Saturday, August 31, 2019

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Analyzed, Interpreted, and Theorized Essay

Obsession is defined by preoccupying or filling the mind of (someone) continually, intrusively, and to a troubling extent (dictionary.com). A compulsion is defined as to force or drive, especially to a course of action. All of this grouped together with a psychological irregularity can describe someone going through Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Those suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder have recurring thoughts, feelings, and ideas to feel driven to accomplish a certain task, usually cleaning, counting, fixing, etc. These people feel anxiety because of their reoccurring compulsions and can only be rid of it by acting on the thought which is called thought-action fusion. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder effects maybe 1 out of 100 children in the US and a total 3% of people in the general population due to recent research completed by the WHO www.ocdeducationstation.org ). I think the prevalence of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in children is so low because Obsessive Compulsive D isorder is a generalized biological vulnerability, meaning the child has a heritable contribution to negative effects. This means that the child has learned from outside sources; parents, teachers, friends; that a certain stimuli will bring about a certain set of feelings and therefore actions (thought action fusion). Some research studies done by the National Institute of Health have shown that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is caused by an uncommon mutation of the human serotonin transporter gene (www.ocdeducationstation.org). Another theory explained in an article in the JAMA Network Journal by Ben J. Harrison; PHD states that those who have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder have an altered corticostriatal function in the brain. This corticostriatal function means the networks of nerves in the brain. It was shown in their research that those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder have even higher functionality than those without Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This does not mean a higher IQ or brain function; it only means altered networks create abnormal and reoccurring thoughts and actions. I believe Obsessive  Compulsive Disorder to be a learned or conditioned response to events taught by those responsible for early development. This hypothesis comes from an article in Psychiatry research by Francesco Catapano that shows the relationship between levels of melatonin and cortisol, the stress hormone, in those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder compared to those who do not have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Their findings showed that those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder had lower melatonin levels giving them irregular sleep patterns and abnormal circadian rhythms. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder patients were also found to have higher doses of cortisol in their blood in comparison to the healthy control group. More research was done on the subject by Xinhua Zhang; MD who claims that aft6er treating a patient with a brain tumor, the patient began to have compulsive thoughts about her children and husband living longer than her. She realized these thoughts were unnecessary and went back to the hospital. Xinhua Zhang concluded that since the tumor excavation took place in the right frontal lobe that this is where obsessions originate and the surgery caused her to behave abnormally. Upon further research I’ve found that the right frontal lobe is the perfect place for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to spawn from because the frontal lobe is said to control our emotions and cause us to be different in personality (www.neuroskills.com ). There has been a lot of research on the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and it almost always leads to medication. The treatment that has gotten the most recognition and funding is a drug called Clomipramine (www.psychcentral.com/medicationsforObsessive Compulsive Disorder ). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a chronic disorder that doesn’t really go away because of the serotonin levels in the brain of those affected. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder causes serotonin to be absorbed at an abnormal speed which accounts for constant urge to seek relief from stress. Clomipramine allows serotonin to bind to the drug and be free flowing in the synapses of the brain instead of being absorbed and shoveled off as waste. Considering Barlow’s Integrated Model of mental health. I would categorize Obsessive Compulsive Disorder as both generalized biological vulnerability  and generalized psychological vulnerability. It could be a biological abnormality because, as previously stated, there could be something wrong with the right frontal lobe causing obsession and compulsive thoughts. To me, psychological vulnerability just means a learned thought process either from parents, teachers, siblings, or other outside sources. According to a study done by J. Griffiths, a Bristol Doctorate graduate in Clinical Psychology, the data taken from those who live with parents or close relatives with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder has a serious indication on the prevalence of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder within the children of the family. The children reported feeling embarrassed by their parent and a feeling of loss of control considering boundaries and the happiness of said â€Å"sick† relative. Children who suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder usually have fears of getting dirty, getting hurt, or have a feeling of need for exactness and/or symmetry. They’re both linked because of the integrative model of psychological disorders. Having a parent with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or any other type of mental disorder for that matter will have an effect on those in close proximity of them due to classical conditioning and learned response from an abnormal or neurotic pattern of behavior according to Etelà ¤-Savon Sairaanhoitopiiri, the writer of the article â€Å"Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in childhood† in the Duodecim journal. Many studies show that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is more common in people who don’t follow pre- and perinatal health advice. Since prenatal childcare is the most crucial due to the formation of the brain and the natural chemicals combining in the amniotic sack, those who do not exercise greater caution in certain respects may cause their children to inherit Obsessive Compulsive Disorder later on in life. Data showed that excessive weight gain and edema of the hands, feet, and face during pregnancy lead to higher rates of people born with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Another huge contributor to predisposed Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is whether or not the mother took or mixed medications during the beginning stages of the pregnancy. A counter point made in â€Å"The Structure of Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Dimensional Representations of DSM-5 Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders† in JAMA Psychiatry shows that there  is a strong correlation bet ween environmental factors and the onset of mental disorders. Their conclusion was that it is much more possible to get Obsessive Compulsive Disorder from traumatic experiences or living arrangements than biologically inherited. Those who suffer because of life events rather than genetics suffer to a higher degree than those of their biologically inherited symptom counterparts. This usually accounts for a higher drug dosage and a lesser ability to control and manage the symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (Benedetta Monzani, PhD). This is supported by the lecture we did on experiential avoidance and the conditioned responses we acquire due to stress. If someone lives in such a way that any thought they encounter causes them stress, then they might pick up some behaviors that stop them from stressing out due to thinking; which is exactly what victims of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder encounter on a daily basis. It starts out as either biologically inherited or psychologically learned Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Once they experience a str essful thought or action, they revert to their learned stress relief which is usually compulsive behavioral rituals to suppress said thoughts. In â€Å"Adverse childhood experiences and gender influence treatment seeking behaviors in obsessive–compulsive disorder†, an article in Comprehensive Psychology, it states that adverse childhood experiences (ACE) leads to higher activity in the frontal lobe of the brain; which we have deduced is where compulsive behavior originates. Different outcomes according to sex were also examined in this study and it was shown that males do a better job at rebounding after adverse or traumatic experiences than females which accounts for the higher rate of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in females than in males. During my studies, while distinguishing adverse health outcomes due to prenatal care is easy and logical, I think that more research states that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is more psychologically conditioned than inherited. The number of patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder who had traumatic or rough living environments vastly outnumber those who did not have such circumstances. I think this also shows the degree to which they are affected. Someone who is predisposed to have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder would not be as strongly influenced by their thoughts in comparison to someone who has a physical real life correlation with a traumatic experience. This is supported by the fact that the pharmaceutical treatment  for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is the same as treatment for PTSD. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are both used to slow the absorption of serotonin in the brain so it is free floating in a higher dosage which leads to less stress and less abnormal behavior. The rate at which the serotonin is released and absorbed is equivalent to the time spent in less stress. Antidepressants work in these types of situations because of the high impact that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder has on the emotional state of the mind. The frontal lobe, as previously discussed, is the anatomical site for emotion and personality, so an abnormality in chemical processing or a physical abnormality not only spawns Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in subjects, but also alters their emotional state and how their outlook on life. Studies show that patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder who have a better outlook on their treatment and acceptance of it, have a better treatment outcome than those who don’t take SSRI’s. In conclusion, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a rare abnormality originating in the frontal lobe. The absorption rate of serotonin in the brain strongly correlates with onset of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Although there are many medications to take, the most widely used is Clomipramine and SSRI’s so the emotional and physical stress can be tolerated. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can be contracted at any time but due to recent studies, I have more confidence in the theory that traumatic life experiences and negative living arrangements have a higher rate of setting on OCD than a predisposed genetic availability to contract it because of the physical testimonies from those in that situation. Although I’m sure that prenatal care and genetics play a viable roll in mental health, I would still say that those who have a physical association with stress or trauma are more affected by it in the mind. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder affects only 3% of people in the general population, but given the fact that mental health takes a toll on family members, coworkers, and fri ends; it can be conjectured that it is affecting more than that by a â€Å"contact mental illness†. The problems people face every day should be taken into softer hearts because you never know who has been affected by this rare disorder. Works Cited Benedtti, F. (2014). Comprehensive psychiatry. Adverse childhood experiences and gender influence treatment seeking behaviors in obsessive–compulsive disorder, 55(2), 298-301. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X13002988 Flament, M. (1988). Journal of the american academy of child & adolescent psychiatry. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Adolescence: An Epidemiological Study, 27(6), 764-771. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890856709658615 Monzani, B. (2014). The Structure of Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Dimensional Representations of DSM-5 Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders, 71(2), Retrieved from http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1792141 Ocd education station. (2014). Retrieved from www.ocdeducationstation.org Traumatic brain injury. (2014). Retrieved from www.neuroskills.com

Friday, August 30, 2019

Competency Goals Essay

In order for children to feel safe away from home they need a safe environment where they can learn and play comfortably. I am always alert and continuously observe the children at all times. Children must never be left unsupervised. In the class, safety precautions such as checking all tables and chairs for damage and sharp edges is done weekly. All electrical outlets that are not being used are covered with safety caps. I guarantee that the children’s work and play areas are free of clutter. When the children are using scissors, pencils or other instruments, I make sure they carry them in an appropriate manner to prevent injury. We have on file written permission from the parent’s to take their child for any emergency medical care if the nurse isn’t on campus. Outdoor play areas are checked daily for harmful objects such as bottles, cans, or other litter items before the children go out to play. In the center, a fire drill is conducted Once a month. A Healthy Environment A healthy environment is essential for effective learning. A visual daily health check is done each day upon each child’s arrival. I respond immediately to accidents, health concerns and emergency conditions calmly. The classroom is maintained in a clean and hygienic environment. While working with parents, together we assist the children in building good grooming habits b maintaining consistent routines at school and encourage them to do so at home. Hand washing following toileting, washing hands before meals and brushing teeth is done in the center to encourage healthy needs. Children are able to flourish in an environment that influences their growth and development. A Learning Environment Children learn by doing and by imitating each other, their parents and their teachers. I respect and acknowledge each child’s ideas, concern and feelings. We provide a variety of materials in the class from the books we  use to the toys with which the children play. Participation is encouraged without any of the children feeling frustrated. An environment is provided where each child has fun during activities that are allowed and encouraged to participate in various activities to appreciate each other’s cultural differences. Each child display their work around the classroom they enjoy seeing their accomplishments. Open communication is provided for each child. I try to make sure the children’s daily schedule is followed, but sometimes we get a little behind. Transition from one activity to another is smooth. COMPETENCY GOAL II TO ADVANCE PHYSICAL AND INTELLECTUALCOMPETENCE Physical Physcial development is important for healthy development. Physical activities are designed to be fun for the children. Children like a lot of physical movement. In the class we schedule time to use both gross and fine motor skills. We plan physical activities during outside time, such as relay races, jumping rope, hula hoops, throwing a ball and just plain exercising. Play enhances learning both inside and outside. My enthusiasm is shown when I actively play with the children. In the class, we exercise to music, combining music and movement. Parents are encouraged to get involved in physical activities with their children. We plan, develop and coordinate fine and small motor skill activities such as stringing large and small beads, cutting with scissors, turning single pages in books, drawing and putting puzzles together. Sleep is also important for growth. Children need rest during the day. Quiet time with music is played in order to help the child relax. Intellectual Children want answers to their questions. Most of their questions start with â€Å"Why†. As their teacher, I know that it is important to their questions answered. It is their way of learning. They need to learn how to perceive different things. In the class we use symbols as part of comprehending.  Books are used to ask questions and think about what is being read to them. As part of our schedule, I let the children plan their own activities. They tell me what center they want to go in and what they plan to do in their centers. Children are given the opportunity to talk about their parents, friends and things happening around home and community. On some Fridays we do show and tell or idol Friday. The children bring items from home and tell the class something about the item. We also bring something to share; this way the children in turn ask us questions. In the class, we sing our Alphabet and sounds song. This helps them to learn letters of the alphabet. We play number gam es for rote counting and shape searching in the class for shapes recognition. COMPETENCY GOAL III TO SUPPORT SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TO PROVIDE POSITIVE GUIDANCE Social Development Teachers are very important role models for a child. Promoting social skills includes helping children begin to understand the feelings and needs of others. In the class, I always model good social skills around the children. Observation is an important tool while learning how a child feels and behaves. When a child tells me no one will play with him/her, through observation, the child is monitored around his/her peers to see if there is a lack of social developing skills. Helping, sharing, showing concern and cooperation with each other is always encouraged. Children are rewarded with praise for kindness, being helpful and cooperative to each other. Each child is made to feel special. Addressing social skills, knowing the children’s cultural background and environment is very important to me. Social interactions are provided through play. Play socially helps children to cooperate and appreciate each other. Children have to be able to get along with each other in order for the day run smoothly. Emotional Development As a teacher, I try to make a great difference in developing emotional skills in the children. Children are encouraged to express love, fear, and anger. It is important for me to help the children control both negative and  positive emotions. Emotional development through play is encouraged. It helps children relieve feelings in a safe environment and promotes self-confidence. I respect each child as an individual and the natural differences in how children express their feelings. In the class, puppets and role-play are used in exhibiting emotions whether positive or negative.in the class, I plan and provide a place for the children to have some down time when they are experiencing negative emotions. Positive Guidance The way a teacher acts influences the children. I always maintain a positive attitude around the children. The climate of the class is always relaxed. My tone of voice is calm, when speaking with the children. As the teacher in the class, I use guidance techniques such as modeling appropriate behavior and allowing the children to act their age. Directions are given in a positive way. The schedule is provided and followed daily so the children will know the routine and can make transitions easier. A helper chart is put up this way, all the children share responsibility of keeping the classroom clean and orderly. As a group, we together come up with a set of class rules, which are agreeable with the students and me. Children are encouraged to feed and dress themselves. Children are praised when they cooperated and help each other, especially during clean up Time. COMPETENCY GOAL IV TO ESTABLISH POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH FAMILIES It is very important to me to let parents and families of the children I work with know and feel they are a big part of our program. The parents as well as their children are important to me and the overall success of the program. I encourage a cooperative atmosphere among each child’s relationships within the family structure. Parents are always welcome in the classroom. Regular communication with the parents is important. It is important to present a united effort to the family of the children with whom I teach. Newsletters are sent home on a weekly basis t parents to inform them of upcoming events. A parent news board is set up to provide daily  updates to parents on meals, activities and important dates. In order to maintain an open, friendly and cooperative relationship with each child’s family we provide parents with opportunities to become involved in the programs. We encourage parents to volunteer in the classroom, attend workshops, serve on policy and advisory committees, attend field trips and attend parent meetings. During parent meetings suggestions are made for improving the daily program. Information about their child’s experiences and achievements in the center is provided to the parents. Reports are distributed periodically to help parents understand the progress of his or her child. Home visits are made twice throughout the school term to share activities and materials that parents can use at home with their child. Each family’s cultural background, religious and parenting beliefs are respected. Parent-Teacher conferences are another means of communication with parents they are also held twice in a school term. Parents need to know and feel they are a part of the teaching team in the classroom. Together, our common goal is always, the children. COMPETENCY GOAL V TO ENSURE A WELL-RUN PURPOSEFUL PROGRAM RESPONSIVE TO PARTICIPANT NEEDS To ensure a well-run program, I maintain an open communication with my Lead Teacher and other staff members. We work as a team to provide quality, developmentally appropriate activities and materials for the children each day. I’m always willing to work with bus monitors, parents and volunteers. It is important to me that the children can flourish well in an environment that influences their growth and development. Each child’s nutritional needs are met. Up-to-date records is maintained on each child. Each child’s record is kept confidential. Confidentiality secures the privacy of the children and their families. The parents, staff members Lead Teacher and myself work to identify the strengths and needs of each child. Records and reports concerning growth, behavior, health, and progress of each child is maintained. This information is shared with each child’s parent. Schedules are posted and followed daily they are where the parents can read them. This way, they know what their child is working on daily. By using appropriated  guidelines, I observe the children for signs of abuse or neglect and follow through if needed. Center brochures are distributed to each child’s family. Each child’s progress is discussed with his/her respective parents. Planning is essential. A great deal of time is sent on planning, so that children will have their needs met. I ensure that the classroom is clean and safe. The classroom is always prepared before the children arrive. Reference materials, are utilized as needed each day. To stimulate and motivate the children, I consistently look for new and innovative methods. I read various books and education websites to acquire acknowledge. It is important to maintain appreciation for each child’s cultural background. COMPETENCY GOAL VI TO MAINTAIN A COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONALISM As a teacher, I enjoy teaching Pre-K. I demonstrate a positive attitude toward the children and their parents. It is important to promote quality services. I take advantage of all opportunities to improve my personal and professional growth. This growth is beneficial for the children I teach, as well as their parents. I take advantage for personal development by attending conferences, in-service trainings, staff meetings and study groups. I read books, stay in contact with other pre-k teachers and resource coordinators to help keep me informed of changes in the teaching field. Information about the children, their families and staff is kept confidential. Effective communications and working well with my co-workers is very important. I perform my duties professionally no matter where I work. While dressing in a professional manner, my hair, nails and attire are maintained clean and attractive. A positive, professional attitude is projected at all times. Cultural differences in the chi ldren are respected at all times. Parents are informed about field trips, home visits and conferences. I ask parents to volunteer in the class, each week I send home a family activity this keeps them involved in learning about their child’s experiences at school. I am committed to keeping the children safe, providing good communication, positive guidance and working with the families of the children. It is important for the children’s family and me  to work together. The key is teamwork. The common goal is that the parents and myself will do what is best for the child.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Porcini’s Pronto

Porcini's Pronto: â€Å"Great Italian cuisine without the wait! † Porcini was opened in 1969 as a family-owned restaurant chain and its business was successful with 4% profit margin. Porcini’s was renowned with its attention to quality and price premium was relatively small compared to its quality and artful presentation. Porcini’s was able to maintain its high product and service quality mainly because it was a family-owned restaurant chain which gave considerable amount of control and of its safe approach on company expansion decisions.However, the management was also viewed as go-slow and comparing to its competitors like Olive Garden and other full-service chain restaurants like Denny's, Porcini’s brand recognition was much lower. The U. S. restaurants industry had three major segments: fast food, single location full-service restaurants, and full-service chain restaurants. Porcini's senior management came up with a Pronto concept which could possibly open up a new area which no one has entered yet.Key features of the Pronto concept included locations at interstate highway exits, Porcini's quality food and service with faster turnover of tables, and limited beer and wine selection. Main competitors would be fast food chain which has been operating along the interstate systems for decades and specifically targeting for travelers, and also full-service chain restaurants like Denny's. It will be critical to come up with a clear differentiator to its competitors, on both quality and service, and position itself against them.Chef Molise was taking it very serious on developing a special Pronto menu which would be less extensive with slightly lower price than Porcini’s traditional menu. Also, Halloran, who was Porcini’s HR director, put significant amount of effort onto recruiting the right people and form a â€Å"Pathfinder Team† with 3 or 4 outstanding Porcini’s employees at each new Pronto’s locati on. One full week of training and indoctrination in the rapid, quality service strategy and its implementation elements would be given.On the hiring side, it was a serious one. Pronto job applicants would have to pass several screens which include interviews with HR, then Pathfinder Team, and the manager. And a personality assessment test was given. It would seem logical and make sense to put focus on creating a customized menu, hiring the right people, and form a team with existing outstanding employees to bring current best practices to the new restaurants. However, it might be in the wrong direction or overkill sometimes.For the customized menu for Pronto, it was basically a stripped-down version of traditional Porcini’s menu, so what differentiated it from Porcini’s? And why customers should come to Pronto which had less menu choices, and not Porcini’s? Even though it’s a faster service didn’t mean customers would accept lower food quality, eve n just a slight one. And most importantly, Porcini’s didn’t ask if it mattered to them. On getting the right people for Pronto restaurants, was it actually a good idea to form a team with existing employees, while the business nature was much different?Porcini’s focused heavily on food and service quality, where Pronto focus on quick service experience without sacrificing much food and service quality. It would be doubtful if employees could switch their practice so easily and quickly. If they could not, imagine how it might impact the new hires in the team. In order to make sure Porcini's Pronto could maintain the same level of quality of food and service, a customer questionnaire system was created to collect information on customer satisfaction.The idea was great and it offered a discount card to customers who took the questionnaire, in order to bring up questionnaire completion rate and encourage repeat visits. However, the entire questionnaire focused only on food and service quality like meal quality, courtesy and efficiency of server, restaurant cleanliness etc. , with almost no questions around the time for taking orders, food serving, and pay bills etc. Also, questions like â€Å"are you traveling or live in the neighborhood? † could give a sense of what were the customer segments and did it align with the targeting customers originally.In addition, it should ask the customer to rank the importance of the factors, or simply ask the most important thing mattered to them e. g. Food, service, time, place etc. Without customers telling the importance of each factor, Porcini would have no clue on what to be focused on. Another set of metrics to be collected would be metrics around internal operations e. g. how long to seat a customer and take her order, to prepare a typical entree, and so forth. This could be done by having secret shoppers for instance, and it would be valuable information.After all, the Pronto concept was to of fer â€Å"Great Italian cuisine without the wait†, if Porcini could not guarantee acceptable table turnover time, success could not be claimed. In order to grow the business, there were three options: company-owned, franchising, and syndication. First of all, what do we want to focus on? At the very beginning, Pronto should not be expanded too quickly before it could find out and establish the winning strategy. The first few restaurants were crucial and steps should take slow.Also, full control should be obtained otherwise it could easily go out of track. Also, the failure rate of franchising was pretty big. Porcini’s could not afford to have restaurants closed down and affected its brand name. Syndication could give Porcini’s full control on restaurant operations. It would also be easier to get a good location as prime undeveloped locations were mostly owned by investors. However, upfront costs were high. At this point like a testing phase, it would be better t o take a slower and less costly approach before Pronto concept proved itself to be success.Company-owned would be the best option to start with and Porcini’s should consider franchising and syndication after seeing profits from the Pronto restaurants and also a reliable standards could be come up which could be applied quick to many restaurants. To conclude, the Pronto concept was aimed at a market space where no one had entered before and Porcini’s wanted to claim this space. However, an important question to ask would be why no one entered this space in the first place? Or did anyone entered but failed?It seems that in order to deliver good quality of food and service while making it a â€Å"Pronto† service is a big challenge itself. Not to mention the target customers are along the interstate highways, are they looking for good quality of food, fast service, or a nice place to chill? Seems that Pronto concept consists of all these elements, however, none of t hem is a real differentiator. Porcini’s management will definitely need to think about positioning and competitive advantage which Pronto could bring to the table.

Are Real Estate Appraisers To Blame For The Recent Real Estate Crisis Research Paper

Are Real Estate Appraisers To Blame For The Recent Real Estate Crisis In America - Research Paper Example An immediate caveat to saying that one segment of controls and regulations is responsible for a systemic crisis that affected not only a market but also the entire world is that this responsibility is not all encompassing. The definition of systemic is derived from the word â€Å"system,† which refers to several (more than one) distinct parts. Thus, to assign all blame to one part of the system implies that one part of the system was actually capable of creating a crisis. This assumption, along with the assumption that real estate appraisers were solely responsible for the crisis, are false; however, the issue of whether they played a significant role in the market failure is an important one to consider not only for historical purposes, but also for the purposes of policy and economic reform. From the literature since 2008, it is the finding of most experts that real estate appraisers contributed in large part (but not wholly) to the real estate crisis, due primarily to the d ecentralization of regulatory responsibility. The first component of assigning blame to any individual or group is to understand the role that they played in the system. According to scholars in the field of corporate accounting, significant portions of blame belong to all of the key players (and their respective roles) in the economic collapse.1 For instance, if it were not for homebuyers and their willingness to take out mortgages that they could not repay, there would have been no mortgage defaults for the financial markets to feed on. These authors also give blame to the issuers of credit default swaps, which were sold to investors as a significant source of income. These swaps, however, began to lose value rapidly when housing prices began to slide. In the middle of these two parts of the system were the mortgage originators, who typically received fees up front and accordingly had little incentive to make sure borrowers did not default on their loans. A piece of this part were the real estate appraisers, who likewise had no incentive to appraise homes for prices lower than a minimum price needed for a mortgage to be approved. If a real estate appraiser was thoroughly honest in all of its dealings, and it blocked too many transactions, there would be no demand for its services from partners. This element of marketplace competition and an incentive against honesty does not earn real estate appraisers any support among those looking for a major source of responsibility for the real estate crisis. However, certainly real estate appraisers did not complete their work in a vacuum: it was part of a process (a market process) that led to incentives for certain actions and outcomes over others. Consequently, the notion of assigning blame should extend beyond the circumstances that appraisers found themselves in. One way of doing this is identifying carelessness and negligence in the way in which they carried out their work. One example of this is how real estate appraisers have been accused of actively colluding to raise home prices artificially, which would encourage homeowners to continue to build home equity. Appraisals would occur on â€Å"cursory drive-by inspections and comparisons with nearby homes that had recently been sold or refinanced.†2 These comparisons were done on occasion to homes these same appraisers had valuated months before. If the

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Phase 2 - International Law and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Phase 2 - International Law and Business - Essay Example Several legal as well as ethical guidelines have been created for the protection of environment. One such legal guideline is Clean Air Act which was enacted during the period of 1970 (Www2.epa.gov, 2014). Under this act the EPA is required to create (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) NAAQS and its purpose was even to have separate NAAQS in all the states of United States by the period of 1975 (Www2.epa.gov, 2014). The main aim of any organization is to ensure that shareholder value is increased and in order to increase the shareholder’s value, a company needs to ensure that it continues to perform its business in a profitable manner. Keeping the profitability of the company in mind, the company needs to give importance to protection of the environment as if due to their activities environment is damaged then the chances of them facing costly law suits may increase and they may even be disliked by the consumers due to which they may loose customers and experience

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

The House of Tata Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The House of Tata - Assignment Example This strategy is positive in that the new products that are introduced in the market will receive applause since the brand is already known. However, in some instances, the new products that are introduced in the market are not pleasing since the brand of other products is not performingwell. b) Building of equity interlocks among the Tata companies Building interlocks of equities creates a scenario where the companies are working in unison. The companies are better placed as they have a lot of activities in common. For instance, the group of companies will have substantial equities that will make a greater investment. This is like pooling resources together in the group of companies. Therefore, the group of companies will be able to invest in other activities that need a huge investment (Khanna, Krishna and Wu Melito, 2). However, companies that are not indulged in interlocking equities are not well prepared to invest in activities that need a large sum of accounts. Similarly, inter locking equities brings ahighrate of interest. For instance, the interest rate that is accrued on lump sum equity is much more than the interest that is accrued on minute equity. Therefore, this was a prudent activity to the companies as it would increase the company’s gains in the long run. ... Therefore, in this case selling part of Tata company was againstthecompany’s need for expansion. This limited its market segments and would lead to diminished performance of the company. Similarly, selling part of the company was a step that reduced the operating capital of the company. Therefore,most of its activities in the market were reduced. d) Revitalisation of Tata administration The administration of a company is considered a vital aspect that will dictate its performance. A company that has utterly trained and experienced administration is likely to give positive results at the end of each financial year. However, any company thatdoes not have an experienced and dedicated administration is not likely to make a positive accrual in the business. In this case, Tata was vigilant in ensuring the administration was functioning to its advantage. The change in administration meant that the company was prepared to make an improvement in its activities. Similarly, this would re cord an improvement in the financial management, economic development and all other activities that are vital in the company. Similarly,there is positivity in that revitalisation of the administration improved on the specialisation in the company. The people that are well trained in particular places will be given an opportunityto serve the company to their best. As such,they will increase the performance of the business to greater heights as they will have an enhanced position. This is a prudent aspect that would improve the performance of the company and give the company an added advantage. 2. Corporate portfolio in 1995 The corporate portfolio that was done in 1995 was a vital activity to the company (Khanna, Krishna and Wu Melito, 4). This

Monday, August 26, 2019

Quality of service for VoIP Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Quality of service for VoIP - Dissertation Example Converged networks also allow a latest generation of incorporated voice/data applications. For instance, users of web-based e-commerce applications can sight product information as talking with customer service agents in a call center. by join networks this can be done throughout a single network link. The focal point of the majority converged network strategies is voice over IP (VoIP). VoIP refers to the transmission of telephone discussion over a packet-switched IP network. This IP network might be as small as a single subnet private LAN, or as huge as the public Internet. As VoIP technology matures, new exchange technique may appear while offered ones become outdated. In spite of the process that is used to adapt VoIP traffic for LANs, one basic process will linger the same: VoIP traffic will forever negotiate the LAN as a stream of IP packets (W.C. Hardy, 2001). Voice over IP the broadcast of voice over packet-switched IP networks is one of the mainly significant up-and-coming tr ends in telecommunications. As with lots of new technologies, VOIP introduces together security risks and opportunities. VOIP has a extremely dissimilar architecture than established circuit-based telephony, and these differences effect in important security issues. Lower cost and better elasticity are between the promises of VOIP for the venture, but VOIP should not be installed devoid of cautious deliberation of the security troubles introduced (W.C. Hardy, 2003). Many administrators may incorrectly presume that since digitized voice travels in packets, they can just plug VOIP components into their already protected networks and stay secure.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Genetic disorders Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Genetic disorders - Research Paper Example The symptom was first described by British physician, Langdon Down (Web. Down Syndrome, n.d.). Symptoms People with Down Syndrome are typically short in stature, short neck, loose-jointed, particularly in ankles, they have broad skulls, wide nostrils, large tongues with a distinctive furrowing and stubby hands with a crease on the palm, curved "pinky" fingers, upward slanting eyes, shape of the ears are small, facial expressions are flat, weak muscles are responsible for the poor heart (responsible for congenital heart imperfections) and other organ development, white spots on iris. Such individuals display impaired mental abilities and require special training and care (Web. Down Syndrome, n.d.). Age of onset Down Syndrome is a birth defect which is influenced by the age of the mother. As the age of the mother progresses chances of birth defects augments. For instance, if the age of mother is 25 then chances of giving birth to the child with Down Syndrome is 1 in 1,250 where as if t he age of mother is 45 years, the chances of baby with Down Syndrome becomes 1 in 30 (Web. Down Syndrome, n.d.). Prevalence of Down Syndrome Down Syndrome is one of the most prevalent chromosomal condition. In 2004-2006, the national prevalence of the disease was 15 per 10,000 births (Web. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, n.d.). Current Knowledge Trisomy 21 is a result of chromosome non-disjunction in one of the meiotic cell divisions. The non-disjunction event can occur in either parent, but more likely to occur in females. Congenital birth defects are difficult to treat still, with the prevalence of disease condition research studies are going on to formulate a definite cure for the disease condition. Prevalence of the Condition- Statistics reveal that there is 71 percent increase in the cases of Down Syndrome, in the year 1989-90, the number of cases reported were1,075; while in 2007-8 the number of cases increased to 1,843. One of the chief reason s is that women are more career oriented and delay is observed in starting family which is displayed through the comparative analysis, which display that women of 40 years has 16 percent more chances of having a baby with Down syndrome as compared to the women of the age group 25 years (Web. Down's Syndrome cases soar as women delay starting a family, 2009). However, lazy eyes could be rectified with the help of surgery. Considering the prevalence of Down Syndrome, numerous research projects are being carried out by Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation (DSRTF), encompassing- Balancing Excitation and Inhibition- the project deals with the exploration of neural circuits that are responsible for the memory and learning of the individual, using excitatory and inhibitory inputs. The study is carried out using numerous subtypes of GABA-A receptors. Roche, an international pharmaceutical company in September 2011, initiated Phase-I clinical trials for a drug employed to assess t he protection and permissibility of the particle intended to deal with the behavioral and cognitive discrepancies related to Down Syndrome (Web. Active Research Projects, n.d). Restoring Neuronal Pathways- Down syndrome cases display stunted growth, however, certain cerebellar neurons are targeted to regulate the development of cerebellum to its normal state which directly influences the brain activity. The compound SAG is used

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Role of Nursing in Healthcare Delivery Coursework

Role of Nursing in Healthcare Delivery - Coursework Example Therefore we can say that in this modern century the role of nursing managers has somewhat change now. In addition to the direct clinical and medical care, the nurses are involved in many other aspects of the health care industry. The additional duties may also include quality management and improvement, case management, data collection and analysis, insurance review analysis, patient educations and sometimes the regular training programs to train the rest of the medical staff (Cipriano, 2010). All of these additional tasks are included in the roles, duties or we can say responsibilities of a nurse manager. In modern times, the nurses are also named as the health providers and the health researchers. At higher level of nursing managers, the duties and the responsibilities of a nurse may change from others. A nurse manger may have to supervise all the staff and the hospital just to coordinate their activities. The budgeting activity may also fall on the shoulders of a nurse manger so that he or she can manage the allocated budget according to the proper planning. The hospital may get famous by the level of its services and the care, which they give to their patients; therefore, it is the role of the nurse manager to maintain the high quality or the standard of the health care services (Donovan, 2010). Nurses play an important or we must say a central role in the cost containment, quality and safety provision to the patients. Working at any level the role of nurse is to observe the current and emerging trends so that she or he can make innovation in their services and thus improve the quality of their health care provisions. The aim of the nurses and especially the nursing managers is to achieve the shared and mutual goals of efficiency and effectiveness in the practice (Tiffin, 2012). Tiffin, C. (2012), ‘Beyond the Bed Side: The Changing Roles of Nurses Today’, Huffington Post, Retrieved on July 22, 2014 from

Friday, August 23, 2019

The Federal Reserve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Federal Reserve - Essay Example An important policy that has been implemented by the FED is the easy money policy. The easy money policy is important to allow money to flow through the economy at a lowered interest rate. The lowered interest rate allows money to be lent at a rate that is more appealing. The FED likely issued the easy money policy to increase investing and spending. Being able to achieve loans at a lower rate allows consumers to obtain loans. The banks giving the loans also benefit. The bank’s ability to offer the loans at a lowered rate increases the amount of loans that the bank is able to issue. This type of policy reduces the amount of money that is held in the Federal Reserve’s. Allowing for more money to circulate and better lending rates can be a good thing in an attempt to boost a struggling economy. Allowing more money to circulate and spending to happen seem to be nothing but great news. This is not always so. The free flowing money and spending can lead to inflation. Inflati on leads to higher prices. This is so because the dollar becomes worth less. The dollar being worth less means that it will costs more for an item. An example of this is purchasing a loaf of bread. In a stable economy were inflation is not an issue, a loaf of bread can be bought for around $3.00. When inflation sets in, the same loaf of bread can be worth $4.00 or $5.00. ... Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   Â   2010 Â   2.63% Â   2.14% Â   2.31% Â   2.24% Â   2.02% Â   1.05% Â   1.24% Â   1.15% Â   1.14% Â   1.17% Â   1.14% Â   1.50% Â   1.64% Â   2009 Â   0.03% Â   0.24% Â   -0.38% Â   -0.74% Â   -1.28% Â   -1.43% Â   -2.10% Â   -1.48% Â   -1.29% Â   -0.18% Â   1.84% Â   2.72% Â   -0.34% Â   2008 Â   4.28% Â   4.03% Â   3.98% Â   3.94% Â   4.18% Â   5.02% Â   5.60% Â   5.37% Â   4.94% Â   3.66% Â   1.07% Â   0.09% Â   3.85% Â   2007 Â   2.08% Â   2.42% Â   2.78% Â   2.57% Â   2.69% Â   2.69% Â   2.36% Â   1.97% Â   2.76% Â   3.54% Â   4.31% Â   4.08% Â   2.85% Â   2006 Â   3.99% Â   3.60% Â   3.36% Â   3.55% Â   4.17% Â   4.32% Â   4.15% Â   3.82% Â   2.06% Â   1.31% Â   1.97% Â   2.54% Â   3.24% Â   2005 Â   2.97% Â   3.01% Â   3.15% Â   3.51% Â   2.80% Â   2.53% Â   3.17% Â   3.64% Â   4.69% Â   4.35% Â   3.46% Â   3.42% Â   3.39% Â   2004 Â   1.93% Â   1.69% Â   1.74% Â   2.29% Â   3.05% Â   3.27% Â   2.99% Â   2.65% Â   2.54% Â   3.19% Â   3.52% Â   3.26% Â   2.68% Â   2003 Â   2.60% Â   2.98% Â   3.02% Â   2.22% Â   2.06% Â   2.11% Â   2.11% Â   2.16% Â   2.32% Â   2.04% Â   1.77% Â   1.88% Â   2.27% Â   2002 Â   1.14% Â   1.14% Â   1.48% Â   1.64% Â   1.18% Â   1.07% Â   1.46% Â   1.80% Â   1.51% Â   2.03% Â   2.20% Â   2.38% Â   1.59% Â   2001 Â   3.73% Â   3.53% Â   2.92% Â   3.27% Â   3.62% Â   3.25% Â   2.72% Â   2.72% Â   2.65% Â   2.13% Â   1.90% Â   1.55% Â   2.83% Â   2000 Â   2.74% Â   3.22% Â   3.76% Â   3.07% Â   3.19% Â   3.73% Â   3.66% Â   3.41% Â   3.45% Â   3.45% Â   3.45% Â   3.39% Â   3.38% It is important for the FED to make sure there is enough money in the Federal Reserve System to balance out the money that is floating around throughout the American economy. A monetary policy is put into affect for an important reason. A monetary policy allows f or the government to control certain different aspects of the economy. Some of the aspects that are controlled are the Federal

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Cold environments Case Study- Alaska Essay Example for Free

Cold environments Case Study- Alaska Essay Location * State in the United States-international boundary with Canada to the east, arctic ocean to the north * Largest state in United States by area, however least densely populated Economy * GDP in 2007: $64,333 * Per capita personal income : $40,042, rank :15th in nation * Oil and gas industry dominates the Alaskan economy * More than 80% of states revenues derived from petroleum extraction * Main export : seafood , agriculture represent only fraction of economy * Largest employers: * Providence health and services : 4000+ av. Monthly employment in 2010 * Walmart: 3000-3259 av .monthly employment 2010 History * First oil claims in Alaska made in the 1890, noted oil sea pages on iniskin bay and cold bay- not pursued by Russians * 1898- first Alaskan wells drilled in Iniskin Peninsula * Alaskas first productive oil drilling operation was at Katalla, on the Gulf of Alaska, south of the Copper River delta * In 1911 several new wells in the district began to produce significant oil, costs not big enough to justify extraction * In 1960, following the statehood of Alaska and the creation of the state natural resources agencies, oil companies bought exploration leases for work in Cook Inlet * The boom in economic development and population growth after the discovery of oil was immediate and still continues Types of Development in Alaska * Oil and Gas industry- major oil fields developed along central north slope * Oil production accounts for 93% of Alaska’s unrestricted general fund revenues. * Since statehood, Alaska has received $164 billion in revenues from oil * Development in the fishing industry- sea provides endless harvest worth billions of pounds. Over 3 million lakes, 3000 rivers and 34 000 miles coastline- bountiful fishing regions in the world * Salmon fishing industry- worth $11 billion a year * Provide thousands of jobs, long term economic engine * Pollock fishery- 1,252,000 million metric tons- 2.7 billion ponds annum * Seafood- top export commodity. 2009- 1.6 b dollars. Accounted for 50% states total exports. * Seafood processing accounts 71% of manufacturing jobs in ALK. * Fishing industry- generated 54 000 jobs- short seasonal * Mining- historically a cornerstone of alaska’s economy. Today, mining industry brings broad range of benefits- offering highest paid jobs in the state. * Produces zinc, lead, copper , gold, silver, coal * Alaska’s 7 largest mines Provided more than 2,250 full time jobs of 9500 total mining ind jobs in state * Mining creates public revenue by paying state and local taxes * Help support local economies in both urban and rural Alaska. * Issues: spent $300 million on exploration last year * drilling costs and fuel expenses have risen sharply * Facts and economic impact-cumulative value of mining industry: $4.4 bil. 2011 * Minerals are the states second largest export commodity. Accounted for 31% of states export total- zinc and lead from Red Dog mine * Approximately 200 placer mines produced 70,000 ounces of gold, as well as platinum, in Alaska in 2011. In addition to Alaska’s active precious-metals mining industry, there were more than 120 active rock quarries, and sand and gravel operations throughout the state. Pressures on Cold Environment * Alaska is unique state- economic development in it’s remote, petroleum based economy- resembles oil rich developing nations than other US states * Realtively small size of the Alaskan economy can discourage production for local use. * Geography wise- their location is at a disadvantage. Difficult to transport oil to other countries * Trans Alaska pipeline * Pipeline flows through natural biomes, upsets animal trails, carries potential of a devastating leak * Woodland destroyed- also people’s homes affected

Alternative Medicine Essay Example for Free

Alternative Medicine Essay The widespread use of alternative medicine nowadays has driven scientists to study it and understand the reasons of the high demand for unconventional treatment. According to Zollman C, and Vickers A. (1999), complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be defined as therapeutic and diagnostic disciplines which are exogenous of the institutions where modern methods of treatment are exist and taught. Eisenberg D. (1993), defines CAM as â€Å"medical interventions which are commonly not taught at medical schools and not generally provided at hospitals in the US†. These two definitions are not fully satisfactory because, firstly, some forms of CAM which were tested by scientists and appeared to be safe and effective and found a place in conventional medical mainstream. Secondly, CAM is not about medical intervention, which means impacts of taken drugs. The majority of CAM is based on psychology, spirituality, sociology and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which make trials difficult. However, despite the fact that conventional medicine is scientific based and proven by science, many people still use alternative medicine instead or as a compliment to the modern one. Research shows that the majority of the patients at an Accident and Emergency department used to refer to some forms of CAM. (Waterbrook A.L, 2008). Other studies show that over the period of the last 20 years an increase in interest in CAM was observed. Approximately 30% of the UK population (Ernst, 1996) and almost the same in the USA (Kuhn, 1999, Wooton and Sporber, 2001) have used alternative medicine. Referring to these sources it is seen that the demand for CAM remains high nowadays; however, the importance here is not to evaluate the reasons why people still use alternative medicine but to prove or disprove the outweighing advantages of CAM over conventional medicine. The key point is to understand what there is about CAM that differentiates it from modern health care. It is argued that individuals to date embrace CAM because it meets consumer needs and provides health care without any side effects, curing an illness completely not just minimizing the pain for a short period. However, despite the popularity of CAM, the effectiveness cannot be fully trusted and thoroughly tested, whereas, conventional medicine is based on s cience study and research and scientifically proven. The aim of this essay is to compare and contrast two approaches of medical health care and to prove that advantages of modern medicine outweigh those of alternative methods of treatment in many aspects  and to show that CAM has many disadvantages which have been revealed during surveys. First of all, it is better to learn the history and some forms of unconventional medicine to have background knowledge on it. While modern medicine developed due to science evolvement, CAM always existed from many centuries ago till these days. It takes roots from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)found on herbal remedies also including psychological, spiritual aspects in their treatment. In contrast to modern medicine, TCM focuses not solely on disease but also on maladjustment of human body and whole functioning process. The most commonly used forms of CAM are herbal therapy, health food and vitamins consumption, massage, relaxation techniques, chiropractic, acupuncture and placebo (Sutherland L.M , 1994). According to the type of treatment they provide, CAM practitioners can be put into four groups, although there is no defined way of classification for unconventional treatment. The first, psychological and spiritual group comprises faith healers, mystics providing paranormal healings and those who use specific methods affecting human psychology such as hypnosis, mental imaging and laughter therapy. Those, who advice herbal remedies, vitamin and multivitamin supplements and particular diets like macrobiotic diet, are in the second, nutritional group. The drug and biologic category includes highly trained specialists in the drug, various chemicals and vaccine use. It can be injections to improve the immune system, injections of animal live cells and homeopathy. The fourth group consists of chiropractors, touch and massage therapists and acupuncturists, where treatment involves some physical forces. There are also other treatments which are problematic or incapable of being classified, such as iridology, aroma therapy and the identification of internal illness by examination of the eye iris (Rubel A, Murray R, 1992). Increasing popularity of CAM and reasons driving people to choose unconventional medicine as a compliment to conventional one or instead of it can be clearly explained. First of all, some people refuse from modern health care because of dissatisfaction with it or with the physicians, particularly when a prognosis offering no hope for a patient is announced or when a patient experiences revulsion or painful effects of treatment. Dissatisfaction with health care provider is also can be one of the reasons of using CAM. Studies at University of Limpopo revealed that patients were disappointed with attitudes of doctors. They claimed that  physicians did not provide sufficient time for consultation, some of which were only 10 to15 minutes. In addition, it is argued that health care providers behaved as if they were cognizant of everything and often not explaining about illness and not providing information about treatment (Ogunbanjo G, 2008). This might be the reason of disappointment and stimulating people to seek alternative treatments. On the contrary, approach of homeopaths was likely to be preferred by patients. According to the research done by professor Gboyega Ocunbanjo at University of Limpopo (2008), relationship between patient and CAM practitioner played more crucial role what than type of treatment was used. Homeopaths supported patients not only physically but morally, they spent more time on discussion of the problem than mainstream medicine doctors did, relationship was person-to-per son, rather than patient and physician (Ogunbanjo G, 2008). Consequently, the patients felt themselves more independent and respected by practitioners and made further visits. However, results of this study revealed no potential advantage of CAM, but only psychological aspect of it. It showed significance of relationship between CAM practitioner and patient and moral support given by homeopaths, missing any proofs on real treatment of alternative medicine. Other studies also showed that reasons of switching to CAM depended more on personal belief in paranormal, extra-sensory and spirituality rather than dissatisfaction with conventional medicine. Survey held by Custers K et al (2009), exposed that preference of CAM was based more on paranormal belief among general public than attitudes towards science. Many CAM practitioners prevailed that alternative therapies disobey severe restrictions of reductionist research. They state that their services are individualized, natural, taking into account mental and social aspects, rather than just the symptoms of illness, and justify a radical change in the approach of surveys. However, these arguments are built on misinterpretations, and often dealing with the obstacles requires giving the meaning of the research question and afterward obtaining optimal research equipment which corresponds it. For instance, randomized controlled clinical trials are the least prejudiced approach for discovering a genuine answer, if some form of CAM is aimed to be tested for effectiveness (Ernst E, 2000). Still the central question occurs there designed to establish the future role of the CAM in the mainstream health care. Each form of CAM must be  tested by scientists, because some of them are harmless but others not and some are effective, whereas others can be pure placebos and even dangerous for human health.In 1992, an Office of Alternative Medicine was established in the National Institutes of Health to test unconventional remedies. Results were no comforting, because 28 methods of treatment out of 30 research grants that the office gave have had outcome in â€Å"final reports† in 1993 (National Institutes of Health, 1992). However, probably after six years Medline search found that only 9 of the 28 research grants were published. Five of them were in two journals which are not in the list of the 3500 journal titles in Countway library of Medicine’s collection (Chou C.K, McDougall J.A, Ahn C, Voru N, 1997). None of the remained four alternative remedies was teste d by clinical trial that would allow making any summary on the efficacy of a complementary treatment (Reid S.A, Duke L.M, Allen J.B, 1998). Another research hold by Ernst E (2000), revealed the failure of more than 100 different alternative therapies recommended for treatment of asthma. Ideology of CAM intentionally disregards biologic mechanism, often discredits modern science and bases on ancient practices and herbal remedies which are in some way considered being at the same time more effective and less hazardous than modern methods of treatment. Before 20th century, majority of herbal remedies were botanicals, obtained from plants. For instance, purple foxglove was discovered to fight edema, the opium poppy to be helpful for cough, pain and diarrhea, and cinchona bark to reduce fever. However, human cost for taking therapies with botanicals was great, because, firstly, they had negative impacts on human body, causing another illness. Secondly, doses of botanicals were random, due to unknown amount of active components (Angell M, 1998). More significant, most of herbal remedies did not work at all, and some even were dangerous or might cause death. One could only distinguish between advantageous and ineffective or toxic botanicals through anecdotes received by word of mouth (Angell M, 1998). The beginning of the 20th century brought dramatic changes to human healthcare due to huge advance in medical science. The foundation of methods of the identification and purification of the active components in botanicals made their efficacy and safeness greater. After morphine was released from opium poppy, digitalis from the purple foxglove and quinine from cinchona bark, treatment became effective without harming human body  and other functions (Angell M, 1998). Further of medical advances are remarkable. As example, treatments with heparin, aspirin, beta-adrenergic blockers and thrombolytic agents have decreased mortal rate from myocardial infarction; nucleoside analogues and a protease inhibitor combination can repel the origins of AIDS in people with HIV; childhood leukemia in most cases can be cured by a cocktail of cytotoxic drugs. In addition, the beginning of the 21st century was the key period of invention of vaccines fighting many epidemic scourges, such as poliomyelitis, measles, diphtheria, hepatitis B and some forms of pneumococcal pneumonia, including the foundation of efficient an tibiotics curing many other health problems (Coppes et al, 1998). To support these statements, it is seen that United States has experienced dramatic increase in the life expectancy of the country, approximately by three decades. Partly, the reason for that is better sanitation and living standards, but mostly, due to advances in health care (Coppes et al, 1998). One may state that conventional medicine also based on anecdotes, which are published in peer-reviewed journals. However, these case reports are completely different from the anecdotes of CAM. Journals publishing about modern medicine are reviewed and assessed by experts. Hence, they describe well-structured new opening in a defined terms. If, for instance, a journal received paper of a patient’s recovery from pancreas cancer after taking rhubarb diet, publishers would demand documentation of illness and its scope. They would ask for other patients, who did not regain after rhubarb diet, and might propose trying testing the method on other diseased people. After the results of these and other requirements are satisfactory, journal might publish a case report – not as an announcement of a treatment, but as a suggestion of a hypothesis th at ought to be tested in a formal clinical trial. In contrast to modern medicine, anecdotes about unconventional treatments lack such documentation and peer-reviewing as they are usually published in magazines and books for public reading (Angell M, 1998). Angell M, (1998) argues that herbal remedies may also be sold without any knowledge of their mechanism of action. According to DiPoalo and his colleagues’ report (1998), herbal mixture named PC-SPES, where PC stands for prostate cancer and spes is the Latin word for â€Å"hope†, has sufficient estrogenic activity. Estrogens are defined as a group of any steroid hormone, which activate changes in female  reproductive system, after which female secondary sexual typical features develop in human (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/estrogen, 2011). Despite this, PC-SPES is still sold as helping patients’ immune system, who have prostate cancer which is disobedient to estrogen treatment (Alternative Medicine Digest, 1997). Consequently, a lot of men receiving PC-SPES have taken uncertain quantity of hormonal treatment without being informed. Complementary and alternative medicine is not always cheap and may even require more expenditure than conventional medicine. Researches in 1984 estimated that patients’ annual expenditure on unconventional health care was 10 bill ion dollars in the US (Subcommittee on Health and Long-Term Care of the Select Committee on Aging, 1984) and the results of the surveyin 1997 showed 1.6 billion pounds annual expenditure in the UK on CAM (White A, Resch K, Ernst E, 1997). According to Eisenberg et al (1998), 1990s research results estimated that number of visits to CAM practitioners in the US was 425 million, whereas number of call on to conventional health care providers was 388 million in the same year. Annual expenditure on CAM was approximately $ 13.7 billion, in compare to $12.8 billion spent annually on whole hospitalizations in the US in 1990. Another survey held in the US in 1997 considered out-of-pocket expenditure on alternative medicine to be $27 billion which was equal to out-of-pocket expenditure for all modern medicine services (Eisenberg et al, 1998). Indeed, some forms of alternative medicine are more expensive than modern health care. One reason for that might be individual approach of the practitioners towards patients. Homeopaths may receive high fees from patients visiting them. Second reason can be increasing belief in CAM among people, which drives them to use it more and try other alternative remedies. Individuals start to recei ve herbal treatments, consult homeopaths and visit CAM practitioners very regularly, including them into their lifestyle, which is costly in the long-run. To conclude, it is seen that CAM has many disadvantages in compare to conventional medicine, which depends on science and study research. First of all, most forms of CAM failed clinical trials as being hazardous, ineffective and some even being able to cause death in particular cases. Secondly, botanicals such as opium poppy and purple foxglove helped to cure cough and edema, respectively, at the same time destroying human body due to content of active toxic components. In addition, CAM is based on anecdotes,  which are received by word of mouth or published or books for public reading. It cannot be fully trusted, because of not being tested or failure in formal clinical trials. One cannot be sure in efficacy of alternative medicine, as the case with PC-SPES, which despite containing great amount of estrogens is sold to prostate cancer diseased people till these days. Ultimately, research revealed that annual expenditure on CAM was higher than for conventional medicine in the UK an d the US. In contrast, modern medicine is scientifically proven and provides only those treatments which passed clinical trials. The treatments are published only in peer-reviewed journals and are not announced as a cure, but are suggested as possible treatment. Conventional medicine can be trusted and it shows real treatment. The most significant advantage of conventional health care is the increase in the life expectancy of people due to advance in medicine. Also, illnesses which had no cure in the past, like child leukemia, heart related diseases and most forms asthma can be treated now. Therefore, there should be no alternative to modern medicine, because advantages of it are clear, while there is still discussion on unconventional medicine. Some forms of CAM might be used as compliment to conventional medicine, but not as alternative to it. People should be more informed about CAM and its inefficiency to provide effective and safe health care as modern medicine does.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

The effect of transformational leadership style on organizational Innovation

The effect of transformational leadership style on organizational Innovation 1. Introduction This study endeavors to develop comprehension of how transformational leadership style of top management affects innovation at the organizational level. The topic is of paramount importance because of the ever increasing pressures of modernization and innovation on todays global economy. It has become indispensable to practice a leadership style that makes firms innovative and adaptive to change. Firms are shifting their focus from knowledge economy to creative economy, where corporations will compete on the basis of imagination, innovation and creativity (Oke, Munshi Walumbwa, 2009) Boston Consulting Group Inc surveyed over 900 senior executives and identified innovation as the key driver of top-line revenue. Analysis of firms transforming due to innovation provides evidence for this statement. For example, the highly successful iPod of Apple Inc.s, that earned devastating revenues for the company; the role of Blackberrys success in the transformation and emergence of Research in Motion; process innovation at Southwest Airlines Co. that transformed it as an economical and triumphant airline; and Procter Gamble Co. outperforming its competitors by focusing on design innovation. Innovation aims at bringing about change in the status quo. It can be defined as discovering (creative thinking ideas) and commercializing those discoveries (implementing the creative ideas). Creativity new idea generation alone are insufficient for innovation; implementation is also a cornerstone of the innovation process. (Oke, Munshi, Walumbwa, 2009) Plentiful studies have led to the identification of factors that can stimulate innovation at the organizational level. In broad terms, innovation is the adoption or execution of unaccustomed and convenient ideas by individuals in organizations (Amabile Conti 1999) p.360). Factors that are known to have an influence on innovation include leadership (Mumford Gustafson, 1998; Amabile, 1998), a work environment that is conducive for innovation (Amabile, 1998; Oke, Munshi Walumbwa, 2009), CEO salary (Markman, Balkin and Gomez-Mejia, 2000), organizational culture and climate (Mumford Gustafson, 1998; Jung, Wu Chow, 2008; Oke, Munshi Walumbwa, 2009), environmental attributes (Jung, Wu Chow, 2008), learning capability and intra-organizational networks (Tsai, 2001) and job complexity type of supervision (Oldham Cummings, 1996). Among these abundant factors, the leadership behavior of managers has been spotted as one of the most important of all (Amabile, 1998; Jung, 2001; Mumford, Sc ott, Gaddis Strange, 2002). Leadership was merely a concept before the 19th century and it was in the start of the 19th century that it emerged as a word in English language (Davis Cushing). Over the years, leaders and leadership have been distinctly defined by various scholars. Leadership is a process whereby a leader changes the course of action of another group, due to the interaction of his personality characteristics and those of the group (Bogardus, 1934). Leadership is the direction of human collaborators for the accomplishment of a goal. A leader successfully guides his human assistants for the achievement of particular ends. (Prentice, W.C.H. 1961). Leadership is a goal directed endeavor with the aim to influence the activities of followers through communication process. (Donelly, J.H. Ivancevich, J. M. Gibson, J.L. 1985 Leadership is the situational effort towards goal achievement by the process of influencing the individual or group activities. (Hersey, P. Blanchard, K, 1988). Leadership is the f ormulation of a transparent and complete system of expectations for the purpose of identification, arousal and utilization of strengths of all the resources of an organization, the most important of which is human resource (Batten, J.D. 1989). Leadership is the art of influencing individuals to yield their best output/ performance for the accomplishment of a goal, project or objective. (Cohen, W.A. 1990). Leaders are the people who obtain commitment from a working group of individuals and then motivate them to accomplish the outcomes of a pre-planned direction. (Conger, J.A.1992). Leadership is a process in which a leader sets the goal for an individual or group of individuals and takes all of them together with him or her with proficiency and devotion (Jacques E. Clement, S.D. 1994). Leadership is an unrealizable trait that cannot be distinctly defined. This in fact is a good phenomenon, because if the followers were aware of the definition of leadership, they would probably overr un their leaders. (Scott Adams, 1996). Effective leadership is about enabling ordinary people to deliver extraordinary results in the face of challenge and change and to constantly turn in superior performance to the long-term benefit of all concerned (Charlton, 1993). The more recent definitions conceive leadership in terms of influence relationships, power differentials, persuasion, influence on goal achievement, reinforcement, role differentiation, initiation of structure, and perceived attributions of behavior that are consistent with what the perceivers spotted leadership to be. Recently, many management scholars and gurus have identified adaptive leadership as the key enabler to cope with the ever increasing challenges of the corporate world. (Bass, Avolio, Jung Berson, 2003). So the adaptive leadership behaviors that have proved to be more effective than other leadership styles in organizational innovation have been labeled as transformational. (Lowe, Kroek, Sivasubramaniam, 1996; Gardner Avolio, 1998; Howell Avolio, 1993). Transformational leadership capabilities continue to be the hallmark of innovative firms. Successful leaders like J.R. Immelt, CEO of General Electric; A.G.Lafley, CEO of P&G; Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Motors Tata Group and Steve Jobs of Apple are the prominent figures who have fostered innovation by their adaptive behaviors. Transformational leadership holds four theoretically discrete dimensions: charisma or idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individual consideration. Idealized influence reflects the degree to which followers admire and hold their leaders as role models. Leaders exhibiting idealized influence are ethical, consistent, share risks with followers and prefer the needs of their followers above their own needs. Inspirational motivation points to the degree motivation of followers by delineating new opportunities, providing meaning and challenge to followers work and articulating a strong, realistic and shared vision of the future. Intellectual stimulation refers to the ability of a leader to question the assumptions and thinking of followers, reframe problems, stimulate intellectual curiosity, approaching problems in new ways, soliciting creativity and innovation from followers through novel approaches and avoiding open criticism for individual errors. Finally, leaders who provide individualized consideration pay attention to individual needs for growth, development, support and achievement. They act as coaches or mentors and establish a favorable environment for innovation; where values are diversified and learning opportunities are created (Bass Avolio, 1993) (Some versions of Bass Full-Range Leadership Theory identify 5 components of transformational leadership by breaking down idealized influence/ charisma into idealized influence or attributed charisma. For the sake of simplifying this research, idealized influence and charisma have been grouped together in this study). 2. Research Design 2.1 Main Objectives The aim of this study is to probe the following objectives: To discuss the philosophy, attributes and elements of transformational leadership and innovation To spot the existence of transformational leadership style at Telenor Pakistan To the asses the level of organizational innovation Telenor Pakistan To identify the effect transformational leadership style on organizational innovation 2.2 Hypotheses to be tested The objective of this study is to spot the presence of attributes of transformational leadership i.e. idealized influence, inspirational motivation, individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation, estimate the level of organizational innovation and examine the effect of transformational leadership on organizational innovation. The working hypothesis within this context will be as under: H0: Transformational leadership has no effect on organizational innovation. H1: Transformational leadership has strong effect on organizational innovation. 2.3 Scope of the study The range of application of this study is limited to the telecommunication sector in Pakistan with specific focus on Telenor (Peshawar). Transformational leadership style will be judged on the basis of four dimensions, that is, charisma or idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration. Furthermore, the effect of transformational leadership on organizational innovation will be analyzed. 3. Review of Literature (Burns, 1978) stated that transformational leaders stand above the common place. They indulge in a mutual interaction with their followers that raises the understanding, goals and mission that results in the ultimate arousal and transformation of both the leader and the followers. (Bass, 1985) At the other end to transformational leadership lies transactional leadership; where the leaders try to maintain the status quo. Followers are motivated on the base of extrinsic rewards, such as promotion and monetary benefits. It is an everyday terrestrial transaction of value, where leaders only provide needed value to individuals in exchange for their services. (Jane. M. Howell, Christopher A. Higgins, 1990) The most successful leaders are gifted with qualities of transformational leadership and charisma. They are far more influential and innovative than the leaders having style other than transformational. (David A. Waldman, Bernard M. Bass, 1991) linked the themes of nurturant and persistent leadership with transformational leadership theory. Furthermore, the role of transformational leadership behavior in various stages of successful innovations was clarified and implications were presented regarding the proposed model. (Dougherty Hardy, 1996) Transformational leaders intellectually stimulate their followers. This fosters unaccustomed and creative thinking and working processes that pave the way for new technology and knowledge, which are necessary for organizational innovation. Amabile, Conti, Coon, Lazenby, and Herron (1996) have spotted the damaging effects of transactional leadership on creativity. Bono Judge (2004) have supported this proposition in their recent meta-analysis. (Sosik, Avolio Kahali, 1997) Transformational leaders easily adapt to exploitative and exploratory thinking processes which in turn yield creative ideas and effective solutions to problems. The effectiveness of transformational leadership at stimulating unconventional and innovative thinking of followers is far greater than that of other leadership styles. (Bass, 1985; Gardner Avolio, 1998) proposed that transformational leaders have the ability to create personal and professional commitment from their followers towards satisfying upper-level needs like self-actualization and self esteem. (Oldham Cummings, 1996; Amabile, 1998; Zhou, 2003) added to this research finding by suggesting that this commitment boosts the inherent motivation of followers, which is considered to be an essential driver of individual creativity and organizational innovation. (House Shamir, 1993; Jung Avolio, 2000; Mumford et.al, 2000) Leaders possessing transformational attributes have the ability to regroup the values and norms of their followers in a better way. They encourage the progress of personal and organizational changes and facilitate their followers to go beyond their initial performance expectations. (A.Oke, 2002) was part of a study carried out on the organizational innovation of AXA insurance, Ireland. It was revealed that due to the transformational leadership style of John. ONeil, the CEO, a non-innovative firm was transmuted into an innovative one. To achieve this level of creativity, the physical spaces were decorated with eye catching colors and employees from all levels and functions were made to work together in order to stimulate creativity. The results of this transformational behavior were soon evident in the form of 150 new business ideas during 6 months. (Shin Zhou 2003) found that positive relation was discovered between transformational leadership and creativity of subordinates on the basis of a study conducted on 290 employees and their supervisors belonging to 46 Korean companies. (Jung, Wu, Chow, 2008) concluded in their research that a positive relation has existence between the transformational leadership of CEO and organizational innovation. This effect is moderated by variables such as organizational structure, culture and external environment. These results are agreed upon after testing multi-sourced data from 50 Taiwanese electronics and telecommunications companies. (Oke, Munshi, Walumbwa, 2009) found that transformational style of leadership strongly enhances creativity and innovation regarding exploratory (creating something of a totally new and radical nature) and exploitative innovation activities (incremental improvements and refinements to something that already exists). These leaders have the ability to transform or change, which makes them the main drivers for innovative processes. (Lale Gumusluoglu, Arzu IIsev, 2009) suggested that transformational leadership style has strong influence on both the individual and organizational innovation. Individually, transformational leadership is positively related to the creativity of employees. Furthermore, transformational leadership and organizational innovation are spotted to have a positive association between them. These results are the outcome of a study conducted on 163 managers and RD personnel from 43 Micro and small sized software development companies from Turkey. (Khan, Rehman and Fatima, 2009) studied managers from telecommunication sector in Pakistan and explored the positive effects of transformational leadership on organizational innovation. (Mariana Makri, Terri A.Scandura, 2010) identified the strong relation of operational leadership (the dimension of leadership which reflects the ability of a CEO to refine the existing paths to growth or tapping new paths by reframing and extending the boundaries of the firm to products and markets) and creative leadership (the ability of a leader to contribute to the social, human and knowledge capital of his firm) with the quantity and resonance of innovation. The hypothesis was tested over a sample of 77 high technology firms. 4. Research Methodology 4.1 Sources of data This research will make use of both primary and secondary data. Transformational leadership style will be judged on the basis of primary data obtained through interview and questionnaire. The level of organizational innovation will be assessed by primary data obtained through questionnaire and secondary data gathered from the companys publicly disclosed financial statements. 4.2 Research instruments Questionnaires and structured interviews will serve as instruments of this research. The extent of transformational leadership will be measured using Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (Bass and Avolio, 1995) (Annexure-A). MLQ is a well validated measure of transformational leadership and has been used extensively in prior research (Awamleh and Gardner, 1999). Each respondent will be asked to rate five aspects of his/her leaders/ top-managers behavior related to each of the four dimensions of transformational leadership (idealized influence/charisma, inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation). The responses will be anchored by a 5-point response scale (1-not at all, 2-once in a while, 3-sometimes, 4-fairly often, 5-frequently, if not always). While measuring organizational innovation, a composite measure will be used to capture the broad aspects of innovative activities (Balkin et als, 2000). Two measures will be used to tap into different aspects of innovation. First is the annual RD expenditure as a percentage of sales revenue over three years prior to this study (i.e.2008-2010). This ratio indicates a firms emphasis on innovation (Hitt, Hoskisson and Kim, 1997; Balkin et al, 2000). These figures will be obtained from the companys publicly disclosed financial statements. Second, different respondents actively following the telecommunication industry will be contacted. The reason is to include different fruits of innovation such as process and service improvements. Each respondent will be offered two sets of questions about the sample firm. The first set includes a single question regarding his/her familiarity with the company. The possible answers will be 1-not familiar with the company at all, 2-somewhat familiar with the company, 3-very familiar with the company. Only the respondents with responses 2 and 3 will be considered. The second set comprises of 20 questions (4 questions each for scanning five types of innovative activities i.e. product innovation, process innovation, marketing innovation, strategic innovation and organizational climate innovation) in order to rate the level of organizational innovation (Annexure B). The 5-point Likerts Scale (1-strongly disagree, 2-disagree, 3-neither agree nor disagree, 4-agree, 5-strongly agree) will be used to anchor the responses. 4.3 Sampling design (a) Universe / population There are many national and multinational telecommunication companies operating in Pakistan. All these national and multinational firms collectively form the population/ universe of this research. Results will be generalized and recommendations will be forwarded considering all these firms. (b) Sample size and selection This research will adopt a case study approach by focusing on Telenor (Peshawar) as the sample firm. A simple random sample of 30 employees of low, middle and top-management of the company will be selected with the aim of assessing transformational leadership. Furthermore, organizational innovation will be judged by studying a random sample of 30 respondents that are directly or indirectly associated with the telecommunication industry in Pakistan.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Petroleum Systems :: Petrol Oil Gas Geology

Petroleum Systems I. Introduction This paper covers a very interesting topic for people who are keen on the geological concepts to the discovery of petroleum. The subject matter itself covers research findings on how related areas in petroleum discovery can be appreciated by students in this particular field; more so, by ordinary people who may or may not have a deeper level of understanding and appreciation about the wealth of the earth, particularly on petroleum. The work required of this paper is not easy. It takes a lot of patience in finding the right mix of materials that would produce the kind of output the student wants to find out and to prove his thoughts about the subject matter. Considering that the subject matter is highly technical, one has to patiently go through the rigors of reading lots of materials, comparing and writing down notes and drawing conclusions for one self. How one appreciates the subject matter and his researched work truly reflects how this paper, as a whole, is well thought about, understood and presented. It is hoped that at the end of this paper, one is able to get the bigger picture about the processes involved in the petroleum system, from its source to trap, and that he can draw for himself, in layman's terms, how processes can be understood by ordinary people. II. Petroleum Petroleum "occurs in a liquid phase as crude oil and condensate and in a gaseous phase as natural gas" (Petroleum Geology, 2003). The development of petroleum in gaseous phase is largely dependent on the "kind of source rock from which the petroleum was formed and the physical and thermal environment in which it exists" (Petroleum Geology, 2003). Petroleum is commonly identified as the crude oil, in liquid form, which is found deep below the ground surface around less than 20,000 feet. Petroleum is "found in sedimentary basins in sedimentary rocks" and for it to develop accumulations it has to meet several conditions, namely: "(1) There must be a source rock, usually high in organic matter, from which petroleum can be generated; (2) There must be a

Monday, August 19, 2019

A Lifetime of Damage Essay -- essays research papers

Overview The purpose of this research report is to review the practice of corporal punishment in the home and the lasting harmful effects on the children involved. The research is based on the opinions and finding of professionals in mental health and child development and offers little to no support for the use of physical punishment. This research outlines several areas of a child’s life that are acutely affected by the violent form of punishment called â€Å"spanking†. Within our community I have seen first hand that children who are subjected to such punishment suffer emotional as well as physical harm. Loss of trust, confusion, damaged relationships; aggression, humiliation, depression as well as death occur in children disciplined with corporal punishment. This paper reports the findings of many national studies in an attempt to educate those who continue to advocate violence in the home. A Lifetime of Damage Research about corporal punishment and the effects on children has become increasingly important. In particular, child psychologists have studied how to recognise behaviours that may suggest violence in the home, allowing vital intervention. This research led psychologists to realise that the behaviours they were observing in young children were almost always carried with the child throughout life and affected future behaviour; causing delinquency with the law, drug and alcohol abuse and perpetrating abuse on others. This study began with a sense of urgency to find information and educate those who felt that spanking was an acceptable and effective form of punishment. Secondly this research was done in order to better understand the emotional health of children. Research pertaining to the detrimental effects of corporal punishment on a child’s emotional and physical well being has shown that whether corporal punishment is used every day, once a week or once a month, there are lasting harmful effects to the children involved. Some of the physical and emotional effects of parents using corporal punishment on their child can be seen immediately. Along with physical damage such as redness, swelling and bruises, there is also significant emotional damage. Loss of trust and confusion are immediate and very detrimental to a young child. There are also many consequences that remain hidden for years, which may cause these children to suffer fr... ...here is no excuse that magically makes hurting a child kind or merciful† (1994, p.1). Children suffer damages that have been measured in many studies, by many doctors. But, these children who are being spanked also suffer from wounds that no one can begin to measure. The lost trust that a child suffers while begin spanked causes a lifetime of damage to his or her spirit, as well as to the relationship between the parent and the child. The psychological impact that has been attributed to a majority of spanked children, not only harms the future of that child, but those who surround him. References Alexander, K. (2001). Is Spanking Ever Okay? Parents, 90-98. Flynn, C. (1999). Exploring the Link Between Corporal Punishment and Children’s Cruelty to Animals. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61. 971-980 Greven, P. (1991). Spare the Child. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Lindgren, A. Never Violence. Cox, Randy. Riak, J. Plain Talk About Spanking. http://nospank.org/plntk.htm Schaefer, C. (1990). Teach Your Child to Behave. New York: Penguin Books. Straus, M. (1994). Beating the Devil out of Them. New York: Lexington Books. Straus, M. Hitting a Child is Wrong. Cox, Randy. A Lifetime of Damage Essay -- essays research papers Overview The purpose of this research report is to review the practice of corporal punishment in the home and the lasting harmful effects on the children involved. The research is based on the opinions and finding of professionals in mental health and child development and offers little to no support for the use of physical punishment. This research outlines several areas of a child’s life that are acutely affected by the violent form of punishment called â€Å"spanking†. Within our community I have seen first hand that children who are subjected to such punishment suffer emotional as well as physical harm. Loss of trust, confusion, damaged relationships; aggression, humiliation, depression as well as death occur in children disciplined with corporal punishment. This paper reports the findings of many national studies in an attempt to educate those who continue to advocate violence in the home. A Lifetime of Damage Research about corporal punishment and the effects on children has become increasingly important. In particular, child psychologists have studied how to recognise behaviours that may suggest violence in the home, allowing vital intervention. This research led psychologists to realise that the behaviours they were observing in young children were almost always carried with the child throughout life and affected future behaviour; causing delinquency with the law, drug and alcohol abuse and perpetrating abuse on others. This study began with a sense of urgency to find information and educate those who felt that spanking was an acceptable and effective form of punishment. Secondly this research was done in order to better understand the emotional health of children. Research pertaining to the detrimental effects of corporal punishment on a child’s emotional and physical well being has shown that whether corporal punishment is used every day, once a week or once a month, there are lasting harmful effects to the children involved. Some of the physical and emotional effects of parents using corporal punishment on their child can be seen immediately. Along with physical damage such as redness, swelling and bruises, there is also significant emotional damage. Loss of trust and confusion are immediate and very detrimental to a young child. There are also many consequences that remain hidden for years, which may cause these children to suffer fr... ...here is no excuse that magically makes hurting a child kind or merciful† (1994, p.1). Children suffer damages that have been measured in many studies, by many doctors. But, these children who are being spanked also suffer from wounds that no one can begin to measure. The lost trust that a child suffers while begin spanked causes a lifetime of damage to his or her spirit, as well as to the relationship between the parent and the child. The psychological impact that has been attributed to a majority of spanked children, not only harms the future of that child, but those who surround him. References Alexander, K. (2001). Is Spanking Ever Okay? Parents, 90-98. Flynn, C. (1999). Exploring the Link Between Corporal Punishment and Children’s Cruelty to Animals. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61. 971-980 Greven, P. (1991). Spare the Child. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Lindgren, A. Never Violence. Cox, Randy. Riak, J. Plain Talk About Spanking. http://nospank.org/plntk.htm Schaefer, C. (1990). Teach Your Child to Behave. New York: Penguin Books. Straus, M. (1994). Beating the Devil out of Them. New York: Lexington Books. Straus, M. Hitting a Child is Wrong. Cox, Randy.