Marketing Reserch Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Reserch - Assignment Example (Mumbai Mirror, Business Briefs, 28 May 2007). the tremendous potential of the internet for genuine marketing purposes. And with the rising volumes of online trading, the menace is only threatening to grow further unchecked. (Times of India, Times Business section, 25 May 2007). Small retailers and street vendors have protested, and in some cases, even ransacked outlets operated by modern retailers. This in part has been provoked by an unprecedented rush in the last two years mostly by Indian corporate houses who have said they want to invest billions of dollars to roll out thousands of stores selling everything from fruits to furniture. Higher prices may reduce the attraction of palm oil as a substitute for soya bean oil, especially in China and India, the biggest importers of both oils. It may also make palm oil less attractive in its use in new applications such as bio-fuels. (Mint, Money Matters, p17, 31 May 2007, www.livemint.com). Although revenue jumped 37%, India's leading retailer, Shoppers' Stop, reported a fourth quarter loss of Rs. 22 million ( US$ 543,210), for the year 2006-07. This in spite of competition from other majors like Reliance Retail and Bharti-Wal-Mart, yet to begin. While management has blamed competition, other factors like soaring employee and operating costs including bludgeoning depreciation also have a decisive role in the loss. (Business Today, It's beginning to hurt, p46, 03 June 2007M, www.business-today.com). Five examples of problem-solving research 1. Smart Accounting helps Dunlop turn around. After 12 years in the red, Dunlop India reported a positive net worth in April for 2006-07. Compared to a negative net worth of Rs. 2611.50 million (US$ 64.5 million) in 2005-06, Dunlop reported Rs 1518.20 million (US$ 37.5 million) in the positive net worth last year. Evaluating its real estate, the company transferred part of it to its associate companies, including Dunlop Properties and Bharatiya Hotels. Instead of paying cash, these companies have issued shares of equal worth to Dunlop, which has booked them as other income, thereby shoring up its balance sheet. (Business Today, Dunlop's Paper Trick, p52, 03 June 2007, www.business-today.com). 2. Handloom industry to get a new lease of life. The handloom industry is the second largest economic activity in the country after agriculture. India is perhaps the only country to produce handlooms on large, commercial scale. However, overpowered by the presence of power loom and mill sectors, the industry is going through a lean phase. However, officials are pinning their hopes on the recent initiatives of the textile ministry to boost the dwindling prospects of the handloom industry. The ministry has initiated the development of Handloom Export Zones (HEZ) at various handloom clusters in

Predictive Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Predictive Methods - Essay Example According to Sandford and Hsu, The Delphi Technique can perform functions such as the exposition of underlying information thus leading to various judgments. It can also educate respondents on the vast interrelated aspects about the topic [3]. In such a case, a group of experts will have to have some experience concerning Ukraine in order to determine viable intentions of the people concerning any impending attack. Such determinations rely on the use of experts with intelligence knowledge such as the Red Team. Such cases require fusion by the relevant teams to identify in the identification of elements within the area of responsibility [4].Therefore; the read team becomes an integral part in the prediction of the study question. The Red Team has shown major advances bot in technicality and methods to handle small warring groups [5]. Read teaming is very fundamental in ensuring information for intelligence collection and analysis and thus the Secretary of Defense should ensure the effective establishment of the team in critical areas such as Ukraine [6]. The Red teams have the expertise suitable to analyze situations from various perspectives such as Ukraine [7]. In such a case, they will be in a position to have sufficient information to tell whether the Russia is in an invasion jeopardy. Red Teaming in the past seemed viable in the identification of potential clashes between different groups [7]. Reliable sources say that it is possible that Ukraine is preparing for an attack in the Russia Islands. However, the sources do not have the provision of a clear cut on such claims thus the Delphi method cannot ascertain the outcome of such

Business strategy of low-cost airline

Business strategy of low-cost airline Case summary Allegiant airline, a leading US company has implemented several tactics in order to be a low cost airline. It provides low fees for checking baggages, boarding and seat assignment which enable Allegiant Air to compete with other low-cost airlines. Even if Allegiant would provided services in Europe, it would be a dominant low cost airline and would easily overtake Ryan air in terms of lower prices. Regarding a comparison with other low-cost airlines, recent statistics show that Allegiant Air in-flight fees rose to 22.7% extra income from ancillary and on board purchases, which takes advantage over Ryan air with 19.23% income from ancillary. Such extra charges during the in-flight service may be an inconvenience for the passengers, but they help keep the company aloft during the economic crisis. Allegiant Air is a low cost airline which occupies 80 aircrafts. The companys strategy also intends to achieve another 300 routes which include flights to Mexico and the Caribbean. Although the airline leases small air planes in order to save cost and to generate more profits, Allegiant avoids the main airports due to the fact that it is more economically beneficial and since they are not in competition with the big companies. Mr Gallagher, the chief exclusive describes how his company already partners with other business and provides packages, 30% of which are sold to customers. Article: Ian Wylie. (2009) â€Å"Tactics of low-cost airline† Financial Times: Published: October 18 2009 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c031e712-baa1-11de-9dd7-00144feab49a.html Case commentary This article describes Allegiant Air tactics low fair service and explains how the company adjust to keep competitive with other low-cost airlines and ahead of. One of its goals is to sell flights from other airlines on Allegiants site in order to increase customer awareness and keep their dominance as a low fare service. Regarding to Mr Gallagher speech â€Å"Shortly, we should be identifiable to 100m people throughout the US†. â€Å"At that point, we can leverage the brand name and arrange all your travel†(Wylie, 2009). Gallagher is the CEO (managing director) of Allegiant Air and understands that because of the recession some changes were necessary. Which required analysis of their macro-environment. For example they have used PEST analysis tool in order to scan the general and the competitive environment. To improve these general environment factors required constant and structured scanning and monitoring. (Understanding Strategic Management, Henry 2008). Using an analytical tool such as porters five forces, one is able to not only look into their external environment, but they are allowed the chance to exploit the powers of the Porters five forces by enabling them to basically understand what is needed to be changed in order to gain strategic advantages. The business method which companies such as Allegiant Air would have most probably used is Porters five forces. This is because they have to fully analyse their market segment of being a low cost airline and they also have set specific targets in order to gain competitive advantage over its rivals (Understanding Strategic Management, Henry 2008:69). For example if a new airline would have tried to enter into the market service, it would have been very difficult to survive unless the new airline had the ability to compete with the existing grater airlines such as Allegiant. Therefore, if a new airline tries to provide and offer their services, it will face the threat of entry and whether if enters to the market it will depend of the barriers to entry and the reaction of the existing competitors. It would be very difficult to survive because Alliance has an organized business plan and offers low prices tickets for its specific routes, as resulting, this will act the new airline to dete r its services from entering the market because it will be difficult to survive and compete. In terms of generic competitive strategy, Allegiant business strategy ensures a fit between its strategy and the (CSFs) Critical Success Factors of the industry and also strives for competitive advantage over its rivals. (Pathfinder 2006 :119) Allegiant Air has identified the fact that in order to sustain their competitive advantage, it now offers another 300 routes and intends to fly to Mexico and the Caribbean. Their business strategy is to advertise their services on others companies and selling flights from other airlines on the allegiant site. Also, allegiant has signed up to a pays short term contract basis and use airport employers on monthly leases. In case any specific service failing, due to short-term contract which Allegiant posses they have the ability to end it before making great losses. This will allows Allegiant to gain competitive advantage over its rivals since they can cut most of their costs in a short amount of time. Because of the competitive pricing scheme used by Allegiant, they have made it a difficult task for new and upcoming businesses to enter their market. However the case study which I have chose to assess its purely based on the US market. Therefore the outcomes of the strategies and analytical models which they chose to achieve their targets would most probably differ if they were to evaluate or asses other markets such as the EU, Asia. It could be considered a good example because what can be derived from the above article in the organization can handle and keep low costs for its flights by gaining a competitive advantage against its rivals. Also, the short term contacts that are signed by the Airline contribute to business strategy and allow the company to immediately stop its services in case profits begin to decrease. It is evident that this airline is capable of providing low cost tickets and also the airlines business strategy is effective enough to remain dominant and provides its services at low cost in order to survive and compete with rival companies. Weblink http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c031e712-baa1-11de-9dd7-00144feab49a.html [Access 21/10/2009] References * Author: Anthony (2008) â€Å"Henry Understanding Strategic Management† * Author: Robert M. Grant (2008) â€Å"Contemporary Strategy Analysis†6th edition. * Article: Author: By Ian Wylie (October 18 2009) â€Å"Tactics of low-cost airline† Financial Times: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c031e712-baa1-11de-9dd7-00144feab49a.html Key Words Take advantage, short term contracts, competitive advantage, business strategy, well define business plans, keep aloft in downturn, profitable business model, eventual goal â€Å"sell flights from other airlines on the Allegiant site†.

The Controversy Surrounding Computer Cryptography :: Technology

The Controversy Surrounding Computer Cryptography The topic of cryptography is being debated in the computer lately, especially since September 11, 2001. To begin with, though cryptography is secret writing or the enciphering and deciphering of messages in secret code or cipher. Cryptography has become very popular in all aspects of life that deal with computers, which is almost every aspect of our daily lives. Ever since the mid-seventies, cryptography is the new way of keeping information secret or private. However, just how good and safe is cryptography? There have been many forms of codes that were used to send messages from group to group or person to person. One of the first know type of secret messaging was done by the Spartans of Ancient Greece around 484 to 425 BC. Secret messages were written on wooden tablets and covered with wax to make the tablet look like wood again. The message could then be read after the wax was removed. The slaves trying to escape used another type of secret messaging. Some messages that they would use to signal each other were quilts. Certain patterns on some quilts gave directions to these slaves in how to escape into Canada. In addition, they used secret words to help guide their fellow slaves to freedom. One such code phrase was "Follow the drinking gourd." This referred to the Big Dipper in the night sky. Because most slaves traveled at night because it was safer, that phrase gave them directions to their freedom. Those were just a sample of early types of secret codes. Modern cryptography is far more complicated. It consists of long mathematical formulas that to most people looks like total gibberish. However, these formulas turn a normal sentence into undecipherable code. Modern encryption codes are used daily throughout our daily lives For example they are used widely throughout he Internet for security purposes.

Ethics in counselling Essay

Issue One: Breaching Confidentiality in Counseling Minors Before we move into the topic, we want to explore the issue of confidentiality in counseling. This is applicable to not just minors but also all age groups, religions, cultures and genders. Remley (1985) stated that confidentiality is an ethical standard that is a rule of practice set forth by a profession. The American Counseling Association’s (ACA) Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice require that counselors respect their clients’ right to privacy and avoid illegal and unwarranted disclosures of confidential information. The ACA code lists the exceptions to confidentiality as when disclosure is required to prevent clear and imminent danger to the client or others or when legal requirements demand that confidential information be revealed. When counseling clients who are minors or individuals who are unable to give voluntary, informed consent, parents or guardians may be included in the counseling process as appropriate. Counselors act in the best interest of clien ts and take measures to safeguard confidentiality. Confidentiality should exist for the benefit of the client be it whether the client is a minor or not. Should parents or guardians be involved in the counseling process, the counselor must act with exceedingly professional expertise when disclosing confidential information. There is an ethical responsibility to obtain the minor’s permission before releasing information. For counseling to be effective and to provide an environment in which the client feels free to share concerns, the counselor must be able to assure minor clients that personal information will be kept confidential to build trust between them. There are vacillating priorities between the rights of the child, school policy, guardians’ rights, and dictates of laws and ethical codes (Glosoff & Pate, 2002; Lawrence & Kirpius, 2000). There is a tenuous balancing act among the parents who desire autonomy in raising their children, the governmental agencies safeguarding public welfare, and the minor who deserves both privacy and protection. The ACA Code of Ethics (1995) highlights the needs for the counselor to clarify client relationships in  families to directly address any possible conflicts, and to promote flexibility in the decision to involve a guardian in the counseling process as long as confidentiality and the client’s best interests are safeguarded. Recognition of the need for a thorough understanding of ethical and legal requirements also applies to the issue of duty to warn. A counselor with a flexible orientation toward confidentiality will usually make an independent decision based on merits of each separate case that promotes the moral principle of fidelity in which the child’s trust is protected by keeping the promises inherent in confidentiality issues (Glosoff & Pate, 2002). An evaluation of what is in the child’s best interest will predominate, which underscores the moral principles of beneficence. This is seen as an ambiguous process that is influenced by the counselor’s cultural background and personal values and biases. Conversely, no guarantee of confidentiality erodes the foundation of trust in therapy, leading to increased client resistance and premature termination. In this situation, from the outset an adolescent will be reluctant to enter a counseling relationship with a professional who apparently views the referring agency, court, school, or guardian as the real client rather than the teen. An attitude of flexibility toward confidentiality offers the ability to be adaptable to various situations, but throws the counselor into the nebulous area of trying to negotiate the balance of ethical and legal dictates. A more moderate stance embraces the advice of the ACA Code of Ethics regarding clarification of counseling relationships and can draw the adolescent into the decision-making process, which strengthens therapeutic rapport. Similarly, a counselor asking the child’s permission before disclosure gives the minor a sense of control and helps diminish damage to trust when sharing informa tion is necessary. In the course of work when working with minors, I sometimes can be unclear about my ethical obligations concerning confidentiality, especially with adolescents. When they mention activities such as shoplifting, alcoholism, drug experimentation and the most tricky case of sexual habits, it becomes a difficult issue. The question of confidentiality in ethics come into question and the counselor, or myself in this case, will struggle with  building trust with the client and involving the parents in the counseling process. Let’s consider a case study. Joseph’s parents divorced when he was 5 and he has been living with his mother since. His mother used to attend therapy with him when she noticed he was very withdrawn and didn’t communicate very much since the incident. The therapy went on for a year. Now at age 16, he has been sent to his counselor after his form teacher has noticed his constant late coming to school and also looking listless and distracted during lessons. His grades have also taken a sharp dip. His close friend, Kenneth, tells the teacher that Joseph has been attending all-night parties and has started to experiment with drugs and alcohol. Joseph doesn’t say much during the counselling sessions except mentioning that he has got a girlfriend now, who is 7 years his senior, and wants to move in with her. They met at a party and got sexually involved with each other and he now feels responsible for taking care of her. He insists the relationship is built out of love and that his parents should no t hear or have a say in any of this. His counsellor has shared her concerns with Joseph and is struggling with whether she has an obligation to disclose anything to his parents. It would be helpful to consider this case from three perspectives: that of law, clinical practice and ethics. The law generally states that minors cannot consent to treatment and a parent or guardian will consent on the minor’s behalf. The parent who consents on the minor’s behalf generally has the right to know the content of the child’s treatment until the minor reaches the legal age of (usually) 18. From a clinical perspective, the situation is more complex. An important aspect of treatment is to foster an individual’s autonomy, and a great pleasure of treating adolescents is to watch as they come to enjoy their growing independence. One aspect of independence is privacy. As a child grows into adolescence and adulthood, the surrounding zone of privacy should increase, thus making room for a more defined sense of se lf and a greater sense of autonomy. A paradox thus arises: Good clinical treatment may require what the law generally refuses, that is, a zone of privacy. I feel that early in the relationship the counselor should make clear what relationship she will have to each of the parties (the minor and the parents/guardians). It should be accompanied by an explanation of how information-sharing will work, what  information will be shared, with whom and when, in a manner appropriate to the minor’s age and understanding. As the child develops and grows up, the structure of the therapy may change for clinical reasons and this will have ethical implications. The minor’s greater sense of self and enhanced capacity for autonomy may require greater respect for the child’s need for privacy. The counselor will thus need to revisit earlier discussions and explain that, for clinical reasons, the structure of the therapy should change. Such boundary renegotiation is clinically and ethically indicated. However, a coun selor cannot promise a minor that information will be kept from a parent who has legal custody. A parent with the legal right to treatment information may choose, however counterproductive in the counselor’s eyes, to exercise that right. Clinical judgement will also be able to indicate to what extent maintaining an adolescent’s privacy is central to the treatment. A counselor may conclude that an adolescent’s wish not to have information shared reflects an appropriate separation and so should be honored or he may also conclude that sharing certain information would be helpful. If so, the ethical standards from the section on â€Å"Privacy and Confidentiality† gives the counselor permission to do so. Nonetheless, regardless of whether an adolescent assents to have information disclosed to a parent, it makes both clinical and ethical sense to tell the adolescent beforehand, what information will be shared, and when. Ideally, the adolescent would be part of such conversations. There may also be times when a counselor will be mandated to disclose information. Serious threats of harm, neglect and abuse falls under mandatory reporting laws and must be disclosed in many states. Adolescents should be told that serious threats of harm to self or others will also not be kept confidential. A counselor may feel strongly that revealing information to a parent could harm the minor or be destructive to the treatment. Refusal to disclose in such a case, even in the face of a parent’s request, may be legally supportable. A counselor in this position should se ek both legal counsel and consultation from colleagues. Joseph’s therapist revisited the issue of confidentiality when Joseph expressed a wish that she not speak with his mother. A compromise was reached whereby the therapist would speak to Joseph’s mother only with Joseph present. The issue of confidentiality became more complicated when the therapist felt that certain information should be shared and Joseph  refused. The therapist should gently explore with Joseph the reasons behind this refusal. During some sessions, the therapist should be direct with Joseph about her discomfort with his behavior, especially the illegal activities, and point out the kinds of risks he was taking. Hopefully, over time, they would agree that Joseph himself would begin to speak to his mother about these issues, and that the therapist could follow up with a phone call. It is important to discuss each and every contact between the therapist and mother thoroughly with Michael, as well as to support his independent use of psychotherapy. Issue Two: Transcultural Issues in Counseling As a counselor, we will be working with clients from various cultures. In order to work effectively with culturally diverse individuals and groups, it is important to know what culture means in people’s lives and to recognise differences that might be culturally-based. The idea of culture is interesting and important, but can be very hard to define and understand. Culture is a set of meanings that provides a sort of blueprint for how we should think, feel, and behave in order to be a part of a group. It includes patterns of traditions, beliefs, values, expectations, and symbols; in fact, every aspect of who we are that isn’t biological in origin. Often people are part of more than one culture; for example, we may belong to a professional group, a religious group, and social groups each of which has its own way of speaking, dressing, and behaving. Often we don’t recognise aspects of our culture until we encounter cultural ideas or practices that are different from ours. Knowing our own culture is an important aspect of self-awareness, however, because we need to be able to recognise culturally-based differences. Some cultural differences that affect counselling relationships include communication styles, for example the way words and phrases are used, the degree of importance given to non-verbal communication, and the appropriate degree of assertiveness in communicating. Different attitudes toward conflict, for example whether conflict is positive or should be avoided, whether conflict should be resolved in face-to-face meetings. Different approaches to completing tasks, for example whether or not it is important to build a relationship with another person in order to work with him or her on completing a task. Different styles of decision-making, for  example majority rule or consensus. Different attitudes about open emotion and personal matters. Different approaches to knowing, for example through symbolic imagery and rhythm, library research, visiting people who have had similar challenges. As a counsellor, we will be working with children and families from various cultural backgrounds. One of the most important things to remember is not to assume that another person has the same values, beliefs, and practices that you do. We have to use our observation, listening, and questioning skills to learn what is important to the other person and how they see the world. We need to be open to learning about other ways of seeing and living in the world. Counselors need to be aware of their own ethnicity and how it influences their interactions with other cultural groups. Problems need to be understood within the context of the person’s ethnicity. We learn from our culture, appropriate ways of responding to illness. For example, one group of people may tend to complain about their physical problems, while another may deny having any pain and see it as a form of punishment. Attitudes towards seeking help also vary from one ethnic group to another. It is important to clearly spell out the tasks of the first session to all family members and explain in detail the client-counselor relationship. The expectations the family may have about the encounter might be based on its experience with the medical profession. The family may expect the counselor to take charge and provide advice. By being direct, active and using a structured approach, the counselor establishes rapport with the family. The ethnic group may perceive the family as the primary source of support for its members. If this is the case, the family may be experiencing shame and guilt for not being able to solve its own problems. For example, an individual may turn to the family for support and seek our outsiders for support as a last resort. In some cultures, it is not acceptable to express personal concerns with a stranger; therefore, the clients adopt the counselor into their family. There may be fears and embarrassment about not being able to speak the language of the dominant culture well enough to express difficulties. As a result the counselor may view the client as passive and resistant. Culture influences the family’s orientation toward being internally or externally controlled. An internally oriented family has the belief that their achievements, or lack of achievements, are determined by their own actions, thus shaping their destiny. On the other hand, an externally oriented family has the belief that achievements and non achievements occur independently of their actions and that the future is predicated on chance. An externally oriented family may be interpreted by an internally focused counselor as procrastinators. Another important dimension when working with the people who are from cultures different than our own is the locus of responsibility. Locus of responsibility assesses the amount of responsibility or blame given to the client or the clients system. Determining if the individual or the system is the cause of the behavior is important when making an assessment and determining interventions. In Canadian culture often the individual is seen as being responsible for his/her actions. Racial and ethnic minorities whose behaviors deviate from the middle class are labeled as deviant. Be aware of ethno cultural roles and hierarchy. If the father is considered the authority figure, make sure you address him, first showing respect for his cultural positions. In attempting to seek information from the children, it is important to acquire permission before proceeding with the interview. Inquire about issues that may be specific to a particular ethnic group. Family members are often delighted to teach counselors about the key â€Å"insults† of their cultural group. If you experience resistance, check to see if you have violated a culture norm. We need to take note when the counselor becomes overly concerned about the family’s ethnicity to the point where one loses perspective as to their reason for seeking help. A major assumption for culturally sensitive counseling is that counselors can acknowledge their own tendencies and the limit of their cultures on other people. Thus, it is essential for counselors to understand their cultures and their worldviews before helping and assisting other people. According to Padilla, Boxley, and Wagner (1973), there is increasing evidence that the trained counselor is not prepared to deal with individuals who are culturally different from them. Cultural sensitivity remains as one of the  important characteristics of effective counseling. Padilla et al’s writing also shows that one of the characteristics of an effective counselor is the ability to recognize diversity and cultural differences. It is undeniable that the need to attend multicultural diversity of clients is more obvious when counselors and clients have different cultural backgrounds. Culture is the core of internal ways in which human beings develop their sense of self, including values, beliefs, thought patterns, perceptions, and worldviews. All these qualities help determine and shape one’s external culture – the ways in which one establishes and maintains a relationship with the environment and others through implicit norms, language, traditions, rituals, and loyalties that influence attitudes, behaviors, and customs (Gushue, 1993). While it is true that Singapore is a mix of different ethnic groups, each group has retained much of its individual unique cultural character. This is because Singapore’s policy has always been geared towards multiculturalism, where every ethnic group is allowed to preserve its own culture while peacefully interacting with others. In the light of this, counselling and intervention is always presented within the cultural context and constraints inherent in our cosmopolitan society. The understanding of a clientà ¢â‚¬â„¢s unique culture is necessary in order for a counsellor to effectively help the former behave and feel differently in a trusting relationship so as to achieve their goals. Psychological judgments are never free from the influence of therapist’s own cultural values. In intervention, counsellors need to be knowledgeable of the culture of their clients because each culture holds different ideas about what constitutes problems in living. As we have grown up in a cosmopolitan environment, we are immersed in various orientations of different ethnic groups. Our awareness of our own culture only increases when we go to places where our culture is not the norm. Similarly in a counselling room, when we are with our client from a different culture, our awareness of our own culture tends to increase too. We are aware too of the diversity existing within the same culture as people may communicate and interact in a whole range of ways. Our worldviews as ethnic majority are highly correlated with cultural upbringing and life experiences. There is a tendency to take for granted that the ethnic minority has full knowledge of our culture since it is pervasive in  the society. On the other hand, some of us harbor tinted views of the ethnic minority that cause us to unwittingly impose upon them stereotypes and preconceived notions. In my opinion, sensitivity includes respect and acceptance of who they are, the way they are and the ir beliefs. People of the minority race should be treated fairly and equally. There isn’t a need to treat them with sympathy; otherwise, it would only remind them that they are being differentiated. I learned from my Indian and Malay friends at school about their feelings as minority races in Singapore and that they prefer to be seen as equals. To be more effective counsellors, we have to first examine ourselves or be aware of our personal values, beliefs, prejudices and motives for helping people. For instance, my own cultural beliefs that men should be stronger and be able to take on the world and solve their problems rationally and efficiently make me more sympathetic toward my female clients. The curiosity to explore the deeper meaning of our own cultural behavior will certainly enlighten and make us more sensitive to the differences or similarities existing in different cultural groups. A wise counsellor would always try to transcend such barriers and enter into the frame of referenc e of his client and operate from there. The clients we see include students from as young as 6 years old, elderly patients at Nursing Homes/hospital. We also have couples with marital, family and financial issues. Their age group ranges from early 20s to the 70s. They are a mix of Singaporean Chinese, Malay, Indian and some immigrants. Our clients are mainly from low to average income group with basic education. English and Mandarin are the main languages used. Dialects are used when counselling the elderly folks. Each member in the group shared both common and unique cultural issues they face in counselling. The sexism issue Annie regularly encounters involves female victims of domestic violence in Indian family whose men predominate in positions of power. Most oppressed Indian women inevitably choose not to react for fear of being ostracized by their own family and community. According to Yeo (1989), Asian derives their identity from membership in a family and a community and focusing on the individual might well alienate the person from the family. Peter and Juliet shared about the common gender issue where parents think they must stay with sons only, while conflicts with daughters-in-law are common issues too. Some parents choose to stay on their own to avoid humiliating their sons. Medical and emotional problems may result from loneliness, poor self care and diet. Jennifer related her early experience: I’ve encountered difficulties on many occasions with clients of a different race, particularly Malay clients, in dealing with issues on pregnancy crisis. My early impression was that they were either not willing to share nor receptive to explore other options and alternatives pertaining to their decision to terminate their pregnancy. The session became more fruitful only after I acquired greater understanding of the Malay culture. For Magdalene, while she is competent in conversational skills with some dialects, attempting to apply counselling techniques or skills present a real challenge. Majority of the counselling approaches are western in origin. The concepts and explanation are all in English. It is easy to miss the deeper nuances when she attempts to apply or translate them into dialect or language which she is not fully competent in. Both Magdalene and Ruth observed that it is culturally the norm of the older generation to attribute crisis to some external causes and to seek help from temple mediums. The words of the mediums will then be accepted as truth. It can be a real challenge to counsellors from a different faith. Ruth, the youngest member in our group, perceives age as a stumbling block to effective counselling when her clients are much older. In the Asian context, age is a sign of maturity and wisdom. With elderly clients, we are expected to show respect and humility, not as someone to solve their problems. Annie faced the social-economic issue when she encountered Singaporean men who resorted to increase their socio-economic status by taking wives from the poorer ASEAN countries. The wives function more as domestic helpers or care providers to the elderly/invalid parents or young nephews and nieces within the extended family. The relationship is further strained by language barrier and other cultural issues. Western Counselling Models in Singaporean Context The group is pragmatic in our counselling approach, integrating different therapy models to meet the client’s unique needs. With cross-cultural interaction comes the possibility that the client’s intentions and actions may be misperceived, misinterpreted, and misjudged notably, when we employ the western counselling models on culturally different clients. We are aware that some of these models may not even fit people from western cultures due to within-culture diversity and other diversity factors beyond culture. (Egan, 2005) The second theme that emerged was the need to understand the worldview of culturally different clients in order to know how best to integrate the western counselling models in our counselling work. Magdalene commented that the concept of individuation in Bowen Theory is culturally not in tandem with many elderly Chinese clients, who come from an environment where the family, community, or clan takes precedent over self; hence differentiation of self can be alien to them. A person’s identity is formed and continually influenced by his or her context. Working effectively with clients requires an understanding of how the individual is embedded in the family, which in turn requires an understanding of how the family is affected by its place in a pluralistic culture. (Sue, Ivey & Pedersen, 1996). Bowen Theory encourages the therapist to look into the Family of Origin to examine the interlocking relationships. This can present itself negatively as in-laws or family members may not be forthcoming when it comes to talking about sensitive and conflicting issues inflicting the family. Juliet presumed Bowen Theory will be better understood and accepted by the  English-educated clients, but she found out to her dismay that some concepts contradict their cultural beliefs. Peter found Rational-Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) to be too confrontational in style. Telling a client that he is â€Å"horriblising† and â€Å"catastrophising† his life issues when he is seeking understanding from a counsellor in his moments of anxiety is not going to be welcomed. Asians generally seek familial help when they have problems. The concept of going to a counsellor who is a stranger is already a major deviation from their social norms. Facing a challenging counsellor may pose as a humiliating experience for some. Annie’s observation: Solution-focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) focuses on what clients want to achieve through therapy rather than on the problem(s) that made them seek help. The approach does not focus on the past, but on the present and future instead. This goes down well with the clients she sees who are pragmatic and time-conscious. However, Magdalene observed that asking the miracle question to a pragmatic elderly client may pose a challenge. Some of them have mindsets that have been deeply entrenched in their being; they do not see the need to change. Similarly, to challenge the Irrational Beliefs (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) of the elderly whose sense of self has been conditioned to adopt a resigned disposition can be an uphill task. The use of `hot-seat’ fantasy technique to help clients express their feelings where there is unfinished business may not be favored by the more ‘conservative and traditional’ clients as unleashing negative emotions towards the deceased is considered a taboo. Magdalene related her encounter: Using Gestalt approach, I encouraged him to imagine that the mother was present at the moment, and for him to tell her what was on his mind. He responded, ‘she is already dead, what is there to say?’ I realized later that while he might be bad mouthing and blaming her for his current plight, it was culturally not appropriate for him to confront her. Ruth felt incompetent when she encountered elderly people who often interrupted her during conversation to correct her. Her age and lack of knowledge in dialects made it difficult for her to express herself aptly. But she found Carl Roger’s Person-Centered therapy useful when working with clients who question her abilities. Multi-cultural Competencies The challenges we face as counsellors in a multicultural environment require that we know and understand the client’s culture so as to be congruent with the frame of the world that the client is in during counselling, i.e., individuals are best understood by taking into consideration salient cultural and environmental variables. Regardless of the therapist’s orientation, it is crucial to listen to the clients and determine why they are seeking help and how best to deliver the help that is appropriate for them. (Corey, 1996) In this pluralistic and post-modern age, no one helping approach has all the answers for the clients we see due to the complexity of human beings, as expressed by Sue, Ivey and Pedersen (1996). The third theme that emerged was the need for therapists to create therapeutic strategies that are congruent with the range of values and behaviours that are characteristic of a pluralistic society. Jennifer had this to say: Without a deeper understanding of the Malay culture and religion, my counselling sessions with the Malays would certainly be unfruitful. There are family and social pressure to learn within the context of religion and culture. The Malay clients who are pregnant out of wedlock find themselves opting for abortion as the only way to avoid violating family tradition. I have to work on interventions that are congruent with the values of the clients. It is a sign of respect that counsellor refrains from deciding what behaviour should be changed. Through skilful questioning on the counsellor’s part, ethnic minority clients can be helped. The process of internalizing a new culture is an on-going undertaking. Generally the group is willing to be exposed to all kinds of clients so as to open up our own world views of the different cultures in our society. This includes interacting with people of different races at social events and festive celebrations. We recognized that with the culturally-constraint client we have to go slow during the first counselling session. The clients can be invited to teach the therapists about the significant parts of their cultural identity. We all acknowledged the importance of supervision and guidance when we are unsure and need clarification. We also will be seen as more professional if we master the basic terminologies of counselling approaches in other languages/dialects. Having an enquiring and inquisitive mind about the different cultures will help broaden our perspectives. Formal education on the multicultural aspects of counselling will help to hone our skills. We can also gain insights by reading articles and books related to multicultural counselling. There are hefty handbooks offering the theoretical background, practical knowledge, and training strategies needed to achieve multicultural competence. (Pope-Davis, Coleman, Liu, & Toporek, 2004). In addition, there are highly detailed research studies offering further insights in multicultural competence. (Darcy, Lee, & Tracey, 2004). The greater our depth and breadth of knowledge of culturally diverse groups, the more we can be effective practitioners (Corey, 2001). Conclusion In summary, the qualitative inquiry has promoted self-awareness of our own personal culture as we develop a sense of the world. Courage, openness and humility are some important elements we identified to secure trust and acceptance by our clients of different cultures. Our group will certainly strive to integrate appropriate counselling approaches to create therapeutic strategies that are congruent with the client’s range of values and behaviours, without abdicating our own deepest beliefs and values.

Compare the Use of Location and the Environment in the Great Gatsby

Compare the use of location and the environment in The Great Gatsby and The Go-Between F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and L. P. Hartley’s The Go-Between are two novels set in very different places in the world, but both show how love between different classes is doomed to failure. The environment is used to depict the lives of the people around it, such as the opulence and decadence in East Egg, and a dull, lifeless place in the valley of ashes.Both Fitzgerald and Hartley use the environment and location to show how the class system and the American dream have failed. Despite, 1920’s America being seen as free, it is also seen as being morally corrupt, with parties celebrating sumptuousness. A key idea of The Great Gatsby is how despite the wonderful settings Gatsby and Myrtle (sometimes) live in; they are still no way near achieving the dream life the Buchanans have. Fitzgerald opens The Great Gatsby with his overriding point about the failure of the Ame rican dream.This is symbolized with the stark contrast between East and West Egg; East Egg represents aristocracy, and leisure with the old money, while West Egg represents ostentation, garishness, and the flashy manners of the new money. Although separated by a small expanse of water, East Egg is the glitzier one with â€Å"white palaces†, whilst Nick’s own house in West Egg is described as a â€Å"small eyesore†. The ironic description of â€Å"white palaces† is particularly important throughout the novel because the inhabitants of East Egg are anything but pure and innocent, highlighted by the Bucahnan’s and Jordan.The difference between the fictitious places in New York and real locations is also partly interesting as in the ordinary world the east end is usually the poorer side, which suggests that Fitzgerald believes that it makes no difference either way. The Maudsley residence â€Å"Brandham Hall† in The Go-Between is depicted as the upper-middle class â€Å"Georgian mansion†, however the architectural style is described as â€Å"over-plain†. This is a criticism, by Hartley of the Maudsley’s lifestyle having little substance, much like the Buchanan’s and the manner in which their life is conducted. Court Place†, the home of Leo’s is described as â€Å"ordinary†, with Marcus rather snobbishly presumes this to show grandeur, a further indication that the Maudsley’s are not a family to look up to. Leo’s home is much the same to him as Nick’s â€Å"small eyesore† is to him, loved by the inhabitant. The Valley of Ashes in The Great Gatsby is depicted as a soulless, â€Å"desolate† piece of land. Fitzgerald uses juxtaposition for irony, to depict the area as â€Å" a fantastic farm, where ashes grow like wheat. This emphasizes Fitzgerald’s point that the area is dead and will always be dead, as the crop that grows is already bu rnt out and worthless. The â€Å"ashes† are a metaphor for the people who live in the valley of ashes, as they have no hope of becoming anything, despite the hope of the American dream. †The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg† are the most haunting and resilient symbol in the novel, symbolizing the hopelessness in the novel for all the characters. Wilson’s perspective that the eyes are those of an omniscient God, could suggest that the billboard is a parody of God, as the people are still struggling to live.The colour of â€Å"Doctor T. J. Eckleburg’s† eyes are particularly poignant, with the combination of the â€Å"blue and gigantic† eyes with â€Å"enormous yellow spectacles†, with the blue highlighting the sadness of the residents and the yellow almost mocking them, showing the bright, vibrant life the upper classes have. The billboard symbolizes the fallible American dream, in that it is old and decaying and the Valley is almost forgotten by the entrepreneurs. The American dream is about discovery, individualism and the pursuit of happiness.The Great Gatsby shows that in the 1920’s the ‘old money’ and relaxed social values have corrupted the dream, especially on the east coast, making the pursuit of happiness impossible for the â€Å"gray men† of the Valley of Ashes. The Valley of Ashes is the only location in The Great Gatsby where hopelessness and decay is palpably obvious. The location of it is particularly poignant and important as it is situated between New York and both the Egg’s, which shows that the rich and the newly-rich have to pass through a place where the dream has failed and have to breath the â€Å"powdery air†.Furthermore, the metaphor evidently shows the ‘powdery’ lifestyle that the people live in, where the life is not perfect in any way, which is why the objects and people are described as â€Å"gray† a colour which is not dea d and black, but slightly lighter, suggesting that they only have a small amount of life in them. Wilson’s garage could be seen as a failure of the American dream; a location where there is nothing worth anything and the place lacks hope of any sort, with Fitzgerald describing Wilson as â€Å"spiritless†.The description of the â€Å"dust-covered wreck of a Ford† is a particularly sad one, because Ford was created to have a car for everyone in America, and despite Wilson owning a car, the derelict state give the impression that perhaps the poor never had the potential to have cars and almost act like the rich, which could mean that Fitzgerald is saying the American dream is a false and unrealistic prospect for the vast majority of people. Unlike Wilson, Ted’s farm in The Go-Between is full of life with â€Å"four horses†, and the countryside â€Å"smell of manure†.The farm represents the happiness that the lower classes have in the 1900â€⠄¢s, and reappears at the end of the cricket match. Unlike, Wilson there is still life and hope left in belongings; however Ted’s suicide shows how the path reaches the same conclusion and could represent the failure of the class system, because although there is hope in areas, no inter-class marriages would be accepted. New York is a juxtaposition of the Valley, with its loud, garish, and slightly frightening demeanour. The party at Myrtle’s apartment shows the failure of the American dream, with everyone getting drunk and having fights.Fitzgerald has made Myrtle’s apartment cramped and ugly with â€Å"tapestried furniture†, which makes it easy to â€Å"stumble†¦ over scenes of ladies swinging in the gardens of Versailles. † Fitzgerald has evidently shows that Myrtle wishes to live the life of a affluent French princess, but one that lives in a materialistic way. He wants to show how Myrtle has always longed to be rich. The picture of a †Å"hen sitting on a blurred rock† shows that the lifestyle that Myrtle has in the apartment is metaphorically close to her, yet she will never fully reach it.The city of New York in The Great Gatsby is visited on many occasions in the novel and is depicted as wealthy and garish with its â€Å"movie stars†, yet it comes across as being anything, but happy. Fitzgerald describes it as â€Å"the city rising up †¦ in white heaps and sugar lumps †¦ with a wish of non-olfactory (not smelling money)†. This metaphorical quote shows that New York is a place of short pleasure that dissolves too quickly. The â€Å"white† is again used for irony, suggesting the deceit and impurity of Myrtle, Gatsby and Wolfshiem in New York.The image of the â€Å"facade of†¦a block of delicate pale light, beamed down into the park,† shows that there is actually very little hope in the city. In contrast, the â€Å"atropa belladonna† plant the Leo discovers ap pears to be beautiful, as he admits that despite being poisonous he would â€Å"have to look at it again†, but he soon realises that it is dangerous and poisonous as he destroys it, shortly before Marian and Ted’s affair becomes public. The â€Å"belladonna† is a symbol of beauty, but with an underlying poison in the Maudsley family.Gatsby’s house is similar to Myrtle’s apartment, in that everything seems out of place, as he shows off to his true love Daisy. The â€Å"pile of shirts† that Gatsby owns in â€Å"stripes †¦ in coral and apple green and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  represent the hope that Gatsby has for a life with Daisy despite really knowing that â€Å"rich girls don’t marry poor boys†, because although he has a lot of wealth gathered rather suspiciously, he is no-way near the wealth of the ‘old money’. The colours of the shirts are of great magnitude as they symbolize the innocence of Gatsby’s pursuit, as they are very pure colours.However, the â€Å"Marie Antoinette music rooms† could resemble the fate that Gatsby’s meets as despite the fact that Marie Antoinette was rich she was guillotined in the French revolution, a fate not too dissimilar to that that Gatsby meets. Outside Gatsby’s house is the most important symbol in the novel. The â€Å"green light on the dock† sums up both Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy and the American dream: doomed to failure. The American dream is shown failing right from the first second, when the Dutch settlers, saw the ‘green breast’ and attempted, but ultimately failed to possess it.From an early age Gatsby’s perseverance and hope in the face of adversity epitomises the American dream, but one that is still very much a dream. Overall, both The Go-Between and The Great Gatsby share similar themes and have almost identical conclusions, but the location in both symbolizes many different important them es such as possessions showing how important the person is, for example the â€Å"four candles† outside at the Buchanans house representing the pointless actions that the ‘old’ money have.In the epilogue of The Go-Between Leo sees â€Å"the south-west prospect of the Hall† that was hidden from Leo’s memory could represent new hope and optimism in the future, however the scene of the â€Å"drunken woman† and the image the of â€Å"the Dutch sailors† and Gatsby on his â€Å"blue lawn† are almost ironic claiming that the American dream will never happen, despite all the life put into it. 1650 words 1588 words which mena sthat there is no more than about 60 words avialable on: 1686 words.We have now gone over the word limit by about 100 or so words, so we need to cuct some parts down (get rid of waffle). Also we may need to add a sentence or so on GB and Marie A. Finally we will probably need to have a good think about the intro and conc. /More vale of ash. Unlikely to be pursued with word limit. /Gatsby’s house Chapter 5(need study q’s). In perhaps C4, although this may not be possible Definite Possible * Perhaps the outhouses in GB. More GB stuff is needed so at least 1/3 of the word limit is likely to be on this * Epilogue in GB. Gatsby’s party * The end: likely to be moved to the Conc. * Marie Antoinette Incorporated as background for on eof ghe already done paragraphs. This will leave about 200 words for the Intro. And Conc. We may have to incorporate the end as part of the conclusion, which q. frankly isn’t a bad idea. Use sparknotes for aide One point; the GB is likely to b e the worse of the two novels, and I would like slightly more information about some for the parts before I get the wrong impression (yeah I blame it on you Debbie Houghton).AND we no longer have the GB for reference, but hopefully I will manage to cope (somehow, someway). We have about 1+1 weekends to fin ish it, therefore I hope to finish ASAP and checked as this will give me time to think over changes, but the quicker the better (and seeing as we’re only likely to add a max of 4 paragraphs, I wouldn’t panic too much. On the social class sheet the following things were put down (that I haven’t of yet done): * Buchanan’s house * Ted’s farm (will do) Gatsby’s parties (not sure if I will be able to get this in, but I will try) * Gatsby’s mansion (to some extent) Therefore I need to think about these ideas. We have approx. 13 days left, so only 2 weekends, BUT 1 Saturday we have Ding Dong and the other Orchestra Yet to complete * Getting the word limit down * Improving various phrasing (last weekend) * Perhaps improving the intro * We also have to do the summary grid for Dave for this Tuesday * Impressive vocabularyThe word count now is at 1670, which I’m reasonably pleased with 4 a 1st draft as it is (only) 20 words or so over the upper limit which is OK. Good Luck in finishing it over the next 2 weeks Yours truly, Chris J Hosking xx 2nd draft: 1711 words, I will needd to get rid of 50 at least. All the changes have now pretty much been implemented, so its up to you (me) to get the word limit down. Good Luck Aim to prnit next Tuesday after we have a FINAL check.

How Index Fossils Help Define Geologic Time

How Index Fossils Help Define Geologic Time Every fossil tells us something about the age of the rock its found in, and index fossils are the ones that tell us the most. Index fossils (also called key fossils or type fossils) are those that are used to define periods of geologic time. Characteristics  of an Index Fossil A good index fossil is one with four characteristics: it is distinctive, widespread, abundant, and limited in geologic time. Because most fossil-bearing rocks formed in the ocean, the major index fossils are marine organisms. That being said, certain land organisms are useful in young rocks and specific regions. Boom-And-Bust Organisms Any type of organism can be distinctive, but not so many are widespread. Many important index fossils are of organisms that start life as floating eggs and infant stages, which allowed them to populate the world using ocean currents. The most successful of these became abundant, yet at the same time, they became the most vulnerable to environmental change and extinction. Thus, their time on Earth may have been confined to a short period of time. That boom-and-bust characteristic is what makes the best index fossils. Trilobites, Hard-Shelled Invertebrates Consider trilobites, a very good index fossil for Paleozoic rocks that lived in all parts of the ocean. Trilobites were a class of animal, just like mammals or reptiles, meaning that the individual species within the class had noticeable differences. Trilobites were constantly evolving new species during their existence, which lasted 270 million years from Middle Cambrian time to the end of the Permian Period, or almost the entire length of the Paleozoic. Because they were mobile animals, they tended to inhabit large, even global areas. They were also hard-shelled invertebrates, so they fossilized easily. These fossils are large enough to study without a microscope. Other index fossils of this type include ammonites, crinoids, rugose corals, brachiopods, bryozoans, and mollusks. The USGS offers a more detailed list of invertebrate fossils (with scientific names only). Small or Microscopic Fossils Other major index fossils are small or microscopic, part of the floating plankton in the world ocean. These are handy because of their small size. They can be found even in small bits of rock, such as wellbore cuttings. Because their tiny bodies rained down all over the ocean, they can be found in all kinds of rocks. Therefore, the petroleum industry has made great use of index microfossils, and geologic time is broken down in quite fine detail by various schemes based on graptolites, fusulinids, diatoms, and radiolarians.   The rocks of the ocean floor are geologically young, as they are constantly subducted and recycled into the Earths mantle. Thus, marine index fossils older than 200 million years are normally found in sedimentary strata on land in areas that were once covered by seas.   Terrestrial Rocks For terrestrial rocks, which form on land, regional or continental index fossils may include small rodents that evolve quickly, as well as larger animals that have wide geographic ranges. These form the basis of provincial time divisions.   Defining Ages, Epochs, Periods, and Eras Index fossils are used in the formal architecture of geologic time for defining the ages, epochs, periods, and eras of the geologic time scale. Some of the boundaries of these subdivisions are defined by mass extinction events, like the Permian-Triassic extinction. The evidence for these events is found in the fossil record wherever there is a disappearance of major groups of species within a geologically short amount of time.   Related fossil types include the characteristic fossil, a fossil that belongs to a period but doesnt define it, and the guide fossil, one that helps narrow down a time range rather than nail it down.

The Basics of Quantum Mechanics essays

The Basics of Quantum Mechanics essays Quantum Mechanics is the science of subatomic particles and their behavior patterns that are observed in nature. As the foundation of scientific knowledge approached the start of the twentieth century, problems began to arise over the fact that excellent physical ideas were not capable of explaining the observed behavior of subatomic particles. In 1913, the Danish physicist Neils Bohr proposed a successful quantum model of the atom that began the process of a more defined understanding of its subatomic particles. It was accepted in the early part of the twentieth century that light traveled as both waves and particles. The reason light appears to act as a wave and particle is that we are noticing the accumulation of many light particles distributed over the probabilities of where each particle could be. In 1923, Louis De Broglie hypothesized that subatomic particles exhibit wavelike and particle properties for the same reason. The success of these theories inspired physicists to dev elop a way to describe the behavior of subatomic phenomena regarding both waves and particles using mathematics. Newton's laws, the basis of classic physical ideas, help obtain precise information about the location of an object at any future time. Classical physics assumes all collisions and positions of particles can be measured at once. The dual wave-particle nature of electrons flew in the face of such beliefs. In a changing environment, as is the quality of the electron, classical physical attributes of position and momentum are fleeting phenomena. No atomic particle can have both of these properties at the same time. An electron cannot be observed without changing its state. The simultaneous measurement of two conjugate variables such as the momentum and position or the energy and time for a moving particle entails a limitation on the precision of each measurement. This observance is what Werner Heisenberg referred to as the principle of uncerta...

Barriers to Health Maintenance and Disease Prevention

Barriers to Health Maintenance and Disease Prevention Redante Castro Introduction: There are many factors that interfere with health equity and the ability of the patients to get their healthcare needs met. Whether people are healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances and environment. There are challenges that a patient and healthcare providers encounters in securing and providing health services. These social determinants of health, such as income, education, transportation, housing, and race or ethnicity, have powerful influence on a patient’s life long before they arrive at a hospital or clinic. According to literature, persistent social exclusion and inequities in wealth distribution and in access and use of services are reflected in health outcomes. Social exclusions and inequity are obstacles to human development. It poses barriers to poverty reduction strategies. It hinders social unity and improved health conditions of the populations. Social exclusion and inequity are further compounded by racial and gende r discrimination. There are health disadvantages due to differences between segments of populations or between societies. There are health gaps arising from the differences between the worse-off and everyone else. Lastly, there are health gradients relating to differences across spectrum of the population. Studies have shown that the poorest of the poor have the worst health. This is also a global phenomenon, seen in low, middle, and high income countries. Within countries, studies showed that a person with low socioeconomic position has worse health- this is the social gradient of health. The poorest have the highest mortality rates. Improvements in income and education has a positive effect on health. One’s occupation is also relevant to health in terms of workplace risks exposure and its role in positioning the person along a society’s hierarchy. There is also demographic transition to consider that affects health, i.e., increasing life expectancy, increasing number of youths, growing number of elderly persons in the population, increased migration, and rapid urban growth. Population distribution and population age structure are crucial determinants of social, economic, and health-related services. For example, people in poverty are likely to be exposed to higher level of stress, economic uncertainty, and unhealthy conditions than their wealthier countrymen. It was recognized by some policymakers and stakeholders that the population’s health cannot be sustained by focusing solely on the financing and distribution of medical services. A more comprehensive and integrated strategies are necessary to foster health in all policies. An approach that integrate considerations of health, well-being, and equity in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies and services. Determinants of health are being acknowledged and incorporated into health reform processes and policy changes are made. Examples of these policy changes are: reg ulation of alcohol and tobacco products, the expansion of healthier transportation systems (bicycle paths, pedestrian-friendly roads, and pathways), improvement in air and water quality, expansion of primary health care services, and improvements in nutrition programs. This new focus has helped divert the emphasis away from individual lifestyles and from a focus on disease towards broader determinants and actions that created a big impact on population health. However, it is probably fair to say that all community issues are political to some degree. For example, if a factory is poisoning town water system with its effluent and poisonous waste, local officials are faced with the choice of not dealing with the actual cause of the problem, i.e., the dumping of waste and endangering citizen’s health, or addressing the dumping and endangering citizen’s job. Differences of political opinion can have enormous consequences in the health of the community.

"Financing, Valuation, and Rating Agencies" Coursework

"Financing, Valuation, and Rating Agencies" - Coursework Example Equity financing involves the sale of ownership right to interested partners. The money raised through equity financing is much higher than any other form of funding and is not limited or regulated (Williams, 2012). Investors can pump in money that the convenience store can overcome startup hurdles and grow in a very short period. The money contributed by investors is not returnable; thus the store will run till it breaks even so as to start the cash recovery. Shareholders bring along valuable skills and information to the convenience store. It is easier to achieve a target when different people are working towards the goal than when alone (Chandra, 2010). There are high expectations of success and responsibility as compared to debt financing. Capital raised from debt financing is limited and returnable. Expectations are low for debt financing as compared to equity funding, and collateral may limit finance required. Convenience stores are excellent avenues for revenue generation. Capital required is high as the risk of running it also stands high. With equity financing, enough money can be raised to steer off high growth and develop a consumer-oriented

About real estate in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

About real estate in China - Essay Example Even they have experienced appreciation in price too. In this scenario certain statistics can be encompassed. Prices of high-end real estate have risen up to 54% from September of the year 2009 and the price became $500 per square foot. Even only in November, the housing prices rose 5.7% in 70 major cities. Construction of houses had drafted a nationwide staggering rise of 194 percent (Bloomberg Business week, â€Å"Is China Headed for A Major Real Estate Bubble?†). Not only the real estate but also the economy of China has also been booming. China has experienced a growth of 17.4% in the average annual rate of foreign trade. It has increased up to US$ 2,173.7 billion from US$ 20.6 billion over last 30 years (Xinhua, â€Å"China Ranks 2nd with 8.8% Of Worlds Exports  In 2007†). With economic growth, purchasing power of an individual will also be high and at the same time their consumption level will also enhance. It indicates that they will either opt for luxury or will seek for investment option. In both the situations, real estate industry will be benefited. Being a student of Finance and possessing sound knowledge in economics, I am well aware of the recent economic developments in China. Moreover it has left its footprint in the world economy during the global recession. It will be my privilege to work in such an economy. Even it is a recognized fact that getting involved with an industry in its growth period is a way of enhancing experience level. Real estate business of China is also booming and enjoyed a huge growth in last few years. Therefore being a professional, it will be a great opportunity for me to join your organization of repute and raise my career graph. I have completed my education from United States. I possess an MBA degree with specialization in Finance. Therefore I have a strong background in Finance. Even while pursuing MBA, I was engaged with the study of economics as

DB 8 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

DB 8 - Research Paper Example Slight improvements were realized from the year ended 2008 to the year ended 2009 as compared to the percentage improvements in values from the year ended 2009 to the year ended 2010 that were greater. Net sales and cost of sales increased by one percent from the year ended 2008 and by five percent and six percent respectively from the year ended 2009 to the year ended 2010. The change in gross profit from 2008 to 2009 was therefore a result of increased number of sold units because the changes in sales and cost of the sales were the same. Cost of sales however increased by a larger margin than change in net sales, in the following period, and this was a setback to trend in gross profit. It could be attributed to production inefficiencies and other sales factors (Delaney and Whittington, 2010). Even though operating income had an increasing trend over the three-year period, the pattern was slightly different from the trend in net sales and cost of sales. ... The trend in operating income was however symmetrical to the trend in net income to indicate a constant trend in non-operational expenses (Rich, Jones, Mowen and Haansen, 2009). The trend analysis of RadioShack Corporation from the year 2008 to the year 2010 therefore identifies increased operations that translate to increased profitability level. Average operational costs also increased in the period and was more significant in the year ended 2010, having increased at a higher rate than rate of increment in gross profit. The Corporation should therefore take care to balance its sales objectives with the involved costs of achieving the objectives in order to avoid higher sales levels that lead to losses. The company’s net income however maintained a growth trend by the year 2010 and positive prospects can be predicted (Harrison, Horngren, 2008). Updated trend analysis up to the year 2012 The corporation’s data was updated for net sales, cost of sales, gross profit, oper ating income and net income up to the year 2012 and trend analysis conducted. The following table shows the generated indices for the items from the year ended 2008 to the year ended 2012. Trend analysis: 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 Net sales 100.80% 103.60% 106% 101% 100% Cost of sales 117.10% 111.50% 107% 101% 100% Gross profit (Net sales – Cost of sales) 81.20% 94.20% 104.58% 102.08% 100% Gross profit rate _ _ 105% 102% 100% Operating income -18.90% 48.10% 116% 115% 100% Net income (net loss) -73.60% 38.10% 109% 108% 100% Trend in RadioShack Corporation’s performance assumed a decreasing pattern from the year 2010 apart from cost of sales that continued to rise. Trend in net sales fell from the year ended 2010, was almost equivalent to the net sales value in the year ended 2008 and

Canadian Training Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Canadian Training Systems - Essay Example h programs in the long run can be neglected in no respect and neither can the positive outcomes of training on the productivity and success of various other establishments in the market be kept unseen. I personally do believe that a meager 0.25% increment on payrolls of employees during training is inadequate and dissatisfactory, so as to keep them going and making them believe in their capabilities and the importance of what they learn during the training process. A 1% increment will to some extent, solve some if not all of the problems that these valuable gems of our organizational family face in their day to day lives. I have full confidence in the project and hope that it will bring success and fame, leading us to prosperity. returns to training investments in workplaces. The benefits from such investments in Germany and Japan have been remarkable and have encouraged other countries to follow suit. Workplace training since long has been a black box in terms of our human resource management system. The AET (adult education and training) and IAC (industrial assessment center) surveys carried out in most industries all over the country; reveal the importance and requirement of employee as well as employer training. Training can be categorized into formal and informal. The WTS (workplace training surveys) say that training in 75% of all establishments all over Canada is informal. The type of training that includes proper vision, pre-defined objectives, a structural format and a defined curriculum may be defined as the formal dimension of training. Informal training may include monitoring relationships, experimental learning and sharing knowledge among employees. These methods could be highly flexible, versatile and effective. However, with these, our statistical profile of training and its efficiency does still remain mostly incomplete. Training, more specifically the formal version, takes place in larger establishments and organizations rather than the smaller

Importance of Organizations to find our the Needs and Wants of its Essay

Importance of Organizations to find our the Needs and Wants of its Customers - Essay Example Here, both qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative research (survey) methods can be applied to gain information on whether it is important for organizations to seek out customer’s needs and wants about a particular service in the market. Our needs make up our survival kit while wants are the desires we have towards a particular good or service. According to (Davies 2005 pp98), most of our needs and wants are satisfied by products and services in the market once we purchase them. For full customer satisfaction, it is important for the providers of these services to have knowledge of what sells best in the market for the customer to go for. In order to achieve this knowledge, marketing research has to be done by the various companies providing these services in order to understand the choice and preferences of its customers in order for the company to compete effectively in the market. The following are some of the differences between the two research methods commonly used t oday. Some of the differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods Qualitative research seeks out the why but not how things happen throughout the analysis of unstructured information. It does not rely on the numbers or statistics like in quantitative research. ... On the other hand, quantitative research methods will try to collect information in the form of numbers. For instance in the Nashville international airport industry, the researcher uses the functional independence measure commonly abbreviated as FMI to collect information on the passengers functional abilities from the time the customer enters the airport until he/she leaves the airport (Holloway & Plant 2004). Qualitative research is used to gain insight in to people’s behavior, their attitudes towards a particular airline, their motivations, concerns and lifestyles. After collecting data the researcher seats back then interprets the information received. For instance in the southwest airline, the researcher can ask questions like: do you take long before our staff serves you? How do you find cleanliness in our company? Is our airline secure for you to travel with? After getting feedback from these passengers, the researcher now seats down then interprets the information fro m the answers provided by the customers. Quantitative research deals with quantities of things and involves measured of these things. For instance, a group of passengers in the Nashville international airport taking a flight to the same destination say from London to New York. Here, information is gathered by use of objective measurements or even the functional assessment tools (Litosellite 2004). Focus groups Vs. Surveys According to (Kolb 2008) there is a debate as to which type of research is best by many marketing firms. Is it better to carry out a survey in our company or will the focus groups provide the required answers to our success? The difference between the two is that focus groups are a qualitative research approach while the survey form part of the quantitative

DB 8 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

DB 8 - Research Paper Example Slight improvements were realized from the year ended 2008 to the year ended 2009 as compared to the percentage improvements in values from the year ended 2009 to the year ended 2010 that were greater. Net sales and cost of sales increased by one percent from the year ended 2008 and by five percent and six percent respectively from the year ended 2009 to the year ended 2010. The change in gross profit from 2008 to 2009 was therefore a result of increased number of sold units because the changes in sales and cost of the sales were the same. Cost of sales however increased by a larger margin than change in net sales, in the following period, and this was a setback to trend in gross profit. It could be attributed to production inefficiencies and other sales factors (Delaney and Whittington, 2010). Even though operating income had an increasing trend over the three-year period, the pattern was slightly different from the trend in net sales and cost of sales. ... The trend in operating income was however symmetrical to the trend in net income to indicate a constant trend in non-operational expenses (Rich, Jones, Mowen and Haansen, 2009). The trend analysis of RadioShack Corporation from the year 2008 to the year 2010 therefore identifies increased operations that translate to increased profitability level. Average operational costs also increased in the period and was more significant in the year ended 2010, having increased at a higher rate than rate of increment in gross profit. The Corporation should therefore take care to balance its sales objectives with the involved costs of achieving the objectives in order to avoid higher sales levels that lead to losses. The company’s net income however maintained a growth trend by the year 2010 and positive prospects can be predicted (Harrison, Horngren, 2008). Updated trend analysis up to the year 2012 The corporation’s data was updated for net sales, cost of sales, gross profit, oper ating income and net income up to the year 2012 and trend analysis conducted. The following table shows the generated indices for the items from the year ended 2008 to the year ended 2012. Trend analysis: 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 Net sales 100.80% 103.60% 106% 101% 100% Cost of sales 117.10% 111.50% 107% 101% 100% Gross profit (Net sales – Cost of sales) 81.20% 94.20% 104.58% 102.08% 100% Gross profit rate _ _ 105% 102% 100% Operating income -18.90% 48.10% 116% 115% 100% Net income (net loss) -73.60% 38.10% 109% 108% 100% Trend in RadioShack Corporation’s performance assumed a decreasing pattern from the year 2010 apart from cost of sales that continued to rise. Trend in net sales fell from the year ended 2010, was almost equivalent to the net sales value in the year ended 2008 and

Importance of Organizations to find our the Needs and Wants of its Essay

Importance of Organizations to find our the Needs and Wants of its Customers - Essay Example Here, both qualitative (focus groups) and quantitative research (survey) methods can be applied to gain information on whether it is important for organizations to seek out customer’s needs and wants about a particular service in the market. Our needs make up our survival kit while wants are the desires we have towards a particular good or service. According to (Davies 2005 pp98), most of our needs and wants are satisfied by products and services in the market once we purchase them. For full customer satisfaction, it is important for the providers of these services to have knowledge of what sells best in the market for the customer to go for. In order to achieve this knowledge, marketing research has to be done by the various companies providing these services in order to understand the choice and preferences of its customers in order for the company to compete effectively in the market. The following are some of the differences between the two research methods commonly used t oday. Some of the differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods Qualitative research seeks out the why but not how things happen throughout the analysis of unstructured information. It does not rely on the numbers or statistics like in quantitative research. ... On the other hand, quantitative research methods will try to collect information in the form of numbers. For instance in the Nashville international airport industry, the researcher uses the functional independence measure commonly abbreviated as FMI to collect information on the passengers functional abilities from the time the customer enters the airport until he/she leaves the airport (Holloway & Plant 2004). Qualitative research is used to gain insight in to people’s behavior, their attitudes towards a particular airline, their motivations, concerns and lifestyles. After collecting data the researcher seats back then interprets the information received. For instance in the southwest airline, the researcher can ask questions like: do you take long before our staff serves you? How do you find cleanliness in our company? Is our airline secure for you to travel with? After getting feedback from these passengers, the researcher now seats down then interprets the information fro m the answers provided by the customers. Quantitative research deals with quantities of things and involves measured of these things. For instance, a group of passengers in the Nashville international airport taking a flight to the same destination say from London to New York. Here, information is gathered by use of objective measurements or even the functional assessment tools (Litosellite 2004). Focus groups Vs. Surveys According to (Kolb 2008) there is a debate as to which type of research is best by many marketing firms. Is it better to carry out a survey in our company or will the focus groups provide the required answers to our success? The difference between the two is that focus groups are a qualitative research approach while the survey form part of the quantitative

Individual Assignment Process Improvement Plan Essay Example for Free

Individual Assignment Process Improvement Plan Essay Individual Assignment: Process Improvement Plan  · Complete the Statistical Process Control for the process identified in Week One.  · Write a 1,050 words (maximum) explanation of the control limits including the calculations and data used to determine them.  · Discuss the effect of any seasonal factors using the process performance data collected each week.  · Discuss the confidence intervals and their usefulness based on the number of data points. General Questions General General Questions Complete the Statistical Process Control for the process identified in Week One. Write a paper of no more than 1,050 words in which you explanation of the control limits, including the calculations and data used to determine them. (I expect everyone to use the data that they have collected and create a control chart for your process. I want to see your calculations for the upper and lower control limits as well as the raw data). Discuss the effect of any seasonal factors using the process performance data collected each week. Discuss the confidence intervals and their usefulness based on the number of data points. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. When choosing your major, think about the kind of job you want, but think about the person you are. If you are someone who doesnt want to get up before noon, for example, you might not want to choose a major where the job possibilities require you to work early in the morning. In this file OPS 571 Week 5 Individual Assignment Process Improvement Plan you can find overview of the Statistical process control (SPC) Individual Assignment: Process Improvement Plan  · Complete the Statistical Process Control f Complete course guide available here https://bitly.com/12CiLPG When choosing your major, think about the kind of job you want, but think about the person you are. If you are someone who doesnt want to get up before noon, for example, you might not want to choose a major where the job possibilities require you to work early in the morning. General Questions General General Questions Complete the Statistical Process Control for the process identified in Week One. Write a paper of no more than 1,050 words in which you explanation of the control limits, including the calculations and data used to determine them. (I expect everyone to use the data that they have collected and create a control chart for your process. I want to see your calculations for the upper and lower control limits as well as the raw data). Discuss the effect of any seasonal factors using the process performance data collected each week. Discuss the confidence intervals and their usefulness based on the number of data points. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Radiographer Abnormality Detection Schemes

Radiographer Abnormality Detection Schemes Maariyah Iqbal   INTRODUCTION In this chapter, the background of the problem will be presented. This will be followed by the research problem as well as the particular purpose and question, specifically highlighting why the topic area chosen is of great interest. 1.1 Background The National Health Service (NHS) provides healthcare for all citizens within the United Kingdom (UK) and it is funded by taxes; the core principles of the NHS are to meet the needs of everyone and it is based on a patients clinical need(s) and not on their ability to pay (Slee et al., 2008). The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2017 provides guidance on how to promote good health as well as prevention and treatment of health. The NHS in England receives over 1 million patients approximately every 36 hours, and this organisation employs over an estimated of 1.5 million people making it to one of the top five worlds largest workforces (NHS Choices, 2016). Despite the success of the services of the NHS there is more work needed to continue to improve services and deliver care (NHS Improvement, 2015). Therefore, the NHS continues to remain under pressure as there are further increases in demand for care (NHS Improvement, 2015). This means an increased demand for all health care practitioners, including Radiographers. The demand for services means increased waiting times, may lead to increased work pressure. To improve services the department of health set an ongoing standard for the NHS where the patient spends four hours or less in the Accident and Emergency (AE) from arrival to admission or discharge (House of commons, 2005). However, a report from the Kings Fund (2016) shows that AE departments are soaring to six million patients attending, this is placing a huge strain on services making it difficult to meet this target. Data from the briefing paper from Houses of Parliament (Appendix 1) show that in some areas such as; Greater London and Manchester there was 26-32% of patients that waited for more than four hours. Increased demands of work continue to leave the NHS under pressure as there are further increases in demand for care, and issues with being able to discharge medically fit patients (NHS Improvement, 2015). Extracted from the quarterly data summary issue (2008), in England one of the main issues surrounding discharging of patients is that they are still awaiting results of tests and discharge forms are not being complete in time (NHS England, 2015). Good planning in regards to discharging is imperative as it will improve patient flow and satisfactory, and can also decrease the chances of patients being readmitted again (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2016). The department of health puts forward ten operating principles in regards to discharging, one of which is the multidisciplinary team working together to plan care, and make decisions on the process and timing of discharging (Nursing Standard, 2010). Professionals can extend their roles beyond their scope of practice, and can be further trained to contribute to discharging of patients which can ease pressures of other staff in the AE department such as; doctors. Research also taken from (Graysons, no date) showed that a search search by the NHS Litigation Authority for descriptions of failure/delay diagnosis or incorrect diagnosis in 2014/15. The results of the response showed, 183 mentions of fractures. This highlighted that misinterpretation of images was also one of the factors of delayed discharge. In the context of clinical imaging, radiographers reporting on images is well established in the UK and it makes a major contribution to clinical imaging services and contribution to multidisciplinary care (The Society of Radiographers, 2017). A study was carried out by Snaith (2007) whereby three reporting radiographers were trained to discharge patients or refer to AE (Accident Emergency) for further assessment. The results were significant and showed that that 1760 examinations were reviews, 5% of these were discharged and 2% were referred. However, the number of patients recalled due to incorrect interpretation was decreased by 52% in those 4 months compared with the previous 3 years data (The College of Radiographers, 2017). This shows that Radiographers can extend their role not just within clinical imaging services, but also outside of their department by contributing to the management of patients and decreasing the risk of radiographic misinterpretation. Initially, radiographers produce high quality images of the body, screen for abnormalities and take part in surgical examinations to identify and diagnose injury and disease (The National Careers Service, 2016). Thus, being able to distinguish between normal and abnormal appearances that are evident on images is one of the standards that should be met by a radiographer (HCPC, 2017). The red dot system is implemented by radiographers in emergency departments to highlight acute abnormalities. Radiography Abnormality Detection Schemes (RADS) is one of the ways in which radiographers interpret images produced. They are able to make an initial interpretation on images obtained which gives them a proactive role in the diagnostic process, and assists doctors in the correct interpretation of radiographic images (SoR, no date). However, despite there being a set standard for radiographers to meet. Clinical imaging services are under increasing pressure year on year as radiographers are required to enhance the quality of the image, productivity, which is difficult due to staffing levels (Beardmore, 2013). In addition, these problematic areas can have a knock-on effect on other significant areas within the NHS; such as supervision of newly qualified and students that are training there. After research, the author has found that there is a variation in of training in hospitals and university, as the time that students spend on clinical placement has found to be different. The University of Leeds (2017) 50% of the course is in clinical placement, however, students at the Birmingham City University (2017) spend 35% of their course on clinical placement. This highlights there is a variation in clinical placement and this could affect the new registrants that may not be equally competent once qualified or even mee t a certain threshold. Ultimately, all students must meet specific standards in order to receive their Health and care professions council (HCPC) registration to be able to become and work as a newly qualified radiographer (the Society and College of Radiographers, 2017). The HCPC is an independent regulator, it regulates 15 other professions besides radiographers, they are established to protect the public by maintaining a register of all those that hold the protected title of social worker, so that registrants practice safely, legally and effectively (University of Bedfordshire, 2017). The HCPC set standards, approve courses that meet those standards, register those who pass the courses and clinical competencies, and hold them to their standards. In relation to diagnostic radiography, they set standards of proficiency for all radiographers which set out safe and effective practice, it covers areas in depth; so, all radiographers should be able to maintain fitness and practice (Health and Care Professions Council, 2013), this is elaborated on further from on section 3 to 3.3 (Appendix 2). It is vital that all standards that are discussed and mentioned, are met in order to be able to receive the registration. Additionally, once qualified and registered under the HCPC; a newly qualified radiographer is supported on their job role by a period of preceptorship. Although there is no defined period of preceptorship it is support for those that have newly qualified. It is a period of adaptation to a job role, consolidating knowledge and skills till he or she is able to work as an autonomous radiographer. (The Society and College of Radiographers, 2017). Moreover, as there is a shortage of staff as the NHS staff survey conducted in 2013 that showed that the staff stated that they felt under pressure and over worked, as they were working extra hours increasing from 69.7% to 70.5% from the previous year (UNISON, 2014). This highlights that training students, or even supporting staff within an organisation can be difficult as staff can be difficult due to staffing issues and work pressures. However, from research the author has found that an increase of patients will mean an increase in the range and capability of clinical images which will consequent needs of training radiographers to safely extend their roles. Moreover, initial training whereby it leads to either role extension, or continuing professional development are integral to radiographic practice (The Society of Radiographers, 2017). Radiographers are expected to build on their postgraduate qualifications and clinical managers are encouraged to embed this use of learning tool in radiographers personal development reviews (The Society of Radiographers, 2017). In context, of this radiographer are able to extend their roles by Radiographer Abnormality Detection Schemes (RADS). RADS allows radiographers to red dot images which put a mark on the image suggesting there is an abnormality present (Carver and Carver, 2012). Thus, making it easier for the clinician/referrer to look at when reporting on it. Being able to implement RADS can help to reduce errors and improve accuracy (Chan, 2007). The aim of this system is to assist emergency departments, especially when there is a shortage of staff such as; radiologists that do the reporting w hich helps location of the abnormality to be commented on sooner (Coelho and Rodrigues, no date). The basis of the problem around RADS will now be further discussed, which will be able to give an insight of the purpose of this research. 1.1 Research Problem RADS has become an accepted norm for radiographers (Carver and Carver, 2012). Before implementing RADS, it is essential that radiographers are able to evaluate and manipulate images for quality purposes which allows them to the be able to understand the image to implement RADS. A study carried out by Brearly et al., 2005 which looked at the accuracy of radiographers use of the red dot system with and without training on this area, and whether or not they can assess how a normal image would be presented. There was a significant improvement found in the sensitivity for detecting abnormalities, however, there was no change in the actual specificity. This highlights that, after training took place radiographers were able to red dot more images than before the training took place, however, the number of radiographs that radiographers selected as being normal there was no change found. Therefore, the validity of this study is limited as it not clear on whether the sample of radiographs before and after training were comparable. However, Hardy and Culpan (2007) carried out a study whereby they assessed radiographers before and after training in their ability to red dot images. They introduced a training programme for 10 weeks, the results showed that their accurac y as a group increased for 89.9% to 93% and their sensitivity (number of abnormal images) however, the specificity (number of normal images) decreased slightly from 96.4% to 96.1%. The study highlights, that although the results are not statistically significant, with appropriate training it can have an overall positive effect on the use of radiographer abnormality detection schemes. Despite there being a significant amount of research on this topic area, there is no clear evidence whether or not training improves the implementation of red dotting. 1.1 Research purpose and question The purpose of this research is to give an insight on whether training improves newly qualified radiographers in implementing RADS in practice or not. This case will be further developed with the use of a literature review. References Birmingham City University. (2017). Diagnostic Radiography: BSc (Hons). Available: http://www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/diagnostic-radiography-2017-18. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017 Net Doctor. (2017). What is the NHS?. Available: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health-services/nhs/a4489/what-is-the-nhs/. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. NHS Choices . (2016). The NHS in England. Available: http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/thenhs/about/Pages/overview.aspx. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. NHS Improvement. (2015). NHS providers working hard, but still under pressure . Available: https://improvement.nhs.uk/news-alerts/nhs-providers-working-hard-still-under-pressure/. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. Teesside University. (2017). BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography. Available: https://www.tees.ac.uk/undergraduate_courses/Health__Social_Care/BSc_(Hons)_Diagnostic_Radiography.cfm. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. The Kings Fund. (2017). Demand for NHS services soars to record levels. Available: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/press/press-releases/demand-nhs-services-soars-record-levels. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. The National Careers Service. (2016). Radiographer. Available: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/job-profiles/radiographer. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. UNISON. (2014). Running on empty NHS staff stretched to the limit. Available: https://www.unison.org.uk/content/uploads/2014/04/On-line-Catalogue222452.pdf. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. Parliamentary. (no date). Accident and Emergency Statistics: Demand, performance and pressure. Available: http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN06964. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. The Health and Care Professions Council. (2017). Standards of Proficiency. Available: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10000DBDStandards_of_Proficiency_Radiographers.pdf. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. The Society of Radiographers. (no date). Radiographer abnormality detection schemes in the trauma environment. Available: http://www.sor.org/system/files/article/201109/ab_detection_clinical_260607.pdf. Last accessed 9th Feb 2017. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=j8vohIcgiiACpg=PA264dq=what+is+red+dotting+in+radiographyhl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwia0cm_h4vSAhVTF8AKHXsnDu0Q6AEIQDAG#v=onepageq=what%20is%20red%20dotting%20in%20radiographyf=false https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=_W0RhyluKncCpg=PT33dq=why+is+the+red+dot+system+importanthl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwimt62ak4vSAhVpJ8AKHUm6DPoQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepageq=why%20is%20the%20red%20dot%20system%20importantf=false http://repositorio.chporto.pt/bitstream/10400.16/842/1/CR11a.pdf https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6998900_Accuracy_of_radiographers_red_dot_or_triage_of_accident_and_emergency_radiographs_in_clinical_practice_A_systematic_review https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5Hf4xWVXwxoCpg=PA376dq=The+National+Health+Service+(NHS)+provides+healthcare+for+all+citizens+within+the+United+Kingdom+(UK)+and+it+is+funded+by+taxes.hl=ensa=Xved=0ahUKEwjm3tWB-Y3SAhWKD8AKHbTzAtcQ6AEIGjAA#v=onepageq=The%20National%20Health%20Service%20(NHS)%20provides%20healthcare%20for%20all%20citizens%20within%20the%20United%20Kingdom%20(UK)%20and%20it%20is%20funded%20by%20taxes.f=false https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmpubacc/445/445.pdf http://www.nrls.npsa.nhs.uk/resources/?EntryId45=59854 http://www.radiographyonline.com/article/S1078-8174(05)00159-8/abstract http://www.graysons.co.uk/advice/the-top-misdiagnosed-conditions-in-nhs-hospitals/#misdiagnosed https://www.caregiver.org/hospital-discharge-planning-guide-families-and-caregivers http://journals.rcni.com/userimages/ContentEditor/1373367855606/Discharge-planning.pdf http://www.radiographyonline.com/article/S1078-8174(03)00069-5/abstract https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/departments/appliedsocialstudies/reforms-in-social-work-education/the-health-and-care-professions-council-hcpc http://www.radiographyonline.com/article/S1078-8174(05)00159-8/abstract Appendices Appendix 1: AE waiting times in England: Patients spending over 4 hours in major AE departments (Parliamentary, no date) Appendix 2 (Health and Care Professions Council, 2013). Further websites could be used https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232221820_Evaluating_the_true_clinical_utility_of_the_red_dot_system_in_radiograph_interpretation could be used for intro and literature review http://shura.shu.ac.uk/9450/1/Naylor_PhD.pdf