the leadership does not augur well for any community for developmental purpose. Also, unqualified parochial leadership often tends to generate more heat than light. In such environment, it is difficult to objectively work towards progressive goals. The governments in western nations ask for capable and coherent leadership. In western states, the church has played pivotal roles because of qualified religious leaders and capable corporate leaders. In the United

The Role Of Technology In Economic Development Research Paper

The Role Of Technology In Economic Development - Research Paper Example People encounter improvements in their living through economic development occurring in a nation. The scope of this study is primarily limited to the economy of United States. However the existing literature and the different viewpoints offered by various researchers and authors related to technology and economic development have been included in this study. Economic development can be viewed from the institutionalism perspective which states that technology forms an important driving force for the economic development of a nation. However this has been argued by the ecological economists who do not consider technology being the only factor that can lead to development of an economy. Trade and technology are found to be positively correlated with each other and most of the nations using greater volume of technology are the most economically developed nations of the world. Hence technology plays a vital role in the sustainable growth and development of an economy. Technology has been defined by economists as knowledge or ideas that facilitate increased production of output from a given input. A greater amount of technology implies that the ability of producing output is enhanced using the same amount of input as was used earlier. Technology can be considered to be composed of various things. It can imply different types of engineering discoveries like the inventions of light bulb or airplane, basic knowledge, concepts related to services or production, etc. The importance of technology is evident because of the fact that inputs of regular quantities are associated with diminishing returns. Keeping other things constant, the utilization of more inputs leads to lesser amount of outputs that can be produced through each of the additional inputs. However, since similar concept is applicable to the overall economy, use of technology does not lead to diminishing returns. Hence it has been observed that technology has a significant role to play in the process of overco ming various limitations that are imposed through the phenomenon of diminishing returns to capital and labor. Prophecies of doom have been announced in various points of time in the historical past which was based on the concept that the scarcity of one of the inputs would result in the halt of economic growth. However technological advancements have disproven all of these prophecies so far. Technology has helped us to formulate ways through which we can produce more output from a given input and hence reduced the dangers that are imposed through the limitations of the availability of certain resources. The role of technology in the economic development of a nation can be viewed from different perspectives like the economical and social perspectives. Development is actually referred to the various improvements that occur in the lives of people living in a community. This study entails about the various roles played by technology towards the economic growth and development of a natio n. The scope of this study is mostly limited to the economy of United States. However it has been compared and contrasted with various other economies and from the global

Family Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Family Business - Research Paper Example This can foster a feeling of resentment among family members who are not qualified enough to do the necessary work, but share the name of the company’s founder. In such cases, the heads of family-run organizations have to deal with the uneasiness of other family members at the thought of hiring outsiders to be privy to the long-held family secrets. According to a survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers to determine how family-run businesses achieve success, a number of the heads of such corporations choose not to involve extended family members in the making o important decisions even if the said members are considered as part-owners. In this survey, 15% of the surveyed family business leaders said that relatives such as in-laws do not have to be involved in decision-making (Miller and Le Breton-Miller 38). In a different survey conducted by the Egon Zehnder International organization among 720 family business executives and owners from Asia-Pacific, the Americas and Europe , over 60% of business managers felt that the lack of professional procedures and administrative structures is the biggest shortcoming of family-run businesses (Brun de Pontet and Aronoff 45). In addition, 55% of executives surveyed indicated that divergences among family members, due to a lack of accountability are another big problem. 60% of the respondents in this survey confirmed that family quarrels often get in the way of making good business decisions such as hiring external experts to deal with recurring problems (Brun de Pontet and Aronoff 46). From these two surveys, it appears that family conflict can result in the wrong decision being made due to the absence of an objective perspective. According to the KPMG and Family Business Australia’s biennial survey, which was conducted with 658 family-run businesses based in Australia, 57% of participants indicated that as family business leaders, they were concerned about the intentions of their potential successors, wheth er their children, or other relatives. In addition, 63% of the polled family business leaders indicated that they were not impressed by the abilities of their potential successors (KPMG and Family Business Australia Survey of Family Businesses 3). This corresponds with the findings of the Egon Zehnder International organization survey which also established that 60 % of the family business leaders had doubts about the proficiency of family members. According to these leaders, this was a common cause of conflicts among the family members (Brun de Pontet and Aronoff 46). It would seem that the biggest problem that family business leaders have to grapple with is the refusal of family members to accept the fact that they may not have the necessary skills to function in specialized operations. This can be a particularly difficult problem to solve because any skilled outsiders who are hired are likely to be met with hostility and subversive acts from disgruntled family members. Another pr oblem often faced by family business leaders has to do with making decision on strategic planning. Today, the family that is successful in progressing at a steady rise from generation to

How Can We Fix K-12 Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How Can We Fix K-12 Education - Essay Example Darwinian evolution advocates for evolution of current creatures from simple organisms million of years ago. Scholars argue that, teaching of creationism discourages students from applying scientific knowledge learned in class. Furthermore, the students are unable to conduct experiments, come up with logical results and make conclusions on experiments (National Academy Press 17). Another challenge is the inability to embrace new technology. This denies the system the ability to use new ideas effectively. This problem is caused by failure to recruit and retain qualified teachers (National Academy Press 21). Another challenge is legitimizing K-12 education. Regardless of the effort by environmentalists on the importance of K-12 education as means of conserving the environment, the government has not legitimized K-12 education or made it part of the curricula within public schools. The government has failed to adhere to warnings that make learning convenient and effective. Lastly, the system does not get any funding from the government leading to seclusion of public schools from K-12 education. It is regrettable that only children from affluent families can learn using K-12 education system (National Academy Press 57). Despite all the challenges experienced by K-12 education system, scholars argue that there are some positive efforts. Consequently, K-12 education should be accessible to students. The concerned stakeholders should train and recruit qualified teachers. Tutoring program found at Haas Center for Public Service, Stanford Teacher Education Program and the Teach for America program should be used for training any members that would like to learn more about K-12 education system (National Academy Press 69). K-12 education system should have specific teachers who can be able to guide students on-line as they learn. Teachers who are responsible for K-12 education

My First Day in Mrsm Taiping Essay Example for Free

My First Day in Mrsm Taiping Essay My entire life change in a blink of an eye after I was accepted into MRSM. I was very happy and nervous. I never thought that I was accepted into MRSM Tiping because I’m apllying for MRSM Balik Pulau. I know nothing about this school. I knew that MRSM Taiping is a smart school after I step my legs here. I thought all MRSM are the same, the best. After the registration process settled, I went to check out my room. It was preety cool~ at that moment I started to feel full of grief as my parents would left me alone ? My dad and mom unpacked all my things. see more:paragraph on my first day at school Then, I secretly went to toilet and crying alone in the toilet without my parents knowledge~ Hahaha. That was so shameful when I thought about it again. I never told my parents about this. I cried a lot when I gave my parents goodbye. It took about half an hour for me to let my parents go. It was the hardest time for me as I’m very close to my family. I was being pampered by my dad and mom but that doesn’t mean I cannot managed myself. My dad said I have to leave my family because I want to success in my life. I would remember that words if I felt like I want to go back. After my parents leave, I went back to dorm and try to make friends. Then I have a conversation with Zai and we started being friend. I went to Dewan Selera for dinner. All the foods were nice. Eventhough it were not as good as my mom’s cooking, it’s still better than my former school food. It was seriously bad! Haha I think I was so cruel to say that words~ At first, I had a terrible homesick but all my friend can peace me up especially Zai and Afza. Thanks to them I still being here ? I think that’s all I can share with you guys. I hope I can perfome better here and prove to my friends that MRSM Taiping is the best.

W.S. Merwins translation of poem Essay Example for Free

W.S. Merwins translation of poem Essay As I read W.S. Merwins translation of this poem, I feel a sense that the poet was trying to articulate the harmony which exists between humanity and nature. The initial lines of the poem: Into my head rose/the nothings/ my life day after day (Merwin) seemed to indicate a state of disharmony, sadness and banality. The reader immediately wonders: what might be the cause of the poets malaise. Rather than immediately show or evoke the source of sadness and disharmony in the poem, the next lines reveal the antidote to this feeling, which is expressed in motion: but I am leaving the shore/in my skin boat (Merwin) which sets up a metaphor of the body-as-voyage. This feeling moves toward at least a partial explanation,explication of the poets source of malaise and sadness: the world itself, but particularly the world of human ambition and human affairs: and the ache/ that comes from the things/I have to do every day (Merwin) This realization on the part of the poet which is expressed obliquely to the reader allows the second half of the poem to function as a response to or answer to the poets malaise and sadness. By separating the poem into a call and response format, it is easier for the reader to sense the movement of the poem from a state of emotional disharmony to a state of reprieve or even illumination. The most profound aspect of the   call and response motif is that it actually unifies dual idea of the poet speaking to nature or inquiring into it for a panacea against malaise and angst and the poet inquiring into himself for an answer to his emotional distress. By unifying these concepts, the poet expresses that nature and the human soul are actually one.   The concluding lines bring a simultaneous experience of going back to nature and of being reborn. By juxtaposing the idea of introspection with a journey into nature, the poet is able to bring the reader through an emotional arc which begins with feelings of oppression and melancholy and transforms through a vision of a nature and the soul as one, into an image of rebirth which more than adequately disperses the melancholic feelings expressed by the poet and brought to climax in the reader, making a dramatic emotional and psychological reversal from sadness to joy.

Obesity in the Southern United States

Obesity in the Southern United States Marion T. Stevens Introduction Obesity has emerged as one of the leading causes of death in the United States of America. In the Bible belt (Southern States) obesity is very common which complicates health and the economy as well as treatment to individuals. Furthermore, obesity in the southern states is a result of culture, economic status and ethnicity. According to Akil (2011), obesity is basically a manifestation of energy imbalance mainly defined as the balance between the consumed energy, by drink as well as food, and the energy expended through physical activity and metabolism. Obesity, which correlates to lifestyle behaviors, can be characterized by reducing levels of physical activity or increased consumption of diets that are energy-dense, or even both. Over the past three decades, the US has witnessed a dramatic increase in the prevalence of obesity as well as reports on disparities among the population. With regard to the disparities in the prevalence of diabetes among the US population, the Southern States of the US record the highest obesity rates in the country based on the new report by the Institute for America’s Health. According to the report obesity rates increased in twenty eight states by 2010 with a decline only reported in Washington, DC. Out of the 11 states recording the highest rates, 10 of them are situated in the South, with Mississippi recording the highest rate for six consecutive years (World Health Organization, 2013). Statement of the problem There has been an increasing debate and the controversy over the appropriate intervention measures to be taken in order to curb the prevalence of diabetes in the southern states. The issue is whether the government should intervene and take a stand on the daily recommended dietary consumption. For instance, as a response to this and for the very first time, the Southern Obesity Summit, the largest regional obesity prevention unit, held its 7th Annual Southern Obesity Summit in November, 2013, drawing a majority of the participants from the sixteen southern states. Looking at it from a broader cultural perspective, the increased rate of diabetes can be attributed to the lifestyle of the Southerners and their nutrition. The high prevalence of obesity in the southern states of the US (the Bible Belt) poses challenges to both the government as well as health institutions. This phenomenon complicates the health and the economic situation of the region as well as the high cost of treatment. As pointed out in Wang and Beydoun (2007), the cost of treatment stood at $ 117 billion annually. Today, the cost has almost tripled (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009). The CDC survey report goes further to indicate that over 30 percent of the population in the Southern States is obese. Studies have shown that obesity in these Southern States is mainly as a result of socio-economic factors, ethnicity, as well as the culture of the Southerners. Review of Literature According to the Institute for America’s Health Report (2010), obesity in America in 2008 cost the nation approximately $147 billion in weight-related medical bills that is double the amount in the previous decade. Parham and Scarinci (2007), point out that people with obesity have an annual medical bill of $ 1,429 higher than the normal-weight people. The leading states in the south for obesity rate include: Mississippi (33.8%), Alabama and Tennessee (31 % tie), West Virginia (31.3 %), Louisiana (31.2%), Kentucky (30.5%), Arkansas (30.1%), South Carolina (29.9%), and Michigan (29.4%) tied with North Carolina (29.4%) (United States Census Bureau, 2009). According to Akil (2011), the higher rate of obesity can be linked to socioeconomic factors such as income, poverty, and unemployment, among others. The study indicates that the higher rates of obesity were recorded among the Southerners as compared to the Northerners. The prevalence was highest in Mississippi, which also recorded the highest level of poverty with 21 percent of its residents living below the poverty line. Alabama and West Virginia, which rank second and third in obesity prevalence rates respectively, are both ranked the fifth poorest (Ezzati, Martin, Skjold, Vander Hoorn, Murray, 2006). Generally, the south has a poverty rate of 14 percent being the most impoverished part of the country (U. S. Census Bureau, 2009). The income disparities among the population is considered as a contributing factor to this trend in the US and more so in the Southern States. The southerners have limited access to healthy food with little purchasing power. The cultural lifestyle of the southerners predisposes them to obesity. Southerners enjoy feeding on fried food ranging from chicken, onions, green tomatoes, and pickles, to corn bread. Nutritional educators attribute the increased rate of obesity to the regional feeding habits. This situation is aggravated by poor physical exercise among the Southerners, since it is difficult for them to exercise outdoors when an opportunity arises, it is often hot, at times over 100 degrees, and humid. Furthermore, states such as Mississippi and Tennessee lack abundant sidewalks and have narrow roads, hence jogging and biking becomes hard for them (Wang Beydoun, 2007). Nutritional education is a significant contributor to the increased rate of obesity among the residents of the southern states of America. Nutrition educators have put concerted efforts in educating the people on the proper eating and exercise habits (Balluz, Okoro Mokdad, 2008). The majority of the population feed on junk food, fried food, and do not engage in regular physical exercise, thus predisposing themselves to obesity. For instance, Arkansas passed a body mass index-screening program, in elementary schools to assess weight and then send the results to the parents. Tennessee, on the other hand, encourages schools to purchase fresh ingredients from the local growers. In 2007, the state of Mississippi adopted certain nutritional standards for its school lunches. All these nutritional interventions are taken in a bid to combat this affliction (Powell, Stater, Mirtcheva, Bao Chaloupka, 2007). Methods The study used descriptive survey design where data was collected and analyzed (CDC, 2013). Since it is hard to study the whole population in the southern United States, the research sample was selected using random sampling technique. The following southern states were selected for the study: Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Colorado was also selected in the sample for comparison. The study was mainly qualitative, and qualitative data was collected and analyzed. Data was presented using texts, to describe the prevalence of obesity among the Southern Unites States. This research paper derives from secondary sources, mainly the obesity and obesity-related health studies conducted in the Southern States and the United States at large, and the above stated southern states in particular. Factual data has been retrieved from articles published in Peer Reviewed Health Journals as well as from world fact sheets. The study collected demographic data such as ethnicity, sex and geographic location. Data analysis was done using regression analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results and Discussion The research study found that obesity in the Southern States is exacerbated by inadequate significant policies to address issues of community design, such as suburban sprawl and sidewalks, as well as wider accessibility and affordability of healthy food options including the ‘urban grocery store gap’ (World Health Organization, 2013). The results indicated that there is a correlation between ethnicity and obesity in the southern United States. This high prevalence is mainly attributed to the lifestyle of southerners who mainly feed on fried foods. For instance, in 2004, a study by the University of North Carolina found out that majority of the food-shopping options in most part of the southern region fall under the category of ‘convenient stores’ since traditional grocery stores are situated too far away, hence the aforementioned gap. The lifestyle of Southerners is a predisposing factor to obesity due to their dietary habits. In addition, the high rate of o besity in the southern states is as a result of economic constraints. The majority of the states in the southern region are ranked among the poorest in the country (Ezzati et al, 2006). Colorado recorded the lowest rate of obesity, according to the study results (Akil, 2011). The researcher included Colorado in the study sample so as to check for any disparity and/or offer a comparison. The findings of this study provided a justification for hypothesis that there is a significant relationship between obesity and the Southerner’s nutrition education. Conclusion Deriving from the finding of this study it is evident that the rate of diabetes is highest among residents of the southern states of the United States. The causes are mainly attributed to socioeconomic factors, culture and lifestyle, as well as ethnicity. However, the US government has put in place policy measures to combat the affliction. The intervention measures are mainly skewed toward provisional of nutritional education and implementation of poverty reduction strategies. The health status was found to improve with the rise in incomes. The poorer people have a limited access to groceries and health care. Limitations of the Study Since it was hard to study all the states in the south, only a few states were selected for the study. Moreover, there could be other predisposing factors for obesity rather than those focused on by the researcher. The demographics of the study also need to be more detailed, the study did not address race and income levels nor did it cover the environment of green space available for exercise within the studies. Recommendation for further Research There is need for further research to check for any relationship between obesity and other factors such as education, gender, heredity, climate and age. Similar studies should be extended to other states in the north to establish other causal factors that could be leading to the increased obesity rates in the south as compared to the northern states. Routine (BMI) Body Mass Index calculation, weight, height and blood pressure should be conducted at all routine patient visits. If the BMI is above 85 percentile, initiate farther screening. Obesity warrants immediate attention; consider using the HEAT clinical practice guidelines (McAdams, 2010). The key to battling obesity is prevention in the early stages; this will be led by promoting health eating and exercise to the new generation of youth. References Akil, L. (2011). Effects of Socio-economic Factors on obesity rates in four southern states and Colorado. National institute of Health Journal. 21 (1): 58-62. Balluz, L. S., Okoro, C. A, Mokdad, A. (2008). Association between selected unhealthy lifestyle factors, body mass index, and chronic health condition among individuals 50 years of age or older, by race /ethnicity. Ethnicity Dis. 18(4):450–457. CDC, (2013) Health Disparities and Inequalities Report United States. Retrieved on February 20, 2014 from: www.cdc.gov Ezzati, M., Martin, H., Skjold, S., Vander Hoorn, S. Murray, C. J. (2006). Trends in national and state-level obesity in the USA after correction for self-report bias: analysis of health surveys. J R Soc Med. 99:250–257. McAdams, Cynthia (2010). The environment and pediatric overweight: a review for nurse practioners. American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, 22 (9), 460-467. Dio 10,1111/j.1745-7599.2010.00537.x Parham, G. P. Scarinci, I. C. (2007). Strategies for achieving healthy energy balance among African Americans in the Mississippi Delta. Prev Chronic Dis. 4(4): A97. Powell, L. M., Stater, S., Mirtcheva, D., Bao, Y. Chaloupka, F.J. (2007). Food store availability and neighborhood characteristics in the United States. Prev Med. 44(3): 189–195. The Institute for America’s Health. Retrieved on January 23, 2014 from: www.healthy-america.org United States Census of Bureau (2009). Cen-Stats Database. Retrieved on January 23, 2014 from: www.censtats.census.gov Wang. Y., Beydoun, M. A. (2007). The obesity epidemic in the United States—gender, age, socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and geographic characteristics: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis. Epidemiol Rev. 29:6–28. Word Health Organization. (2013). Obesity and overweight. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index.html

Dream Therapy Essay -- Psychology Essays

Dream Therapy Dreams have been considered and debated since people have existed. Research on dreams began in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, nothing has proven why dreams happen or what they do. Freud suggested that dreams are an expression of subconscious desires, from which all sorts of strange animal impulses come. He believed that he would be able to find out what bothered people by analyzing their dreams. While dreams reveal troubles much older than Freud, he was the first to try and rationalize dream therapy (Dreaming of a better life). According to American Health (April 1997) about three-quarters of people who use dream therapy are women. They speculate this is due to hormonal differences. Other reasons to speculate that women are more inclined to use dream therapy are because they seem more connected to the dreaming world than men, women dream more often than other times during their menstrual cycle (which helps them recall their dreams more clearly at those times) and women tend to dream more during pregnancy (Waking). People who suffer from frequent nightmares also use dream therapy. Dream therapy may help those who suffer from frequent nightmares find underlying signs of other illnesses or perhaps drug reactions (Dream Therapy: Nightmare). Danya C. MacKean, student at Augustana University College, stated in a paper for a psychology paper that dream therapy is used by patients who are treated for post traumatic stress syndrome These patients use dream therapy to make his or herself aware that they are dreaming to lessen the resistance of confrontation with the figures or situation in which they are dreaming (MacKean). Dream therapy can b... ...oing on in my life. I had fun doing this paper and will more than likely start my journal again. SOURCES Colors in Dreams & Their Meanings. From journal: Dreams Obscure. Common Dream Symbols. Infotrac at Concord Library. http://www.dooyoo.com 7 February 2001. Dreaming of a better life. Pearson, Bryn. http://www.dooyoo.com 10 August 2001. Dreams are the language of the soul†¦ Whitehorse. http://www.garynull.com/Documents/spectrum/waking_up_to_dream_therapy.htm Waking Up To Dream Therapy. http://www.iris-publishing.com/sleep/sleep_help/nightmare_reduc.html 12 November 2003. Dream Therapy: Nightmare Reduction Training. http://ma.essortments.com/dreamstherapya_rfrf.htm 12 November 2003. Dream therapy & alternative psychology. http://www.sawka.com/spiritwatch/mackean/htm. April 1997. MacKean, Danya C. Symbols. Infotrac at Concord Library.

A Little Mistake - Original Writing :: Papers

A Little Mistake - Original Writing â€Å"Alex please report to the office, Alex to the office please,† blared over the loudspeaker into the English classroom. â€Å"Ooooooooohhhhhh!!!† the class replied in standard form, implying I must be in trouble. But I was in trouble and I knew it. I walked to the office and waited in a chair for the assistant principal to come and lecture me about how what I did was wrong. However, I wasn’t wrong, at least I didn’t think so. Tick-tock, tick-tock, seconds seemed like hours as I waited for my dreaded sentence. (What would it be? Detention for a week? A month? A year?) From one of the back offices, a big dark shadow moved closer to me. Suddenly, the shadow became Mr. Schuler, standing in front of me. â€Å"Alex, come in my office, please,† he said in his stern tone. Following him into the office, I felt like a midget next to his giant stature and was intimidated from all of the rumors that he was as strict as Miss. Trunchbell from Maltilda with his punishments. Mr. Schuler sat down shuffled through the disciplinary form that had been filed for me. â€Å"It says here that you left class without the teachers permission.† â€Å"Yes, that’s†¦part†¦of†¦what†¦happened,† I stuttered, while trying to hold back the tears from running down my face. It was my first time ever really getting in trouble at school and I feared my parents would kill me, plus sitting across from the beast we referred to as Mr. Schuler was a pretty intimidating situation of its own. â€Å"You know that was wrong, don’t you?† he replied. â€Å"Yeah,† I said, composing myself, â€Å"but there is an explanation for it. You see, I was working on this project and someone thought I was being mean to them, so they ripped up the paper that I had written all my notes on and I started yelling so the sub hollered at me to go to the office and I left the classroom and was going to come to the office

Reduce,Reuse and Reclycle Essay

Practicing these three steps (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) helps us lessen the environmental impact that manufacturing and distributing products have on our environment. Reducing waste is the most effective 3 R practice, because it means not producing unnecessary waste in the first place – So there is zero impact on the environment. If we reduce what we buy and use in the first place and reuse wherever possible, fewer things need to be recycled and the amount of waste we produce will fall. The next best is Reuse, because it extends the life of a product. That item still had to be made but it is used over and over, reducing the need to make new stuff. Recycling in the end is the reprocessing of materials. It helps reduce pollution caused by waste and the need of raw material so that rainforests can be preserved. BENEFITS: We are going to give you some tips and practical examples how to save money, energy and the environment. 1. Do not waste food, make sure that you buy what you are going to consume, give leftovers to your pets or discard them in a responsible way. (Environmental friendly). 2. Grow your own vegetable, fruits, and flowers. 3. When you leave a room always turn the lights off – Do not forget to switch off all the electrical equipment’s, turn down your emersion heater. 4. Instead of using dishwasher, wash dishes by hands from the sink 5. Always turn the tap off when you wash your teeth. You do not need the tap running when you are brushing your teeth. 6. Instead of buying a lot of books, you can borrow from the library or charity shops. 7. Do not automatically get rid of your old newspaper; use it in place of paper towels to clean glasses and mirrors. Shred it to make packaging materials, use it as a fire starter. 8. Reuse junk mail envelops for your own mail. Just put a label over the see through window or if the envelop has a bar code at the bottom, run a black marker through it. 9. Do not dump water you use to cook vegetable; water your plants with it. 10. Use the public transport (trains, undergrounds) rather than cars to reduce pollution. ADVANTAGES OF RECYCLING: Recycling uses much less energy than producing new materials from scratch. This means less fossil fuel is burnt and less greenhouse gas is emitted. The vast majority of materials collected from your doorstep are recycled and used in the UK. This means less fuel is used to export waste and import new materials. Recycling helps to reduce pollution, Co2 emissions caused by waste and preserve natural resources for futures generations. Recycling is one of the best ways for you to have a positive impact on the planet in which we live. It is so important to both, the natural environment and us (Human beings). N. B: However, recycling still creates some pollution because it is an industrial process. That’s why â€Å"Reduce and Reuse† are the most important of the 3 R practice. Did you know? Recycling Aluminium uses only five per cent of the energy and emissions needed to make it from raw materials. Each year in the UK, we go through over 1. 2 million Tonnes of electrical waste. (That’s the equivalent of 150 Thousand double decker buses). Prevention is better than cure as the doctors say. Therefore, we must act fast as the amount of waste we create is increasing all the time. We are going to conclude our topic with this wise and pertinent citation of Margaret Mead: â€Å"Never doubt a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. †

Causes Of Myasthenia Gravis Health And Social Care Essay

Myasthenia Gravis is an autoimmune upset, the immune system attacks portion of the organic structure. In MG that portion is the muscular system. The organic structure produces antibodies that mark receptors for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine on the musculus cells at neuromuscular junctions. Peoples with MG have a one -third the normal figure of acetylcholine receptors here. On a whole -body degree, this causes weak and easy fatigued musculuss. MG affects 100s of 1000s of people worldwide. Mostly adult females in their mid-twentiess or mid-thirtiess, and work forces in their 1960ss and 1970ss. The particular symptoms depend upon the site of onslaught. For 85 % of patients, the disease causes generalised musculus failing. Many people develop a characteristic level smiling and rhinal voice and have trouble mastication and get downing due to affected facial and neck musculuss. Many have limb failing. About 15 % of patients experience the unwellness merely in the musculuss environing their eyes. The disease reaches crisis degree when respiratory musculuss are affected, necessitating a ventilator to back up external respiration. MG does non impact esthesis or physiological reactions ( Shier, 2010 ) . Causes of Myasthenia Gravis The exact cause of MG is non known. One theory is the status may be triggered by a virus or other infection that has a similar construction to a portion of the acetylcholine receptor. Sometimes adult females with MG who give birth transmit these peculiar antibodies to their babes, doing musculus failing in the baby. This is called neonatal myasthenia and occurs in approximately 12 % of babes whose female parent has MG. â€Å" It is different from inborn myasthenia because the infant gets better in a few hebdomads as the antibody blood degrees go down † ( MediResource, 2013 ) . The other abnormalcy that frequently shows up in people with myasthenia gravis is an hyperactive, overlarge, or otherwise nonfunctional Thymus. The Thymus is a secretory organ located where the cervix joins the thorax. It is of import for the normal development of the immune system. Normally, the Thymus is larger in childhood than in maturity and becomes inactive around pubescence. In people with MG, nevertheless, it frequently keeps traveling into maturity ( MediResource, 2013 ) . Some people with MG turn out to hold a thymoma ( a tumour in the Thymus ) . This is a type of malignant neoplastic disease, but really few people die of thymomas ( MediResource, 2013 ) . The most common symptoms of MG are the dual vision which is called diplopia, every bit good as saging palpebras which is called ptosis, and musculus failing that normally gets worse after exercising or at the terminal of the twenty-four hours and improves with remainder. ` Swallowing troubles are of peculiar concern as they can be unsafe. MG typically does good at the beginning of a repast but tyre at the terminal, do get downing excessively hard. Some deteriorate to name where there is entire loss of ability to masticate and get down. At this point, nutrient may lodge in the pharynx, or nutrient and drink may get down to travel the incorrect manner, for illustration into the trachea, doing coughing and choking. Foods which may trip MG symptoms may be: Very hot, Spicy, Dry and britty Foods which require a batch of masticating attempt, such as tough meats or chewy Sweets, could besides pall out the myasthenic and cause trouble in get downing ( Boyce, 2013 ) . Many people with MG upset find it temporarily impossible to eat may hold to be admitted to a infirmary and be fed intravenously. Of more immediate danger is when the disease causes trouble in breathingaˆÂ ¦This is called a myasthenic crisis, and it ‘s responsible for most of the little figure of deceases due to myasthenia gravis. Peoples with take a breathing jobs must travel to a infirmary instantly. ( Boyce, 2013 ) How is Myasthenia Gravis treated? Today, MG can be controlled. There are several therapies available to assist cut down and better musculus failing. Medicines used to handle the upset include anticholinesterase agents such as Prostigmin and pyridostigmine, which help better neuromuscular transmittal and increase musculus strength. Immunosuppressive drugs such as Orasone, cyclosporine, and Imuran may besides be used. These medicines improve musculus strength by stamp downing the production of unnatural antibodies. They must be used with careful medical followup because they may do major side effects ( Nursing Link, 2013 ) . What is the forecast? With intervention, the mentality for most patients with MG is bright: they will hold important betterment of their musculus failing and they can anticipate to take normal or about normal lives. Some instances of MG may travel into remittal temporarily and muscle failing may vanish wholly so that medicines can be discontinued. Stable, durable complete remittals are the end of thymectomy. In a few instances, the terrible failing of MG may do a crisis which requires immediate exigency medical attention ( Nursing Link, 2013 ) . How is Myasthenia Gravis Diagnosed? The first stairss of naming MG include a reappraisal of the person ‘s medical history, and physical and neurological scrutinies. The marks a doctor must look for are impairment of oculus motions or musculus failing without any alterations in the person ‘s ability to experience things. If the physician suspects MG, several trials are available to corroborate the diagnosing. A particular blood trial can observe the presence of immune molecules or acetylcholine receptor antibodies. Most patients with MG have abnormally elevated degrees of these antibodies. However, antibodies may non be detected in patients with lone optic signifiers of the disease ( Nursing Link, 2013 ) . Another trial is called the edrophonium trial. This attack requires the endovenous disposal of edrophonium chloride or tensionA ® , a drug that blocks the debasement ( breakdown ) of acetylcholine and temporarily increases the degrees of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. In people with MG affecting the oculus musculuss, edrophonium chloride will briefly alleviate failing. Other methods to corroborate the diagnosing include a version of nervus conductivity survey which trials for specific musculus â€Å" weariness † by insistent nervus stimulation. This trial records weakening musculus responses when the nervousnesss are repetitively stimulated. Insistent stimulation of a nervus during a nervus conductivity survey may show decreases of the musculus action potency due to impaired nerve-to-muscle transmittal ( Nursing Link, 2013 ) . The Future The hereafter of Myasthenia Gravis lies in the elucidation of the molecular immunology of the anti-acetylcholine receptor response with the end of developing a rational intervention for the unwellness that will bring around the abnormalcy in the immune system that consequences in the AChR immune response. To this terminal, six wide classs of theoretical intervention schemes need to be explored. First, those interventions which target the antigen specific B-cells ; Second, those interventions which target the antigen specific CD4+ T-cells ; Third, those interventions which interfere with co-stimulatory response for antigen presentation, Fourth, interventions aimed at bring oning tolerance or anergy of the CD4+ T-cell to the car antigen or the CD4+ epitopes ; Fifth, those interventions designed to excite those immunological circuits which activate CD8+ cells specific for the activation antigens expressed by CD4+ cells and Sixth, those interventions which intervene with cytokine map and discourage autoimmune mediated inflammatory responses ( Howard, 2010 ) .

Nature vs. Culture in Odyssey Essay

The imagery of nature and culture connects every scene from Book 9 to Book 12 in Odyssey. On the land of Cyclopes, Odysseus’s encounter with the one-eyed uncivilized giant unveils Odysseus’s cleverness as a civilized human being; Nevertheless, Odysseus eventually fails to overcome the flaw of human characteristic, as he tells Polyphemus about his real mortal identity when he is sailing away, which ultimately brings Poseidon’s revenge to Achaeans. At one point human civilization teaches Odysseus the skill of using wooden staff and wine to fight with Polyphemus’s strength, but the nature of superpower can easily surpass human beings’ wisdom. When Circe in Book 11 turns Odysseus’s men into pigs, when the blind prophet Tiresias foretells Odysseus’s fate, and when Zeus punishes Odysseus with another storm, Odysseus and his men are powerless but accept their destiny. The conflict between nature and culture connects humans’ world with gods’ world, thus makes every story interesting to follow as uncivilized creatures possess human characteristics and civilized human beings possess â€Å"limited† superpower. For example, in book 10, when Circe turns Odysseus’s men into pig, Odysseus can only overpower Circe by following Hermes’ instruction: â€Å"Take this herb, which is one of great virtue, and keep it about you when you go to Circe’s house, it will be a talisman to you against every kind of mischief†(Book X, 54). When Odysseus â€Å"rushed at her with sword drawn†, Odysseus is in a position where he is even able to overcome the power of an immortal creature. Both Polyphemus and Circe represent the power of nature, as their world does not have any law or morality, while odysseus’s journey represents the power of culture, as the man of culture defeats powerful immortal creatures through cleverness and self-restraint.

Edvard Grieg

Edvard Grieg  (15 June 1843  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ 4 September 1907) was a  Norwegian  composer  and  pianist. He is best known for his  Piano Concerto in A minor, for  his incidental music  to  Henrik Ibsen's  play  Peer Gynt  (which includes  Morning Mood  and  In the Hall of the Mountain King), and for his collection of  pianominiatures  Lyric Pieces. [1] ————————————————- Biography Edvard Hagerup Grieg was born in  Bergen,  Norway  on June 15, 1843. His parents were Hiemlik Grieg (1806–1875), a merchant and the American vice consul in Bergen, and Gesine Carrie Hagerupel (1814–1875), a music teacher and daughter of  Edvard Hagerup. The family name, originally spelled  Greig, hasScottish  origins. After the  Battle of Culloden  in 1746, however, Grieg's great-grandfather traveled widely, settling in Norway about 1770, and establishing business interests in Bergen. Edvard Grieg was raised in a musical home. His mother was his first  piano  teacher and taught him to play at the age of 6. Grieg studied in several schools, including Tank's School,. [2]  He often brought in samples of his music to class. In the summer of 1858, Grieg met the eminent Norwegian  violinist  Ole Bull, who was a family friend; Bull's brother was married to Grieg's aunt. Bull recognized the 15-year-old boy's talent and persuaded his parents to send him to the  Leipzig Conservatory, then directed by  Ignaz Moscheles. Grieg enrolled in the  conservatory, concentrating on the piano, and enjoyed the many concerts and recitals given in  Leipzig. He disliked the discipline of the conservatory course of study, but he achieved very good grades in most areas. An exception was the  organ, which was mandatory for piano students. In the spring of 1860, he survived a life-threatening  lung disease. The following year he made his debut as a concert pianist, in  Karlshamn,  Sweden. In 1862, he finished his studies in Leipzig and held his first concert in his home town, where his programme included  Beethoven's  Pathetique  sonata. (Grieg's own recording of his  Piano Sonata, made late in his life, confirms that he was an excellent pianist). In 1863, Grieg went to  Copenhagen,  Denmark, and stayed there for three years. He met the Danish composers  J. P. E. Hartmann  and  Niels Gade. He also met his fellow Norwegian composer  Rikard Nordraak  (composer of the  Norwegian national anthem), who became a good friend and source of great inspiration. Nordraak died in 1866, and Grieg composed a  funeral march  in his honor. On 11 June 1867, Grieg married his first cousin,  Nina Hagerup. The next year, their only child, Alexandra, was born. She died in 1869 from  meningitis. In the summer of 1868, Grieg wrote his Piano Concerto in A minor while on holiday in Denmark. Edmund Neupert  gave the concerto its premiere performance on 3 April 1869 in the Casino Theater in Copenhagen. Grieg himself was unable to be there due to conducting commitments in Christiania (as  Oslo  was then named). [3] In 1868,  Franz Liszt, who had not yet met Grieg, wrote a testimonial for him to the Norwegian Ministry of Education, which led to Grieg obtaining a travel grant. The two men met in  Rome  in 1870. On Grieg's first visit, they went over Grieg's Violin Sonata No. 1, which pleased Liszt greatly. On his second visit, in April, Grieg brought with him the manuscript of his Piano Concerto, which Liszt proceeded to sightread (including the orchestral arrangement). Liszt's rendition greatly impressed his audience, although Grieg gently pointed out to him that he played the first movement too quickly. Liszt also gave Grieg some advice on  orchestration, (for example, to give the melody of the second theme in the first movement to a solo trumpet). In 1874–76, Grieg composed  incidental music  for the premiere of  Henrik Ibsen's play  Peer Gynt, at the request of the author. Many of the pieces from this work became very popular in the orchestral suites or piano and piano-duet arrangements. Grieg had close ties with the (Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra) (Harmonien), and later became Music Director of the orchestra from 1880–1882. In 1888, Grieg met  Tchaikovsky  in  Leipzig. Grieg was struck by the sadness in Tchaikovsky. [4]  Tchaikovsky thought very highly of Grieg's music, praising its beauty, originality and warmth. [5] ————————————————- Latter years Edvard Grieg Museum Troldhaugen Grieg's later life brought him fame. The Norwegian government awarded him a pension. In the spring 1903, Grieg made nine 78-rpm  gramophone recordings  of his piano music in Paris; all of these historic discs have been reissued on both LPs and CDs and, despite limited fidelity, show his artistry as a pianist. Grieg also made live-recording  player piano  music rolls for the  Welte-Mignon  reproducing system, all of which survive today and can be heard. In 1906, he met the composer and pianist  Percy Grainger  in London. Grainger was a great admirer of Grieg's music and a strong empathy was quickly established. In a 1907 interview, Grieg stated: â€Å"I have written Norwegian Peasant Dances that no one in my country can play, and here comes this Australian who plays them as they ought to be played! He is a genius that we Scandinavians cannot do other than love. †[6] Edvard Grieg died in the autumn of 1907, aged 64, after a long period of illness. His final words were â€Å"Well, if it must be so. † The funeral drew between 30,000 and 40,000 people out on the streets of his home town to honor him. Following his wish, his own  Funeral March in Memory of Rikard Nordraak  was played in an orchestration by his friend  Johan Halvorsen, who had married Grieg's niece. In addition, the  Funeral March  movement from  Chopin's  Piano Sonata No. 2  was played. His and his wife's ashes are entombed in a mountain crypt near his house,  Troldhaugen. ————————————————- Music Grieg is renowned as a  nationalist composer, drawing inspiration from  Norwegian folk music. Early works include a  symphony  (which he later suppressed) and apiano sonata. He also wrote three  sonatas for violin and piano  and a  cello sonata. His many short pieces for piano — often based on Norwegian folk tunes and dances — led some to call him the â€Å"Chopin  of the North†. 7] The  Piano Concerto  is his most popular work. Its champions have included the pianist and composer  Percy Grainger, a personal friend of Grieg who played the concerto frequently during his long career. An arrangement of part of the work made an iconic television comedy appearance in the 1971  Morecambe and Wise Show, conducted by  Andre Previn. Some of the  Lyric Pieces  (for piano) are also well-known, as is the  incidental music  to  Henrik Ibsen's  play  Peer Gynt, a play that Grieg found to be an arduous work to score properly. In a 1874 letter to his friend Frants Beyer, Grieg expressed his unhappiness with what is now considered one of his most popular compositions from  Peer Gynt,  In the Hall of the Mountain King: â€Å"I have also written something for the scene in the hall of the mountain King – something that I literally can't bear listening to because it absolutely reeks of cow-pies, exaggerated Norwegian nationalism, and trollish self-satisfaction! But I have a hunch that the irony will be discernible. â€Å"[8] Grieg's popular  Holberg Suite  was originally written for the piano, and later arranged by the composer for  string  orchestra. Grieg wrote songs, in which he set lyrics by poets  Heinrich Heine,  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,  Henrik Ibsen,  Hans Christian Andersen,Rudyard Kipling  and others. Russian composer  Nikolai Myaskovsky  used a theme by Grieg for the variations with which he closed his Third String Quartet. ————————————————- List of selected works Main article:  List of compositions by Edvard Grieg * Piano Sonata in E minor, Op. 7 * Violin Sonata No. 1 in F major, Op. 8 * Concert  Overture  In Autumn, Op. 11 * Violin Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op. 13 * Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 6 * Incidental music  to  Bjornstjerne Bjornson's play  Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 22 * Incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play  Peer Gynt, Op. 23 * Ballade in the Form of Variations  on a Norwegian Folk Song  in G minor, Op. 24 * String Quartet  in G minor, Op. 27 * Album for Male Cho rus, Op. 30 * Two Elegiac Melodies for Strings, Op. 34 * Four  Norwegian Dances  for piano four hands, Op. 35 (later orchestrated) * Cello Sonata in A minor, Op. 36 * Holberg Suite  for piano, later arr. for string orchestra, Op. 40 * Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45 * Peer Gynt  Suite  No. 1, Op. 6 * Lyric Suite for Orchestra, Op. 54 (orchestration of four  Lyric Pieces) * Peer Gynt  Suite  No. 2, Op. 55 * Suite from  Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56 * Four  Symphonic Dances  for piano, later arr. for orchestra, Op. 64 * Haugtussa  Song Cycle after  Arne Garborg, Op. 67 * Slatter  (Peasant Dances) for piano, Op. 72 * Sixty-six  Lyric Pieces  for piano in ten books, Opp. 12, 38, 43, 47, 54, 57, 62, 65, 68 and 71, including:  Arietta,  To the Spring,  Little Bird,  Butterfly,  Notturno,  Wedding Day at Troldhaugen,  At Your Feet,  Longing For Home,  March of the Dwarfs,  Poeme erotique  and  Gone.

Basics of collective bargaining and its effects within globalisation

Basics of collective bargaining and its effects within globalisation a. What may McDonalds have considered in order to establish their approaches to collective bargaining in both Germany and the UK? To answer the above question we first need to know about basics of collective bargaining where Collective Bargaining is defined as the process of turning disagreements into agreements in an orderly fashion. Collective bargaining is the process followed to establish a mutually agreed set of rules and decisions between unions and employers for matters relating to employment. This is a regulating process dealing with the regulation of management and conditions of employment. Collective bargaining is used as the negotiation process between employees and employers with unions acting as the representatives of employees. The entire process depends on the bargaining powers of the concerned parties. The process of collective bargaining is to settles down any conflicts regarding the conditions of employment such as wages, working hours and conditions, overtime paym ents, holidays, vacations, benefits, insurance benefits etc. and management regulations. Players involved in collective bargaining: Employees Management Corporate organization Unions In line with the above definition McDonald’s may have considered the approach and settings of collective bargains as an important issue of employee relations. The German setting and approach McDonald’s may have considered establishing their approaches to collective bargaining in Germany: The traditional collective approach to Employee Relations (ER) in German companies is deeply rooted in the particular configuration of the German Industrial Relations (IR) system. This is characterized by a high degree of regulation and a dense, encompassing institutional infrastructure that imposes a uniform set of institutional constraints on companies, but at the same time provides incentives for employers to accept institutional constraints (Lane, 1995; Soskice, 1994). McDonalds, to establish its appro aches to collective bargaining this ER and IR framework may have been considered in first instance. In addition, the institutional structure is highly integrated with strong linkages, not only within the IR system, but also to the wider German businesses system. Key elements of the German model, to which the majority of German companies subscribe, are the centrally co-ordinated sector based collective bargaining system and employee representation at domestic level via the works council system equipped with statutory participation and consultation rights. Food industry in Germany is not beyond this mechanism where McDonald’s considerations regarding collective bargaining approach must have encompassed with statutory participation and employee consultation and codetermination rights. Indeed, German employers have to negotiate a densely structured institutional framework inside and outside the company level. The German approach to collective bargaining is also underwritten by st rong labor market legislation and an elaborate welfare system. Despite growing interest in individual bargaining style direct employee involvement mechanisms, their uptake has so far been comparably modest in German companies (Sperling, 1997). Because of the wide ranging rights of information, consultation and co-determination in the German food industry, the use of individual voice mechanisms is relatively unimportant in the German setting where collective bargaining still has the paramount influence. Therefore, in the international context, McDonald’s may have considered a propensity to support a collective approach to ER in their international operations by recognizing trade unions, engaging in collective bargaining and establishing strong workplace level employee representation systems.

Concept of Managerial Escalator Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Concept of Managerial Escalator - Coursework Example In addition to the skills, the inner personality of the individual seeking or playing the role of the manager also plays a vital contributory role in determining his success as a manager. It is commonly misunderstood among the business studies and circles that management is the responsibility of few people who are at the leading positions in the organization. The reality is the management functions are spread through all the levels of the organization and every other individual is involved in one or other type of management activity. As the organization has several functions and the individuals serving in various departments have specialized skills in the function they are performing, it is quite logical that the managers of that very area also have the specialized skills. It happens that the people with increased expertise in their specialized skills are supposed to perform better than the one who has comparatively less experience. With the passage of time, they assume or are assigned the supervisory role, helping and guiding the other junior members about how the activity is to be planned and carried out. They also benefit others with the skills and tips they have self-learned in that field with the virtue of their experience. Gradually they achieve higher positions and formal supervisory roles. A stage comes where they design the standard operating procedures of the function in which they are expert and the organization tends to consider them an authority in that function. This gradual progression towards the managerial positions in the organization by acquiring enhanced expertise in their specialized field is called managerial escalator (Rees & Porter, 2008). As per the authors, the managerial escalation is directly related to the level of specialized skills in one’s field.  

Compare and contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compare and contrast - Essay Example It involves a group of people, who do the crime in a professional manner. These are criminals who depend on illegal or unlawful activities as their way of life, (Albanese, 2010). These crimes are coordinated and preplanned from a centralized syndicate. It happens to be an ongoing conspiracy where groups engage in illegal or illicit ventures with a sole aim of generating income. These groups have structures which resemble business with a pyramid hierarchy. It involves practicing heinous acts so as to maintain the external and internal control, (Albanese, 2010). These groups can go to the extent of committing murder. These tend to have political wings where they contribute to election campaigns with an aim of securing immunity from arrests. They engage in credit card frauds, gambling and narcotics. Racketeering and smuggling is also common with these groups, (Albanese, 2010). How my perception compares with the definition. My perception of organized crimes does compare with that of the definitions. This is because; in the definitions given here it is clear that planning is involved in the organized crimes. This is the same case in the readings. This also suggests that, in both cases, the nature of crime is not impromptu. It takes a lot of deliberations and sometimes diplomacy can be involved just to secure their interests, (Albanese, 2010). ... This is because activity that leads to violence, theft or even murder are unpopular and by all definitions they are terrible crimes. The idea of having professional criminals is intriguing by itself. It is difficult to imagine that there are people who specialized in crime as a way of living, (Albanese, 2010). However, it is not entirely shocking because there are people who have an uncontrollable desire to do crime. My perception of organized crime is that these are crimes done with a coordinated approach. The same definition appears in the readings. However, the readings reveal that this organization can get quit sophisticated because it is got training involved, and the coordinator are extremely intentional and often technological experts. Characteristics of organized criminal behavior Intimidation and violence Organized criminal gangs always use intimidation and violence to accomplish their goals and intentions. The nature of violence portrayed by these groups can be put into two categories, (Albanese, 2010). They are the tactical and the strategic categories of organized crimes. The strategic category of organized crime involves the use of groups with higher criminal capabilities. This includes careful planning and execution of well coordinated multiple crimes. This could be a way of retaliation against other groups or paralyzing government activates, (Albanese, 2010). On the other hand, tactical category is opportunistic in nature. It is clearly based on short-term goals like retention of a group share in the criminal market. Diversification of criminal activities. Most of these organized groups deal with: narcotics, vehicle thefts and other large-scale crimes, (Albanese, 2010). Their crimes are none—random in nature. Organized

How can cities become more sustainable Compare and contrast cities in Essay

How can cities become more sustainable Compare and contrast cities in the developed world and cities in the developing world - Essay Example The world population also grows drastically, that needs to be catered for in terms of sustainable living measures. Nevertheless, promotion of sustainable development efforts via improvement of economical and social conditions is no longer meeting the required ends. The recent years have seen the academicians, industrial developers, researchers, and scholars develop a global concern, and finding ways that would be ample to foster sustainability of worldwide cities to no avail. This is partially contributed to by the contrasting features and characteristics of cities in the developed world and those in the developing world. Cities in the developing world are not able to operate and enhance their survival in the standards of cities in the developed world (Mazmanian and Kraft 232). The discussion in this paper establishes various ways in which cities can become sustainable. Comparison and contrast of the status of cities in the developed and the developing world is also presented. 2.0 En hancing cities’ sustainability A cluster of methodologies is available that can be effectively utilized to foster cities’ sustainability. ... Additionally, vibrant mixed-utilization of high-density national centers and societies development should be duly enabled, the result of which would be creating room for ample choices of transportation, sense of belonging and fostering public automobiles in place of private entities. Protection of regional agriculture and projects as well as wildlife ecology and cut-off points is promoted (United Nations Human Settlements Programme 126). The mobility realms improvement would act as a rationale to the enhancement of sustainability. Investments directed towards a quality establishment of infrastructure of public transit, and which is easily accessible should be emphasized on. Further, phone cell notifications from signage should be utilized in the improvement of mutual connectivity and enhancing rich sources of information. It is also important to build environment with new designs of buildings, landscaping strategies as the first priority towards sustainability of cities. This is a ma jor step towards ensuring the efficiency of resources in regard to its integration with options of mobility (Benfield, Para 5). The overall economy should be intervened in every state in the world, as a prerequisite to the development of sustainability. Unlimited support of businesses, both local as well as international, should be a key step, while local jobs at this point can be easily available to ensure new economy’s requirements containing fresh technologies and energy that is renewable. Moreover, decision-makers in the economy (local and international) need be ideally supported in order that they would adapt the upcoming energy supplies that are highly volatile, as well as to cope with rising

Promoting a Healthy Housing Environment for the Older People Article

Promoting a Healthy Housing Environment for the Older People - Article Example The government visualizes the board as the main point in making decisions concerning the wellbeing and the local health (Cattan & Tilford, 2013, p. 3). Â  Houses developed for the older people in Devon are designed to enable older people to achieve greater independence and for their wellbeing. This is because they live freely in their own apartments that are designed and suitable for their conditions. There are a variety of housing options and care option. Some of the features that are prone in those houses are; the houses are accessible, this is because they designed for independent older people including those that are not physically fit. They are provided with Tele-care services where the majority of them run for twenty-four hours. These people do ensure and monitor their steps to ensure their wellbeing. There are provided with benefits such as communal services (Cattan & Tilford, 2013, p. 3). Â  The houses are usually cost friendly and so the majority of older people is able to afford them. There are also located in secure places. Their landlords, managing the house are professionals that are able to handle their business with the old people. The service providers, the tenant, the landlord and the Tele-care people are all human friendly, therefore, the environment is usually friendly for the elderly (Wahl, 2010, p. 13). Â  

Buying Behaviour Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Buying Behaviour - Research Proposal Example They gave maximum importance to time saving, followed by ease of preparation, family health, and taste. Their choices of brands were entirely different. The non-working women gave maximum importance to taste, followed by family health, ease of preparation, time saving, whereas the working women gave maximum importance to saving, ease of preparation, good taste, and good for the family. Their choices of brands were entirely different. 1. Needs - Needs of both working women and non-working women are different. A working women would need coffee during her breaks whereas a non-working women needs coffee only in the morning during breakfast. So, their needs are entirely different from each other. As coffee satisfies her hedonic needs for example, consumers who drink coffee feel refreshing, which an emotional response. Also, her symbolic need to be fast, modern, confident, sophisticated etc. which is related to her status symbol and functional need to reduce the need of thirst. Whereas for cakes the they satisfy the functional need to reduce hunger, and hedonic need for example it satisfies the taste buds of the consumers and can be classified as a feel good factor. a) Brand awareness: For coffee the brand awareness among the working women was very high as they personally preferred coffee as compared to non-working women for them it was a low involvement purchase and hence the awareness is not that high. For cakes the brand awareness among the non-working women was high as they consider it to be a special occasion preparation and thus wants the most information about the cake. b) Perception: Perception is the process of selecting, organizing and interpreting information inputs (sensations received through sight, taste, hearing, smell and touch) to produce meaning. Selective Exposure - select inputs to be exposed to our awareness. More likely if it is linked to an event, satisfies current needs, intensity of input changes (sharp price drop). Selective Distortion - Changing/twisting current received information, inconsistent with beliefs. Advertisers that use comparative advertisements (pitching one product against another), have to be very careful that consumers do not distort the facts and perceive that the advertisement was for the competitor. c) Role of emotions: Generally working women show great involvement while purchasing coffee as she a habitual drinker of coffee everyday and feels connected to the brand and they generally stick to one brand whereas non-working women usually prefers taste and experiments with various brands and are not very emotionally connected to the brand. Working women usually prefers cakes with low calories and hence go for products for cake preparation that are low in fat but are that brand loyal whereas the non-working women prefer cakes with better taste and thus it becomes a high involvement product for them and tend to stick to one brand providing the taste they want. d) Attitudes: Individual learns attitudes through experience and interaction with other people. Consumer attitudes toward a firm and its

Imperialism (ANALYSIS PAPERS) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Imperialism (ANALYSIS PAPERS) - Essay Example ects to the political, social and moral standard of the community assuming that the current group of immigrants is of inferior quality to the past (Fetter). Prescott Hall has aptly stated these apprehension as his observation dictates that the immigrants are among the lowest class in their native country and the addition of such to the American community would degrade the quality of its people (1906). Particularly, they stand as rival to the resources that should be abundantly enjoyed by the Americans including labor opportunities and hefty wages. In simple economic concept, the addition of immigrants to the labor force, adds to the current supply of labor which dampens its price. Other social perils such as crime, juvenile delinquency and even illiteracy are also among the ones mentioned by Hall, concluding that the immigrants post higher number in these figures. Owing to America’s philatrophic inclination, the absence of restriction could have been an act of extending help to the non-Americans, providing them opportunities for a better quality of life, however one observation says that even this process is a vain endeavor in altering the condition of the poor from other countries (Fetter). Those who are against the immigration restriction are those who believe that the immigrants are not perils, rather contributors to the American society, mentioning the likes of Andrew Carnegie, Samuel Gompers and James J. Hill to include the list of desirable immigrants (Warne). Warne believes that immigration has brought the country the industrious, the God-fearing and the courageous men from around the world (1916). Mr. James Bryce has also excellently concluded that the assimilation of Americans with other races actually enlivens intellectual fertility and boosts the creative power of the country to a higher level of production (1891). The debaters continued on to dispel the figures proving higher crime rate, juvenile deliquency and illiteracy of the immigrants are not

Hiromi Goto and Natalka Husar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hiromi Goto and Natalka Husar - Essay Example Keiko, the mother, has rejected Japanese food (language and other cultural connections) in an attempt to assimilate her family after the trauma of the wartime internment. And the stories she tells are either about Japanese myths or about her own experiences. And they strengthen this connection; they make a sense of home inside of her no matter where she is. By trying to hold onto her past she attempts to overcome the loneliness she experiences bound to the chair in a foreign country. And finally, in Hiromi Goto's works, restaurants, grocery stores, and supermarkets also help to clarify issues of ethnic identity in the city or country landscape. In Chorus of Mushrooms, two scenes, one in a supermarket and one in a Japanese grocery store, help Murasaki to explore what it is to be Japanese-Canadian. In The Kappa Child, the protagonist is a collector of abandoned shopping carts; she meets the Kappa at a restaurant, and her eventual lover at a Korean market. The urban food locales thus become key moments in the exploration of female Japanese-Canadian identity that lies at the heart of the novel. These comments offer only a quick and partial glimpse into the ways in which community and urban/rural physical and cultural spaces are opened up for discussion by the use of food motifs in these literary works. Ethnic identity in these settings can be seen to be tied not only to what is eaten, but where it is eaten; that is, how the food locale connects to communal social and cultural spaces and the complex issues found there. On the other hand, Natalka Husar is someone very interesting. For Natalka Husar the engagement provokes ethnic anxiety (Fischer 1986), a prevailing condition of estrangement and conflict, as she struggles for recognitions and connections between the place of her parents' birth, as a memory of Ukraine that is not her own, and the place she now inhabits. Born in 1951 to parents who came to the United States in 1949 under the Displaced Persons' Act, Husar grew up in New Jersey before moving to Canada in 1973. In the series, Black Sea Blue (1992-1995), the effect of returning to Ukraine with her mother for the first time since 1969 leads to uneasy, discomforts places in relation to the designation "home." In Torn Heart (1994) a portrait of her mother juxtaposed with a Ukrainian aunt is unsettling for, except for outlines (the noses are the same), the yellow crooked teeth and crude make-up of her aunt speak of impossible differences between the land of riches (America) and the land of poverty (Ukraine). Husar reminds us that we never see our own faces, one of the most compelling signs of who we are as subjects except as they are reflected in a mirror, photograph or painting, or as they are metaphorically projected in the responses other people have to us and we to them. From the disparities of identification, communication and inheritance, a tension arises, in that the face that reflects her mother's features should be, but is not, a meaningful part of Husar's self-understanding. Sentimenta l deers peering out from the landscape behind are reminiscent of mediocre animal paintings (e.g. Karl Blechen's Forest Ravine with Red Deer, 1828), parodying the experience of the romantic hoping to reconnect with primordial ties. Referring specifically to the painting Pandora's Parcel to Ukraine (1993) Husar

Mission and Vision Statements Essay Example for Free

Mission and Vision Statements Essay It often reflects the values and beliefs of top managers in an organization. A mission statement is the broad definition of the organizational mission. It is sometimes referred to as a creed, purpose, or statement of corporate philosophy and values. A good mission statement inspires employees and provides a focus and direction for setting lower level objectives. It should guide employees in making decisions and establish what the organization does. Mission statements are crucial for organizations to prosper and grow. While studies suggest that they have a positive impact on profitability and can increase shareholder equity, they also support that almost 40 percent of employees do not know or understand their companys mission. Not only large corporations benefit from creating mission statements but small businesses as Photo by: sellingpix http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-Statements. html Page 1 of 12 Mission and Vision Statements strategy, organization, examples, advantages, definition, company, disadvantages, business 5/19/13 2:42 PM well. Entrepreneurial businesses are driven by vision and high aspirations. Developing a mission statement will help the small business realize their vision. Its primary purpose is to guide the entrepreneur and assist in refining the planning process. By developing a strategic plan that incorporates the mission statement, entrepreneurs are more likely to be successful and stay focused on what is important. The mission statement encourages managers and small business owners alike to consider the nature and scope of the business. Business Week attributes 30 percent higher return on several key financial measure for companies with well-crafted mission statements. COMMON ELEMENTS While mission statements vary from organization to organization and represent the distinctness of each one, they all share similar components. Most statements include descriptions of the organizations target market, the geographic domain, their concern for survival, growth and profitability, the company philosophy, and the organizations desired public image. For example: Our mission is to become the favorite family dining restaurant in every neighborhood in which we operate. This will be accomplished by serving a variety of delicious tasting and generously portioned foods at moderate prices. Our restaurants will be clean, fun, and casual. Our guests will be served by friendly, knowledgeable people that are dedicated to providing excellent customer service. This mission statement describes the target market, which are families and the geographic domain of neighborhoods. It clearly states how it expects to be profitable by offering excellent customer service by friendly, knowledgeable people. When defining the mission statement it is important to take into account external influences such as the competition, labor conditions, economic conditions, and possible government regulation. It is important to remember however, that mission statements that try to be everything to everybody end up being nothing to anybody. http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-Statements. html Page 2 of 12 Mission and Vision Statements strategy, organization, examples, advantages, definition, company, disadvantages, business 5/19/13 2:42 PM Companies should have mission statements that clearly define expected shareholder returns and they should regularly measure performance in terms of those expected returns. If the major reason for a businesss existence is to make a profit then it stands to reason that expectations of profit should be included in the organizations mission. This means that management should reach a consensus about which aspects of the companys profit performance should be measured. These might include margin growth, product quality, market share changes, competitive cost position, and capital structure efficiency. A mission statement sets the boundaries for how resources should be allocated and what strategic and operational goals should be set. The mission statement should acknowledge the companys strengths and then inform employees where to direct their efforts in order to take advantage of those strengths. Before writing a mission statement organizations should take a look at how they are different from the competition, whether it is in technology, image and name brand, or employees. It can often be thought of as a recipe for success because it not only defines the organizations accomplishments but it also provides employees with directions to help them develop plans and look for opportunities for improvement. The organization defines what is acceptable behavior through the mission statement. Values and beliefs are the core of a strong mission statement. For example: Quality and values will secure our success. We will live by our values, have fun, and take pride in what we do. Our values are to maintain a work environment where people enjoy coming to work, to serve our guests and exceed their expectations, and to be profitable and result oriented. This mission statement is simple and straightforward. It does not, however, specify the products or target market. The mission statement also provides meaning to the organization by stating not only what goals the company wants to achieve but also why it wants to achieve these goals. It is not effective unless it is challenging and forces workers to establish goals and means to measure the achievement of those goals. A mission statement should inspire employees and get them involved in the organization. It has been called the glue that holds the organization together through shared values and standards of behavior. A mission statement should be relevant to the history, culture, and values of the company. Many statements refer to the social responsibility of the organization. For example, a company can show their concern for the community in the following: http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-Statements. html Page 3 of 12 Mission and Vision Statements strategy, organization, examples, advantages, definition, company, disadvantages, business 5/19/13 2:42 PM To be involved as good corporate citizens wherever we are around the world. We will treat customers and distributors with honesty, courtesy, and respect. We will respect and preserve the environment. Through all of this we will prove to be the worldwide leader in industry trade. One important issue in organizations today is the concern with diversity. While it is not a traditional point included in mission statements, more and more companies are including it because of the globalization of the economy and the increased diversity of the workforce. Before writing a mission statement, leaders in the organization must have an idea of what is in store for the future. This vision is the foundation for the mission statement. The vision provides a strategic direction, which is the springboard for the mission and its related goals. A vision statement differs from a mission statement. Vision statements are a view of what an organization is striving to become. For example: To bring back to neighborhoods all over America the importance of family unity. We will view ourselves as a family so these attributes will be carried over into our service. They guide an organization into the future while mission statements are a reflection of the present. Because vision statements are a glimpse into the future, they are often not realized for several years. Organizations go through many changes and can face times of confusion and uncertainty. Changes are not always expected or easy, so a well thought out vision statement will help everyone stay focused and meet the organizations goals. Some examples of well-known companies mission statements: Wal-Mart: To give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same thing as rich people. 3M: To solve unsolved problems innovatively. Walt Disney: To make people happy. Historically, these may have seemed arrogant. But consider the outcome of the following mission statements from each companys early days: Ford Motor Company: Ford will democratize the automobile. Sony: Become the company most know for changing the world-wide poor-quality image of Japanese products. Wal-Mart: Become a $125 billion company by the year 2000. http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-Statements. html Page 4 of 12 Mission and Vision Statements strategy, organization, examples, advantages, definition, company, disadvantages, business 5/19/13 2:42 PM WRITING A MISSION STATEMENT When creating a mission statement there are a few simple guidelines that can be followed. It is important to remember the basics so the mission statement stays simple and straight to the point. Some researchers agree that it should be kept to between 30 and 60 words, while others believe it does not necessarily have to be that brief. Some organizations have mission statements that are only one sentence, while others are a paragraph. An example of a mission statement that is limited to one sentence is Our business is selling houses and our mission is total customer satisfaction. At a minimum, each mission statement should answer the following three questions: (1) What are the opportunities or needs the organization addresses? (2) What does the organization do to address those needs? and (3) What principles and values guide the organization? In other words, defining the organizations purpose, business and values. Avoiding jargon and buzzwords will keep the mission statement clear and easy to understand. It should be universal and simple to comprehend for all employees in the organization. It should be unique and identify the organization. A mission statement is often what sets one company apart from the competition. It should outline the organizations competitive advantages and differentiate it from everyone else. Specific products/services offered as well as markets or customers should be included. Also a general business definition, behavioral standards, and desired competitive position can be added to a strong mission statement. EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT It is often helpful to allow company-wide input when creating a mission statement. This bottom up approach results in greater commitment to the organization and a better understanding of the organization. Employees from throughout the organization can help identify the core values of the company. In order to encourage employee participation, many companies have created competitions inviting employees to submit suggestions. Cash prizes are sometimes provided as an incentive for creative and inspirational statements. Some companies find it useful to invite customers to assist in writing a mission statement because they can provide an honest perspective. Another option is to review mission statements from other companies. This can help provide ideas as the writing process begins. It is important to keep in mind that there will be a draft process involved in creating the mission statement. Employees can often provide invaluable insight on how to improve on each draft. In the end, the mission statement should reflect the personality of the organization. Thus, each company should be creative and unique in developing its own statement. Creating a mission http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-Statements. html Page 5 of 12 Mission and Vision Statements strategy, organization, examples, advantages, definition, company, disadvantages, business 5/19/13 2:42 PMÂ  committee that consists of members of management, frontline employees, and customers is another way to begin writing a mission statement. The major benefit of this strategy is the inclusion of all areas of the organization to ensure that everyone is represented. Another benefit is that employees will be more willing to work toward accomplishing the mission if they know they had a voice in i ts creation. A top down approach can be effective in smaller organizations or even sole proprietorships. There is less time involved in creating a mission statement when it comes from the top. Also, many times frontline employees and lower level managers lack the insight necessary to see the big picture. They may not be able to conceptualize the entire organization and therefore miss important aspects of the business. Participation may not always be a good option for small businesses. In small businesses that are started by entrepreneurs the mission statement is generally a vision of an individual and therefore may not be negotiable. When the mission statement comes from upper management, employees are more assured of the organizations commitment to the statement. A word of caution should be noted when deciding whether to adopt a top down approach or a bottom up approach. If the mission statement is to be created with a wide variety of input from both employees and customers then it will take longer than a top down approach. There must be a sharing of views and ideas with compromises made. A consensus should be developed without the problems associated with groupthink. There is always the possibility that too much compromise will distort the mission statement and the end result is something different from the original intent. The top down approach is not always effective because it rarely consults employees when making important decisions. Therefore, although it is the fastest route to take it isnt always the most effective. While the mission statement should be able to change with the times it is also understood to have a certain degree of permanence. As new businesses begin to grow and hire more employees the mission statement should provide a strong sense of stability and a clear definition of the culture. A mission statement is worthless unless it has the support of the employees in the organization. It will only be successful if each employee commits to its success and internalizes it. Once the statement is completed it is extremely important that the organization not put it on the shelf to collect dust. It should be shared with the entire company. The introduction of the mission statement should come directly from top management in order to set the example. Organizations should be creative in making employees aware of the mission statement. Placing it strategically in locations where employees gather will increase awareness and remind them of the goals of the http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-Statements. html Page 6 of 12 Mission and Vision Statements strategy, organization, examples, advantages, definition, company, disadvantages, business 5/19/13 2:42 PM organization. Videos outlining the details of the new mission statement are often useful; however, it is critical that employees have the opportunity to discuss the statement with members of management. Setting up meetings with members of management and frontline employees can often help uncover areas where the company does not meet the standards set by the mission statement. Communicating the mission statement to customers will make them feel valued and important. It can be sent to customers in a mass mailing or posted on signs in areas those customers frequent. It sets forth the goals of the organization so customers know what to expect when doing business with the company. SWOT ANALYSIS SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that helps an organization match its internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats. SWOT analysis is important and useful in creating and executing the organizations mission statement. Often the best strategies for accomplishing the organizations mission are revealed through the SWOT analysis. The best strategies are those that take advantage of strengths and opportunities, offset threats, and improve weaknesses. Organizations should first begin by reviewing internal strengths and weaknesses. When analyzing an organizations strengths it is important to identify distinctive competencies or strengths possessed by only a few competing firms. These distinctive competencies often become the competitive advantages that are included in the mission statement. Distinctive competencies can be found in financial resources, quality products and services, proprietary technology, or cost advantages. Organizational weaknesses are skills and capabilities that prevent an organization from implementing strategies that achieve its mission. They can be problems with facilities, lack of a clear strategic direction, internal operating problems, too narrow a product line, weak market image, or the inability to finance changes. The next step is to identify external opportunities and threats. Organizational opportunities are circumstances in an organizations environment that if capitalized on will result in above normal increases in economic performance. Examples of opportunities are related to the possibility of adding a new product line, increasing market growth, or diversifying into related products. Threats are viewed as circumstances that give rise to normal or below normal economic performance. They can be found in the ease of entry of competitors, increased sales of substituted products, demographic changes, slowed market growth, or increased competition. EVALUATION http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-State ments. html Page 7 of 12 Mission and Vision Statements strategy, organization, examples, advantages, definition, company, disadvantages, business 5/19/13 2:42 PM Evaluation of the mission statement is necessary to ensure the organization is meeting its goals. If needed, new goals may have to be created in order to accommodate changes in the organization. It may be time to reevaluate what the organization is doing or where it is headed. This is a good time to think about entering into new areas or to begin doing things differently by rewriting part or all of the mission and vision statements. In evaluating an organizations performance, management must look at several different aspects of the organization. First, managers need to determine if the organizations plans are clearly linked to its mission statement and related goals. Plans should be developed for both the short run and long run. Secondly, assigning jobs that are directly related to the achievement of organizational goals will help ensure they are attained. The goals should be communicated clearly so employees understand what tasks need to be carried out and what the rewards will be. Finally, when evaluating individual performance, the information gathered should be recent and compared to established standards. Mission statements are often difficult to evaluate because they are written in a somewhat abstract form. They are, many times, not directly measurable and vaguely worded. Figure 1 presents an example of how mission statements can be measured from the top of the organization to the bottom. Strategic goals are directly tied to the organizations mission statement and apply to the organization as a whole. Tactical goals are departmental goals that support the strategic goals. Finally, operational goals are written at the individual level. Each one of these makes it possible to measure the organizations mission statements. An organizations likelihood of accomplishing its mission is increased as it creates strong and measurable goals at each level. It is not necessary that the mission statement be measured in quantifiable terms. It may also be measured qualitatively. For example, We will answer all of our customers questions and if we dont know the answer, we will find out. While this is not a quantitative statement it can be measured by monitoring customer service calls and setting operational goals for employees that revolve around follow up and thoroughness. Mission and vision statements give organizations a focus and a strategy for the future. According to Bart and Tabone, they have become the cornerstones of organizations. They contribute to organizations success and can lead to increases in productivity and performance. They do not have to be reserved for the entire organization—each department or division can benefit from developing a mission statement, as long as they are not in contradiction to the companys overall mission. Preferably, an individual departments mission links it to the fulfillment of the overall http://www. referenceforbusiness. com/management/Mar-No/Mission-and-Vision-Statements. html Page 8 of 12 Mission and Vision Statements strategy, organization, examples, advantages, definition, company, disadvantages, business 5/19/13 2:42 PM company mission. Mission statements for functional Figure 1 departments provide the same benefits as they do for the entire organization. In conclusion, mission statements provide a sense of direction and purpose. In times of change and growth they can be an anchor and a guide in decision making. The benefits far outweigh the disadvantages and challenges when looking at the potential for increases in profitability and returns. Defining an organization by what it produces and who it satisfies are major steps towards creating a sound and stable mission statement. Setting a company apart from the competition is probably one of the biggest advantages. SEE ALSO: Strategic Planning Failure ; Strategic Planning Tools ; Strategy Formulation ; Strategy Implementation ; SWOT Analysis Amy McMillan Revised by Deborah Hausler FURTHER READING: Bart, C. K. , and J. C. Tabone.