Health and Culture

Use the four factors from Willis' (2004, as cited in Germov, 2009, p. 6) sociological imagination template to gain background information to analyse the question. †¢ Historical factors †¢ Cultural factors †¢ Structural factors †¢ Critical factors Be sure to specifically identify and describe issues for each factor in your analysis. (approx. 400 words; use one academic source – your textbook, Second Opinion). It is commonly debated whether traditional health practices should be encouraged by the World Health Organisation. Wills’ Sociological Imagination template helps reflect on this topic.This template created by Willis (2004, as cited in Germov, 2005, p. 21) provides an opportunity for me to gain a better background analysis and fresh view of the world tradition health practices that are in place. The four factors involved in this template include historical, cultural, structural and critical. This template will help me question my views and assumpt ions to gain a greater insight to the answering this question. Willis describes the four factors of the sociological imagination as interrelated. Willis’ use of the historical factors enables me to connect how past historical influencing are effecting the present problems.I would ague that traditional health practices has carved a strong niche within the provisions of health care. However, I can’t disagree that tradition medicines can be historically seen as the oldest form of health care. It makes me realise that it is, no wonder it has become such an embedded part of todays cultural tradition especially in the poorer countries. Willis also comments that cultural influences also effect the present. From what I understand traditional medicine is the knowledge and practice that is based on theories and belief that are implement throughout cultural history.I would say understanding cultural factors and beliefs associated with traditional medicine practices is important t his is because I believe it will give me good grounding on the belief systems that influence this type of healthcare. Structural factors is something that I would describe as distinguishing one society from another. However, I think this can not be confused with culture, language, or ethnicity, but rather the social structure of the society as a whole. Willis describes this very similar to my idea, in saying that it is how a social groups structure and shape their lives.My views in this, is that every ethnic culture has its own relationship to the environment, thus cultural values have become an integrated part of social structure. I know that from reflecting on my own life that medical knowledge has changed and developed over time and that theoretical knowledge of medicine, has taken over from the once experimental knowledge. However, I would ague that poorer countries structure are not westernised like my own and therefore traditional medicine practices can be the only way that so me social groups can survive.Willis also allows a critical factor approach thinking, that is based on what can be improved on the present circumstances. This critical approach thinking to traditional medicine helps me to understand a stance that prompts possible better social positioning. This factor allows me to have a more in-depth knowledge on the political struggles operating within health care and what can be done to improve it. 515words Step 3: Next, identify and cite one of the readings, articles or videos from the eModule and describe how it has helped you to gain a deeper understanding of this topic.Remember to relate the information from this resource back to the factors from the sociological imagination template. (approx. 400 words; use two academic sources – one from your textbook + one from the eModule) Having discussed factors that define and ground traditional health practices in relation to the sociological imagination template, my attention will now turn to d iscuss two statements made in the third eModule that helps me gain a deeper understanding of this topic. Mcmurray (2007, p. 7) suggests, ealth and illness is socially constructed with the concept that health is a product of the individuals and their interaction with the environment. Mcmurray (2007, p. 310) again backs up this information and refers that health or illness are expressed and defined in different ways in different cultural groups based on the ways the particular group relates with the environment. When I first read this statement, it confirmed my ideologies in regards to the different societies and the influences that structure a cultures way of life.My feeling towards this simply enforces the fact that people are very much a product of their own environment. In recognising that poorer societies are raised on the ideologies of history and cultural influences it is fair for me to agree with Mcmurray statement. When I relate poorer countries medical practices to my own li fe is can not be argued the perception would vary greatly. Being brought up in Australia surround by westernised practices, has made me very accustomed to the fact that medical advice is accessible anywhere.This information has not only become part of normal social structure but is constantly changing as medicine advances. Critical factors always allow for westinised medicine to improve on what it is currently. For me to compare Australian medical practices to a poor countries, it would be obvious that medical information would be a lot different due to the resources available. Mcmurray statement has given me a more in-depth insight into how cultural groups view illness and the practices in place, based on the long generational history.However, it is now becoming apparent to me, that for many of these third world countries, historical practices can sometimes be the only information that people are receiving in regards to healthcare. I can now see that health is indeed very different in cultural group, as they perceive illness differently due to their surrounding environment. Third world countries really only have cultural traditions to base there medical practices on. Not only this but Mcmurray also mentioned that the environment around them is the only source of availability.It makes me question the prevelegeses that I have coming from a structural westernised society. In Australia social structure allows people to have healthcare access but I have never thought past this, that the society structures in poor countries don't have those same privileges. It seems traditional medical practices is the base to the health care system in a lot of the third world countries. I ask myself, is this issue due to poorer country letting health structures and standards slip or is it an easier approach put in place by third world countries to help manage health care because of economical poverty. 15words Step 4: Now, building upon your understanding from sources you identifie d in the previous steps, answer the original question you identified in Step 1, using at least four academic sources (e. g. journal articles, research reports) to support your answer. Locate these academic sources through your own information search. (600 words; use at least 4 new academic/literature sources. Only one website permitted. ) With the information that I have gathered, I will revert back to the original question of whether the World Health Organisation should encourage tradition health practices in the poorer countries.I was very unaware that the World Health Organisation has had much debate into the protection of tradition health care practices in developing countries (Wilhelm, 2008). From the research that I have gathered, Tanaka, Kendal and Laland, (2009) comment’s that over 60-80% of the population that use traditional medicine are predominately from developing countries. What I have learnt is that this research indicates that this form of practice has become an accepted form of healthcare. However, when I reflect this back to Australia, in no way is tradition medicine what I would consider first choice in health care.From what I have always experienced, westernised medicine has always been the primary health care choice in my household. I would relate this directly back to my family background, as we have always relied on convenient and up-to date health care knowledge. However, I had limited knowledge that traditional medicine had also become part of Australian practice. This lack of knowledge was confirmed by Tanaka et al, that indeed tradition health care has gained immense popularity and acceptance.This new found information has now become more relatable to that of a third world countries. It makes me question, if westernised countries are implicating these practices, then where are third world countries going wrong? In contrast to tradition health practice's also becoming part of Australia health care, my research has shown that Th e World Health Organisation have launched a huge global outcry to encourage an increase awareness into the safety, quality, efficacy of traditional practices.From what I understand of traditional health practices is that it has always been under scrutiny in it questionability of effectiveness. Pera and Tonder, (2005) confirms this and argues that many modern practitioners disagree with this form of health care as ‘traditional healers’ have not got the knowledge base or skill to be-able to give out an accurate diagnosis in medicine. Although I do agree with this statement, I believe WHO needs to continue to support and encourage tradition healers as third world countries haven't got western medicine and medical knowledge is unattainable.Although cultural and historical factors my account for why communities of third world countries use tradition health practices, I found it also important to remember that social structures such as economic’s and political forces a re also involved. As previously mentioned, Australian have access to health resources, with everyone entitled to medical care. On the other hand it has become apparent to me that this is no the case for poorer economical countries, that don't have the resources to support such a system.I now realise that it is no wonder that countries in this predicament have no choice but to rely on basic health care. From this I have learnt how important it is that WHO supports this practice, to still ensure people have access to some kind of health care. However,by encouraging this practice, I believe it is also essential that education and awareness is created within this practice. This comes under critical factors in the sociological template that gives the ability to suggest improvements to the current system.I agree with the idea’s of Bodeker et al (2005) in that urgent attention need to be given to educate traditional practioniers on information and use of medical substances. Bodeker et al also explains the need to sensitise the public so they are aware of the availability and benefits of tradition health therapies. I think it will make a vast difference by The World Health Organisation promoting tradition healthcare, especially if it can incorporate the factors outline in what I thought was a critical factor. Step 5:Finally, choose one of the Graduate Attributes (at the front of the Unit Outline) that is most relevant to this assessment and how answering this eModule question has helped you to develop this Graduate Attribute I feel answering whether traditional medicine practice should be encourage, has helped me develop a good understanding of a particular Graduate attribute of this unit. This graduate attribute was all about demonstrating respect for each individual and human diversity; however, i feel that answering the original question I have had to develop this skill.I argue this because from the very beginning of becoming a student nurse it was always cr ucial that we understood and implemented dignity for transcultural care. With this particular topic being covered by the sociological template, cultural factors were covered. It became apparent to me what a large influence culture had on traditional health practices. By learning and applying culturally competent care I have now learnt the importances of human dignity and how to implement this nursing intervention to incorporate many values and cultural beliefs.I think this skill of recognising respect for human diversity is essential as all cultures want their values and beliefs upheld and respected. I see learning and applying the sociological imagination is so important to get a grasp into all element of the use of traditional medicine. (100 words; no literature required) Reference Bodeker, G. , Ong, C. K. , Grundy, C. , Burford, G. , & Shein, K. (2005). orld health organization global atlas of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine. (Vol. 1, p. 31). World Health Orga nization. Pera, S. A. & Tonder, S. (2005). Ethics in health care. (2 ed. , pp. 195-196). Landsowne: Juta & Co. Tanaka, M. , Kendal, J. , & Laland, K. (2009). From traditional medicine to witchcraft: why medical treatments are not always efficacious. Journal Article; Research Support, 4(4), 5192. doi: 10. 1371/journal. pone. 0005192 Tjale, A. , & De Villiers, L. (2004). Cultural issues in health and health care: A resourcebook for southern africa . (p. 23). Landsowne: Juta & Co. Wilhelm, K. (2008). Encyclopedia of public health . (2 ed. , Vol. 2, pp. 611-613). New York: Springer

Campose coffee shop report

A survey of customer satisfaction witticisms Cafe © The purpose of this survey Is to measure customer satisfaction with Campus Cafe ©'s. This study not for commercial purposes and is conducted by a group of OUTS students as part of study for a Marketing Research assignment. We would like to receive your feedback, comments and suggestions about Campus Cafe ©'s customer offerings. Please take few minutes to answer the following questions. This survey ensures your identity remains anonymous as we respect your privacy. General questions: .Have you ever been to Broadway Campus Cafe? Please tick one Yes continue to the next question No – Thank you for your time! 2. How often do you drink coffee alone? Please tick one Daily Couple times a week Once a week Couple times a month Monthly 3. What are the reasons for your visit to Broadway Campus Cafe? Please tick one Enjoy with yourself Enjoy with your work partners Enjoy with your friends Enjoy with your family Others 4. What Is yo ur favorite coffee? Please tick one Long black Espresso Machismo Original late Original cappuccino Reallocating Special flavor coffee Campus Cafe.Please use the scale below to rate your level of agreement for each statement Campus always provides me high quality coffee. I strongly believe that the quality of coffee served in Campus is good. The quality of coffees served at Campus is of superior quality. 6. Now we are interested in your opinions about the range of coffee served at Broadway Campus Cafe. (Please use the scale below to rate your level of agreement for each statement) Campus serves a variety of different coffees I find that there is a wide range of coffees available at Campus Cafe There is a vast election of choice for coffees at Campus cafe 7.Now we are interested in your opinion about the price of coffeepot Broadway Campus Cafe. (Please use the scale below to rate your level of agreement for each statement) Campus Cafe © offers low priced coffee. I find that Campus C afe © offers coffee at cheap prices. Coffee available at Campus Cafe © is available at reduced prices 10. Now we are interested in your opinions about the speed of services at Broadway I find that the Campus Coffees offers quick service. Campus Coffees has a fast speed of service. Campus Coffees is swift Speed of service offered at 1 1 .Now we are interested in your opinion about the ease of awareness of promotional information about Broadway Campus Cafe. (Please use the scale below to rate your level of agreement for each statement) I find it is easy to discover promotional information about Campus Coffees I need to ask staff about promotions at Campus Cafe. Finding information about promotions is not hard at Campus Coffees. The Broadway Campus Cafe © store is clean. Whenever I visit Campus Coffees, I find that the store is spotless. Campus Cafe © store at Broadway is hygienic. 3. Now we are interested in your opinion about the friendliness of Staff at Broadway I find the s taff are very courteous at Campus Cafe ©. Customer service is always friendly at Campus Cafe ©. Campus Coffees offers welcoming customer service. 14. Now we are interested in your opinion about the quality of music played at I like the music at Campus Cafe ©. Campus Cafe © plays enjoyable music. The music played at Campus Cafe © is pleasant. 15. Now we are interested in your opinion about the location at Broadway CampusCafe © (please use the scale below to rate your level of agreement for each statement) Campus Cafe © is located in a prime area close to amenities I find that the location of Campus Coffee is convenient Campus Cafe © is in an easy-to- find location 16. Now we are interested in your opinion about the intention to revisit. (Please use the scale below to rate your level of agreement for each statement) I will definitely make purchases at Campus in the future. Campus Cafe © is my first choice when I want to buy a cup of coffee. I intend to revisit Campus Coffees again.

Fertilizer Industry Pakistan

The enhanced productivity in agriculture sector can be achieved by improved and efficient crop husbandry. Applying fertilizers in required quantity and quality at appropriate times with the using of other inputs can improve yield per healthcare of agriculture crops. In the article, the production of fertilizers, factors that affect on it and other relevant aspects have been analyzed. Introduction The fertilizer industry has played a significant and responsible role in the development of both the agriculture and industrial sectors of economy. Fertilizer Industry is in turmoil due to 70% rise in gas prices in the year 1999. Agriculture sector occupies the dominant position but failed to give due attention to Economic Development. The yield per hectare is low in our country due to various reasons. Using Fertilizer in required quantity and quality at appropriate time is best hope to improve per hectare yield if irrigation water and certified seeds are provided according to requirement and weather conditions are favorable, because fertilizer provides essential nutrients which are required for the smooth growth of a plant. At the time of independence of Pakistan, there was no any fertilizer factory but at present eleven fertilizer units work both in private and public sectors. The Government imports fertilizers by investing huge foreign exchange every year in order to meet the requirement of farmers which results in balance of payment crisis and shortage of food. In England in 1842 Sir John Lawes treated bones with sulphuric acid and began producing a product he called superphosphate. In 1685, or the first time, potassium was Detected in the rock salt mined at stassfurt, Germany. This discovery led to the foundation of the potash industry. In Pakistan, Fertilizer is produced since 1957, at present five types of fertilizer i. e. N, CAN, AS, NP, and SSP are produced and marketed besides imported Fertilizers, by both Public and Private Sector.

Grades have been around for LONG TINE Research Paper

Grades have been around for LONG TINE - Research Paper Example This applies to both underperformers and great performers. For the former they get motivated to change their previous study method and improve while great performers get motivated to keep up their good performance. However, it should be noted that grading in some instances may discourage students especially if they are biased (Hargis, pg12). The second group is the parents who get the opportunity to provide guidance to their children based on the feedback. Like parents, teachers use the grading system to guide students, particularly with regard to their future career. Such is the case that teachers will employ grades when making initial decisions on student strengths and weaknesses. This serves as a first step when grouping them for instruction. The last group is the administrators that find grading handy in matters such as Placement when students transfer from one school to another, Student matriculation and retention, and Student entrance into college. Yes. Grading is very vital since it provides the feedback deemed important in assessing progress and making necessary educational plans (Moen, and Martin, pg7).I don’t think there is any other better way to assess student’s achievement and I propose grading systems should be maintained in all areas of

How Poverty Affect Health Insurance among Poor in the USA Research Paper

How Poverty Affect Health Insurance among Poor in the USA - Research Paper Example From the economic point of view one can also consider the health insurance as an indicator of the financial standing of the people in the societies. In most of the cases, health insurance helps people to avail the costly healthy checkup in minimum cost and likewise after having the policy if one is not suffering from any kind of disease then he or she may considers this as a loss in his investment. The recent survey in the USA reveals the fact that the poor people are more vulnerable to be get affected by the chronic conditions, and are not in a financial condition to get proper treatment. In most of the cases survey also proves that thee poor family in the USA are not in a position to afford the health insurance for one and all in their family which directly affecting their treatment. L’Ecluse in her analysis mentioned the fact that â€Å"more than half of low-income Californians with chronic conditions put off getting prescriptions or care for those ailments due to cost.† (L’Ecluse) This condition is more common among the families having income of less than $ 50,000. In her review she also mentioned that people with low incomes often have to fight with more than one adverse condition. One among five low-income families in the USA have four or more adverse health conditions to fight in their families such as diabetes, cancer.

Entrance for Cardiology Technologist Program Essay

Entrance for Cardiology Technologist Program - Essay Example At that instant, I realized that I wanted to do something in the medical field. Though I explored various possible fields of study in the medical profession, it did not take me long enough to conclude that cardiology is the one course I would not just be happy in, but would also be able to give it my best, both in terms of output and responsibility. Working in this field would not only bring me satisfaction in life but will also enable me in creating a better life for my daughter and me. Achievements: I have been raising a daughter on my own for the past fourteen years. In spite of being out of school for twenty-three years with an education of only up to grade 9, I was able to pass G.E.D tests and the entrance exam for this course too. Over the past seventeen years, I have successfully worked with mentally and physically disabled children and adults through foster care. I have learned how to change feeding buttons and perform a colostomy. I have cared for many different people at home on a daily basis, all of whom were physically and mentally challenged. I believe that the experience in handling and caring for people that I have gained over the years will go a long way in helping me develop the sensibilities and tactical expertise required for becoming an exceptionally good cardiology technologist. Personal and professional goals: Through this program, I will be able to achieve a higher education in the field of my choice, make new accomplishments and develop into a more robust and responsible individual. I will be able to live a healthier lifestyle and earn money substantially. Through this, I will be able to chart out a better life for my daughter and afford her university education. I will be able to meet new and insightful people, share ideas and experiences with them, and endeavor into new avenues that were impossible for me to traverse before. Â  

The War in Vietnam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The War in Vietnam - Essay Example Chemical weapons such as Agent Orange were used against the Vietnamese. The images from this gruesome war were relayed into the sitting room of Americans by the television and newspapers drawing public condemnation and spurring public protest. It is the cost of the war, in terms of both financial resources committed and the massive loss of human life that finally turned the tide and made a majority of Americans eventually turn against the war. President Eisenhower justified U.S involvement in Vietnam with what he called the domino effect. He argued that if Vietnam fell to communism, many states would follow. United States was interested in stopping the spread of communism in Indochina and the South East Asia. Many citizens were not worried by what was described as a simple war whose victory was guaranteed. However, when the President Johnson sent ground troops, there was a lack of a clear policy or determinable goal which would define success. America was just interested in maintaini ng the status quo. On the other hand, they faced communists opponent who was well coordinated and which able to appeal to the support of the people. Ho Chi Minh the leader of the Vietnamese communist was a master of blending communism with nationalism, which won him the support of the people. ... The bone of contention of the protestors was discrimination and poverty. Yet the same government that was supposed to fight poverty was channeling the essential resources to fighting a war. As Dr Martin Luther King rightly put it â€Å"†¦and I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic, destructive suction tube. So I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor and to attack it as such† (Martin Luther King, Jr., "Beyond Vietnam†). Consequently, that is why civil right movement joined the opponents of the war. They saw that the government had misplaced its priorities, spending on its military instead of the people. As reported, by 1967, civil rights leader Martin Luther King had become the country's most prominent opponent of the Vietnam War, and a staunch critic of overall U.S. foreign policy, wh ich he deemed militaristic. In his "Beyond Vietnam" speech delivered at New York's Riverside Church on April 4, 1967 -- a year to the day before he was murdered -- King called the United States "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today"(Martin Luther King on Vietnam). In the meantime, another class of Americans got tired of the war due to the causalities inflicted on the American troops. When President Johnson sent troops to Vietnam, Americans were assured a quick victory. However, over the course of the war was losing more and more soldiers with the promised victory nowhere in sight. The public had not anticipated this. According to lecture notes, â€Å"the war was getting more massive than America

(GIS) Geographical Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

(GIS) Geographical Information System - Essay Example The hardware component of GIS is the central processing unit (CPU) or computer. It also includes a digitizer scanner whose function is to change data for example those found in maps into digital form then send the converted data to the CPU. There are also a tape device whose function is to store programs or data on magnetic tap, and a display device which is used to display data that has been processed. People as a component of GIS include end users and specialists whose function is to design the GIS for the end users. Methods refer to those procedures or techniques used data collection or processing. The functional elements of GIS are data manipulation, data input and output, data retrieval and display, data analysis and modelling and data management. Data input refers to incorporating data into the GIS whereas data output refers to removing data or information from the GIS. Data analysis and modelling involves obtaining an understanding of relationships in the data collected and de veloping a model of the spatial phenomena. Data retrieval entails taking out data from a stored format for use whereas data display is the showing off of the derived or primary data (Delaney and Niel 2006). In GIS, spatial data represent features that are location-specific or geographic in nature. They include cell location like column and raw, and coordinates like longitudes and latitudes. On the other hand, attribute data give a description of feature in a specific location and they can be in numbers or text strings. Unlike spatial data, attribute data can be measured in ratio, ordinal, interval and nominal ratios. According to Delaney and Niel (2006), topology creates an awareness of the surrounding for the GIS by developing a spatial data relationship. It links spatial and attribute data to give information on what surrounds a feature. When representing continuous and discrete geographic features, vector data structure uses points, polygons and lines whereas raster data structur e make tessellation on the representation surface through a repeated use of a square cell or a pixel. However, raster data structures are better at representing a continuous surface. Vector data structure support typology better and are more accurate in representing geographic features compared to raster data structure. Generally, raster data structure requires has a lower processing power requirement compared to vector data structure. On-screen digitising, converting, importing and geo-locating/geo-rectification are the four common methods of incorporating digital data into a GIS. On-screen digitising involves locating features from digital sources for example satellite or scanned images using a computer mouse. Attribute data is entered through computer keyboard. Geo-locating is used to input non-geographic/non-georeferenced data into GIS because it converts spatial data into geographic data. Converting is done if GIS data is in a format that cannot be used by certain software. Imp orting involves obtaining data from other sources like geo-coded textual data, satellite images or digital aerial photographs into the GIS. There exist differences in cost, effort, time, and editing requirements between on-screen digitising, converting, importing and geo-locating/geo-rectification, scanning and vectorisation, table digitizing and keyboard entry as data input methods. Both importing and converting are fast, cheaper, need less efforts and have less editing requireme

Course Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Course Project - Assignment Example es shown in the chapter provided are depression, anxiety scores, psychological functioning, cancer screening, computer- based nursing intervention, and sensitivity for breast cervical. Among the above stated variables, computer based nursing intervention is the independent variable. Cancer screening, psychological functioning, anxiety scores, depression are the dependant variables. Everyone is allowed to participate in the cancer screening, but has to have attained the minimum age, which is eighteen years. In most cases, extraneous variables exist in all studies and affect the measurement of the other variables. They are mostly of great importance in the quantitative studying because they reflect on one’s understanding. In the provided data, the lock of the infant can be identified as an extraneous variable. This variable can be viewed as a limitation since it provides a weakness in the areas of study. Despite having random and non- random variables, it still has effects on the results. According to this research and the methods used to acquire the information, there are a number of demographic variables. Demographic variables are attributes of the subjects that are calculated during the learning and used to depict the illustration. It is important to understand the ideal demographic variables in a research program because most of them are similar (Long, 2004). They may range from age, gender, ethnicity, educational level, income, job-classification, length of a person’s stay in the hospital to medical diagnosis. It sometimes proves difficult to identify them from the many types of variables because they are rated as secondary variables. In the study provided; gender, weight, gestation period, and chronological age can be described as demographic variables. From the common variables stated above, it is clear that some are depicted in this research. Different groups were used compared to these demographic variables to ensure that there were similar before

Social Networks Essay Example for Free

Social Networks Essay Should businesses be able to use Facebook and Twitter searches to determine whether a person is eligible for employment? There are a lot of mixed feelings about this topic, but a lot more companies are doing performing searches on potential candidates for employment eligibility. I think that employers should use social media in conjunction with hiring an individual. Many jobs today are related to the service industry and I feel that some people just do not qualify for jobs in this industry. More employers today are using Facebook and Twitter searches for determination on if a person is eligible for employment, and for retention of a current employee. In 2010 nearly 22% of employers were checking Facebook profiles when hiring a person to see if they were drinking too much, doing drugs or talking bad about a former employer (Oleniczak, Pike, 2010, P13). So some people argue that it is violating privacy, which has made this questionable (Oleniczak, Pike, 2010, P14). Well the Federal Government enacted some laws that could be interpreted as a questionable action (Oleniczak, Pike, 2010, P14). One of these states â€Å"Personal information shall not be collected by a collector for the inclusion in a record or in a generally available publication unless: (a) The information is collected for a purpose the is a lawful purpose directly related to a function or activity of the collector and, (b) The collection of the information is necessary for or directly related to that purpose (Oleniczak, Pike, 2010, P14). Well under the first principle an employee could argue that Facebook is personal and considered what they do outside of work, and under reference b, a potential employee could argue that their privacy was invaded and they candidate was not informed that their Facebook profile would be investigated (Oleniczak, Pike, 2010, P14). There have been many lawsuits brought against employers that use Facebook as part of their hiring process, which is starting to be a turn off to employers, because this could hurt them financially (Olencizak, Pike, 2010, P14). Although the laws do protect us, but employers can still use some of the information in their decision (Elzwig, Peeples, 2009, P9). Employers are basically using the information to apply it towards â€Å"good business† (Elzwig, Peeples, 2009, P9). Although employers must take certain steps first before applying their search towards the candidate, which are: * Check social networking sites before making employment decisions in order to gain important information * Verify the accuracy of the information * Recognize the actual purpose of the site Consider the age of the employee or potential employee Develop clear policies in regards to the using social networking * Post what the potential use of the information that is gathered on job postings and the application * Have employees and candidates sign a consent form prior to accessing the information * Check state laws and statutes for privacy (Elzwig, Peeples, 2009, P9) There are a lot of mixed feelings on whether an employer sho uld use social networks as a hiring tool. Two professionals weighed in on an interview in 2008 about this topic, Greg Fish and Timothy Lee. Greg fish stated: â€Å"Social Networking profiles are not resumes and companies should not use them when determining if an applicant should be hired† (Castone. 2008). He further stated, â€Å"When companies use these profiles to find not only a professional but also an ideological match for a job, they’re misleading themselves and building ill will with talented prospective employees, who might decline to apply for a job for fear of a comment about China on their blog makes their persona non-grata† (Castone. 2008). Timothy Lee argues that there are plenty of reasons why employers need to look at social networks (Castone. 2008). He states, â€Å"Employees in sales public relations and customer service function as representatives for the companies they work for, so employers have a legitimate interest in ensuring potential workers won’t embarrass the company† (Castone. 2008). â€Å"People shouldn’t fear that an employer will get a hold of their profile, but instead expect it and use it to their advantage,† Lee states (Castone. 008). What I feel the Timothy Lee is trying to get at by using our social network profiles to our advantage is basically use it to market yourself in the public view so that you can land that good job, just make sure you keep it clean and neat. I agree with Timothy Lee in his statement that we should not fear that an employer will get a hold of our profiles. Furthermore, I think we should expect it, and accept that an employer is looking at our p rofiles. We should use proper etiquette when setting up our profiles and not post anything negative about previous employers, or even post provocative photos. The one thing that I hate the most about going into Wal-Mart, is when I get a rude associate helping me or cashing me out. Wal-Mart does not screen their employees before hiring, I know because I used to work for the company. In conclusion, as time goes on more companies are going to be weighing in on using social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace as a tool for their hiring process. Although companies should make that as a notable item to potential candidates in the interview giving them a heads up into the fact their company does run a background check and includes a search on social networks. More companies are going to weigh in on this concept and we should just accept the fact that an employer is going to use our profile as a reference. Especially in the service industry such as customer service, collections, sales, or anything that has to do with you being the front or face of the company, should mainly be focusing on this issue.

How people recall memories

How people recall memories In 1932 British psychologist Frederick Bartlet put forward a theory of how people organise and recall memory. His idea was that memory is not like a video recorder that can be played back, but that in fact there are a number of factors that lead to distortion and reconstruction of information. His theory is known as reconstructive memory and his ideas are still in use in current psychological research, such as eyewitness testimony, false memory syndrome, and even in the field of artificial intelligence This essay will explain Bartletts theory, its strengths and weaknesses, its implications in the understanding of how the mind organises, stores and recalls information, and how Bartletts ideas have been incorporated and expanded. Bartlett asserted that peoples recall of events is often inaccurate as reconstruction and distortion of information takes place, internally within the mind. The initial stimulus is taken in but as one can only give a certain amount of attention to a stimulus; previous experience, and knowledge, which he referred to as schemas, are used to construct a fuller picture internally. For example, if one was walking down a dark alley one might feel on edge, one suddenly notices a person approaching. An existing schema for this situation would exist and will probably result in the construction of a sinister character approaching, despite having no previous knowledge of the person. A schema is organised previous knowledge, an internal representation of how one perceives the world. Bartlett considered schemas to be maps or structures of knowledge stored in long-term memory. (May 07th 2008) www.wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Schemas In 1932 Bartlett composed a short fable which he named war of the ghosts. The fable was an old Native American folk story which would have been unfamiliar to the western participants. Generally it presented as a logical representation of events but within it was held more subtly illogical or irrational content. The story was recited to the participants who were asked to recall it after twenty hours, and again at varying intervals afterwards. He discovered that most people found it extremely difficult to recall the story exactly, even when the fable was read repeatedly. Bartlet hypothesised that, elements of the story which failed to fit into the schemata of the participant were omitted from their recollection, or reconstructed into more familiar forms. He remarked that people make an effort after meaning to make sense of information; any information which did not correspond with their cultural experiences, norms, or values, or that were unfamiliar, tended to be excluded from the reco llection of the participants. This resulted in a reduced, direct version of the story. Bartlett remarked that in the end, no trace of an odd or supernatural element [was] left: we [had] a perfectly straight forward story of a fight and a death. (2010) www.docstoc.com Bartletts ideas were revolutionary and drew many responses, positive, and negative. Bartletts research into practical aspects of memory, with an approach that set out to study how the human memory system is applied in every day, real life situations, is seen as a fundamental strength of the reconstructive memory model. However, his experiment was criticised for the methods employed. Bartlett was stopping students on their journeys around the Cambridge campus and reciting the war of the ghosts. He would often have to wait until he met them again before he could ask them to recall their version of the story. His methods were considered as being unscientific and his work was rejected by some as a result. Bartletts idea of schemas was rejected as being too vague, and hard to back up with empirical evidence. Also it was argued that Bartletts idea of reading participants an unfamiliar story could have actually been a factor in why participants reconstructed parts of the story when they rec alled it. Despite the criticism, Bartletts ideas regarding schemas, and reconstructive memories, are still in use, and are still prevalent in various fields of current psychological research. The reconstructive memory model was an important breakthrough which is still very much relevant in todays modern world. For example, a fundamental tactic employed by the police to catch and convict criminals is eye witness testimony. But how reliable is this method if memory really works as Bartlett suggested. With the emergence of new technologies such as CCTV, in some cases, it has now been possible to explore the reliability of eye witness testimonies. One example of false eye witness testimony was the case concerning Charles Mendes, a Brazilian man who was shot by police in a case of mistaken identity after the terrorist bombings in London. Witnesses recalled Mr Mendes jumping over the ticket barrier and running away from the police before he was shot dead by the police. Later CCTV footage of the event that emerged clearly showed that this was false information and in fact Charles Mendes actually bought a ticket and only ran to avoid missing the train. Recent tests concerning reconstructive memory have also raised doubt over the reliability of eye witness testimony. In 1974 Elizabeth Loftus conducted a series of experiments to explore the reliability of eye witness testimony. In 1974, Loftus and Palmer conducted experiments in which participants were used in an independent measures design. They were shown footage of a car crash and then separated into three groups of fifty. The first group was asked, how fast were the cars going when they hit each other? The second group was asked the question but the word hit was changed to smashed. The independent variable being the changed word. The third group was not asked the question; this group was used as a control group. The findings showed that the wording of the question directly affected the estimation of the cars speed. When the question was asked using the word hit, the lowest estimation was given. When the question was asked using the word smashed, participants responded with the highest estimation of the cars speed. After seven days, the participants were asked if they had seen broken glass after the accident; Loftus and Palmer found that participants who had been asked the question with the word smashed had been consistently more likely to answer yes (wrongly). The findings of Loftus and Palmers 1974 car crash experiments reinforced and continued the reconstructive memory theory. It has raised questions concerning the reliability of eye witness testimony; as a result of this work, juries are no longer allowed to convict a defendant on the basis of eye witness testimony alone. Their work has also led to the police revising the way they interview witnesses; to avoid misleading questions which could contaminate the original recollection of events, and in order to aid a witness to recall as much of a situation or event as possible, the police now conduct cognitive interviews. The understanding of how the mind stores and retrieves information has aided the police, whose modified interview techniques are now thought to be more successful in drawing often vital details held in the memory of witnesses. These can be used to solve crimes, help to bring dangerous criminals to justice, and are more accurate, hopefully leading to less cases of wrongful convictions due to false information or mistaken identity. There are criticisms that can be directed towards Loftus and Palmer for their experimental methods in 1974; it has been argued that due to a lack of participant variety, the findings of the experiment cannot be viewed as universally applicable as the participants were all students. Another point that has been made is that the results could have been affected by demand characteristics; the participants could have given answers according to what they thought the researchers wanted to hear. It has also been argued that the experiments were artificial; real life situations could have different results. In a real situation there are potentially severe legal and moral consequences involved with distorted recollections of events in a court of law; this is not the case in a laboratory experiment. These concerns have now been addressed by more recent research that has based experiments in a more realistic, every day context. This new research, such as the Open University and BBC project, appears to confirm much of what Loftus and Palmer asserted. Participants witnessed a stabbing and were taken to the station by the police for cognitive interviews. They were unaware that the situation had been staged. Dr Pike, a psychologist involved with the project echoed comments remarked by Elizabeth Loftus when he commented on the findings; speaking of how the mind is malleable, not fixed, he remarked that its not like imputing data into a computer, the mind does not store facts absolutely the way they are and it does not recall them absolutely accurately either. Winterman, D (2010) www.news.bbc.co.uk Further research by Loftus has led to greater understanding of how the mind reacts differently in stressful situations such as at the scene of a crime taking place. It is now understood that when a weapon is involved, ones attention tends to focus on the threatening object. As a consequence, ones recall of peripheral details diminishes. Loftus asserted that weapon anxiety can be responsible for ones inability to recall the perpetrator, and or crucial details or events of a crime. It is now understood that age, and ones emotional state, are factors to be considered concerning accurate recall. It is also widely accepted that people are more likely to misinterpret a situation, make errors, or make crucial mistakes when they are scared or in shock. Although in some instances, an extreme situation can lead to a state of heightened awareness, which can in turn lead to flashbulb memories; potentially extremely accurate detailed memories of an event or situation. Having explored Bartletts theory of reconstructive memory, and later research by Loftus and Palmer that continued it, one can see that these theories have facilitated a much greater understanding of the complexities of human memory. Bartlett put forward an explanation of aspects of human memory that other models of memory do not account for. Most, if not all people would have experience with memories that are vague, or unclear. How many times have you recalled an event, only for the person next to you, who shared the experience with you, to contradict you, with a completely different account of the events? Reconstructive memory puts forward an explanation for why this can happen; of how memory does not always reflect an accurate account of an event or situation. Loftus and Palmers continued research into reconstructive memory has further supported the theory. Their work has had important repercussions in areas such as law and police procedure. The reconstructive memory theory continu es to exert a significant influence in todays modern world. Cardwell M, Clark L, Meldrum C. (2003) Psychology for A Level, Harper Collins. Gross R. (2009) Psychology. The Science of Mind and Behaviour 5th Edition, Hodder Arnold. Gross R, Rolls G. (2003) Essential AS Psychology, Hodder Stoughton. www.google.com/http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Frederic_Bartlett (accessed 26th April 2010) (May 7th 2008) www.google.com/http://wik.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/Schemas (accessed 26 April 2010) (2010) www.google.com/http://www.docstoc.com/docs/33510508/The-War-of-the-Ghosts/ (accessed 26th April 2010) www.google.com/http://www.s-cool.co.uk/alevel/psychology/human-memory/criti (accessed 26th April 2010) Winterman, D. (2010) BBC Magazine available at www.google.com/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8617945.stm (accessed 28th April)

Analysis of the UK Confectionery Industry: Thorntons

Analysis of the UK Confectionery Industry: Thorntons Confectionery Industry In The UK Contributes A Major Amount Of Revenue To The Countrys Economy Chapter 1: Introduction Confectionery industry in the UK contributes a major amount of revenue to the countrys economy. Repeated case studies have revealed that the confectionery industry is ever growing and the demand for creativity and innovation in the products in increasingly demanded by the consumers in the UK market. Alongside, the growth in the confectionery industry has also resulted in the stiff competition among the players in the market with many global competitors like Cadbury and Nestle. The growth of more focused and niche market targeting companies have also grown tremendously in the UK, which includes companies like Thorntons, Ferroro UK ltd, etc. The stiff competition in the market and the increased penetration of the big players into various market segments has further disturbed the position of companies like Thorntons. This report is focused on the analysis of the marketing strategies for Thorntons Plc and provides valuable suggestions for future expansion and strategies to gain competiti ve advantage in the UK chocolate market. The report aims to achieve the following objectives To effectively segment the target market for Thorntons and identify those segment(s) here the company can effectively develop its business. To identify the importance of buyer behaviour and establish that the effective deployment of buyer behaviour would help the company understand its target market in detail so as to gain market share. Provide recommendation for an appropriate short-term promotional campaign in the UK for increasing the awareness on the companys products in the target market. Devise a sales or promotion campaign for the company in order to increase its sales through focusing on establishing the brand of Thorntons in the market as a strong competitor. Present a critical analysis of the advertising strategy mentioned in the case study for Thorntons and device a new advertising strategy that would include a creative media based plan in order to increase the awareness among the customers in the target market Also device a critical structure for the direct marketing plans in order to reach the over 50 years segment of customers in the UK market. Chapter Overview Chapter 1: Introduction This is the current chapter that introduces the reader to the objectives of the report and the flow of the report text. Chapter 2: Market Segmentation and buyer behaviour This chapter first presents an analysis on the market segmentation and identifies those segments that the company should target upon for further market expansion. This is then followed by the overview of the buyer behaviour and the use of buyer behaviour by the company in order to gain competitive advantage in its target market. Chapter 3: Advertising and Promotion This chapter first presents a discussion on a short-term promotional campaign for the company in order to increase the awareness of the products in the existing target market. This is then followed by a detailed overview of the advertising plan incorporating creative plans in the media based advertising in order to promote the products of the company. This is then followed by a critical analysis on the direct marketing strategy for over 50 years segment of customers in the UK in order to effectively reach that segment of the market so as to increase the sales as well as the market share. Chapter 4: Conclusion The objectives of the chapter are reviewed against the research and analysis conducted in the previous chapters and then a conclusion is derived based on the results of the analysis. Chapter 2: Market Segmentation and Buyer Behaviour 2.1: Market Segmentation From the case study of the company it is evident that the major segments in the Chocolate market include Count lines Moulded Bars Boxed Chocolates Seasonal Products and Bagged Self lines It is also evident that the company under debate i.e. Thorntons Plc specialize in the manufacture and sale of Boxed continental chocolates in the UK and global market. Hence the market segment that the company primarily operates is under the sub sector of the Boxed chocolates in the Chocolates industry of the UK. A further segmentation of the Boxed Chocolates market in the UK based on the price and quality is presented below The thousand and One Nights: Gender and Power Dynamics The thousand and One Nights: Gender and Power Dynamics GENDER/POWER dynamics as seen in The thousand and one nights The Thousand and one Nights are a collection of stories in the middle east/south asia in the golden Islamic age. The tales are centered around the people Shahrayar and Shahrazad. Sharazad uses her power of storytelling to King sharayar to keep her and others protected from being executed. Throughout the story we see that women are only seen as objects of pleasure as women only can hold onto their power through sex,desire and beauty. Women in the stories in the thousand and one nights The thousand and one nights uses Sharazad to represent feminism as with her wisdom and her way of storytelling we see how she overpowers herself and change Shahrayar.This juxtaposing idea of womens role in society and Shahrazad shows us the actual value that women possess as they are just equal to men. There is also an interesting correlation with gender/power dynamic and with class that is present in the thousand and one nights. There is this common theme in the stories Shahrazad tells sharayar the stories can be labeled as misogynistic as some of the stories told feature men who cause the downfall of women. An example being the short story The merchant and his wife. When reading this story readers might be quite surprised on the message the story is trying to convey that men should be able to beat their wives in order to control them. At first I was quite confused on why Shahrazad tells this specific story in order to change shahrayar but then I found that she tells this story in order to show a reflection of him and his actions. The actual intended message was to show that beating women wont force obedience. Telling this story surprisingly actually worked as she didnt get killed by the king the day after. In the Fisherman and the Jinni we are introduced to a Jinni and Fisherman as this story concerns on this idea of this power dynamic. In the story we are first introduced to this fisherman who we see that this fisherman is near the shores trying to catch fish for his family. We then see the fisherman reels in a golden jar which then a Jinni comes out of. The Jinni then tries to kill the fisherman but fails to do so as the fisherman is then tricked to go back into the jar. We see this idea embedded in the quote Since I must die, he said, before I choose the manner of my death, I conjure you on your honour to tell me if you really were in that vase?' This quote itself makes readers question the validity of status in society as this reveals us how a fisherman is trying/planning to outsmart a Jinni. The fisherman is considered as a person of such low status and him being able to outsmart such a powerful creature must mean something . Status is just a social construct created by society an d Shahrazad telling this story shows this.There is also this strong relation with Allah the story revolves around this idea that if you trust and believe in allah good will always come to you. In one of the stories The Woman Whose Hands Were Cut Off For that She Gave Alms to the Poorwe see an interesting point regarding the gender dynamic commonly seen in the thousand and one nights. We see here a clear portrayal of how women can hold on their power other than things like sex,beauty and desire. Instead we see the women holding onto her power with her generosity. In the story we see here that a womans hand is cut off after giving food to a poor man. Later in the story this act of generosity is what saves her as the scene when she tries to save a baby from drowning the food that she gave to the old man comes and restores her hands. Seen in the story the power of generosity helps her retain her power as a woman. We see this similar concept in another story in the thousand and one nights named The Miller and his Wife . Where the wife used her intelligence to retain her power. The wife in the story after finding out the millers dream about the treasure uses this to try to attra ct the attention of her real lover which is their neighbor. Having this attribute helps her both gain her actual lover and getting rid of her husband. But the exact thing women were valued during this time overcomes her and she fails to get what she wants. Instead of holding onto her power with her intelligence she lets her love and sexual desire for the neighbor get the best of her thus leading her both to lose her love and the treasure. In the Tale of Ala-al din and the wonderful lamp we see this aspect of gender/Power dynamic. Women are rarely given voices and are only to be desired by men. We are introduced to this character named Ala-al-din even is considered the protagonist is actually a character that is filled with greed. When Ala-al-din first meets with the genie and turns ala-al-din who is considered a low-life into a well-respected man only for his riches. When Ala-al din was transformed into this new man we see his undeniable greed as he only wanted to flaunt with what he wanted. His main desire was getting the sultans daughter despite her already being married he makes a plan to her. This idea shows one of the framings of women in the thousand and one nights as in this case we see the daughter acting as a desirable object. At the end of the story we are given this closing which states Aladdin had won the hearts of the people by his gentle bearing. He was made captain of the Sultans armies, and won several battles for him, but remained as courteous as before, and lived thus in peace and content for several years. When reading this quote readers get a sense of this feeling of greed. The theme of Aladdin seems to focus on this idea that the whole rag to riches theme can be only achieved by the feeling of greed. That if you want a better life for yourself you will have to be greedy. Ala Al-Din also shows his power by outsmarting the genie Before meeting the genie Ala al din is seen as a low life as he is very poor but we see this quickly turn around when he meets the genie and is then transformed into a wealthy respectable man. We see this interesting connection also within The fisherman and the Jinni how a person with low status is able to outsmart a being who is considered powerful. This shows how this idea of status is imaginary and means nothing. Ala-al din is actually powerful in his own terms and doesnt need society labelling him of such low status. Conclusively The thousand and one nights in a larger frame actually shows us the power and value that women possess regardless of the fact that the stories were labelled as misogynistic by many and the morals and virtues believed when the stories were made.. Women possess this power of intelligence that helps them retain their power which is clearly seen in numerous stories in the thousand and one nights. The thousand and one nights clearly act as a symbol of feministic literature pieces from many years to come.

A Bloody Night :: essays research papers

William Shakespeare once said, â€Å"For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright, who art as black as hell, as dark as night.† Deception plays a big part in the play Macbeth. The play is about a king who is murdered by one of his most trusted men trying to gain power. During the play Shakespeare heightens the mood by using various accounts of imagery. The blood and night imagery that Shakespeare uses adds to the evil, darkness and deception surrounding the play. Night has a role of great importance during the play. Lady Macbeth beckons, â€Å"Come, thick night, And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of hell, That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, Nor heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, To cry "Hold, hold!" Without the obscurity of night, she would not have urged Macbeth to kill the king as she did. The night, however, gives her the impression that Macbeth can indeed kill King Duncan with no one uncovering his contemptible crime, the same idea that Macbeth had when he said, "Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires" It seems as if the whole plot revolves around the night and the many roles it holds throughout the play. Shakespeare often uses darkness and storms to depict that evil happenings are occurring or are about to take place. There are at least three examples of this in Macbeth. Most of the evil things that Macbeth does in the story occurs in the nighttime. Lennox states, "... the obscure bird Clamored the livelong night. Some say, the earth Was feverous and did shake," in reaction to Macbeth's first evil act, killing the king of Scotland. "The night has been unruly: where we lay, Our chimneys were blown down; and, as they say, Lamentings heard i’ the air; strange screams of death,..." "Three score and ten I can remember well; Within the volume of which time I have seen Hours of dreadful and things strange, but this sore night Hath trifled former knowings." Both these quotes are talking about the night of Duncan’s death. They are showing the comparisons between the natural unruliness and the unusual disaster. In the play, the word â€Å"blood† is mentioned numerous times. Shakespeare’s use of this particular word is significant; he uses it to develop the character of Macbeth and the unfolding events of the drama.

Emilia’s Perspective on Betrayal in Relationships in Shakespeare’s Othe

Emilia’s Perspective on Betrayal in Relationships in Shakespeare’s Othello In Othello, Act IV, scene ii and iii, Emilia, Iago’s wife, reveals her opinion about relationships to the reader as she attempts to comfort Desdemona. She indefinitely believes that many men, as well as women, are frequently guilty of deception and betrayal of their partner. By this part of the play, Othello’s suspicions of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness have greatly increased, and he begins to accuse her of cheating on him. When Desdemona persistently denies his accusations, Othello becomes enraged. He sarcastically asks for her pardon and claims that he took her to be the â€Å"cunning whore of Venice† (Act IV, scene ii, line 88). Desdemona is heartbroken by her husband’s mockery and seeks Emilia’s kind words. Emilia insists that female innocence and chastity is overrated when Desdemona scolds herself for her unworthiness of Othello. Emilia subtly suggests that Desdemona should leave Othello and seek happiness elsewhere. Emilia states in Act IV, scene iii, lines 83-85, â€Å"...’tis a wrong in your own world, and ...