How Media Affects Society Essay

How The Media Affects Society The media is undoubtedly a significant and influential aspect in modern day society. As a means of communication in a world very much advanced in technology, the media touches all types of people through various forms such as the radio, newspapers, televisions etc. The question remains: what information is left unbiased and untarnished? The people within society must sort through the many bits of information fed to them and unfortunately, in most cases, all bits of media is taken as the whole truth. The ways in which media impacts society to a great extent are through the facts it chooses to reveal, as recently seen in the case of the Tamil war in Sri Lanka. The tone in which it is presented such as the recently reported cases of Tamil protest on the streets of downtown Toronto and finally in the manner it chooses to target certain audiences, such as the case of Victoria George-Pazzano in Mexico. The media affects society through the facts it chooses to reveal. The media can choose to mention certain things and not to mention certain things. As seen in the recent Tamil war in Sri Lanka all mainstream media outlets were banned from broadcasting out of the country. The media then proceeded not to broadcast any of it, leaving people unaware of it on a global scale, until the Tamils outside of Sri Lanka began to protest and make other countries aware of the situation. The media chose not to reveal this information and if it was not for the protest and marches held around the world it is possible, that society could have never known that genocide was being used against the Tamil Tigers. Society needs the media to be informed on the events happening around the world, but sometimes the media may not choose to show us what is exactly going on. This can result in society not knowing how to react to what is happening in other parts of the world. Just as important as the facts the media chooses to reveal, the tone and manner in which the media presents these facts plays a large role on society’s take on events. The tone in which the media presents the facts in can be hostile, neutral or in favour. The tone can affect society’s view on the situation, resulting in either a positive or negative reaction. As seen on May 10th when thousands of Tamils met on Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway, for almost 4 hours shutting down a key artery in the city’s road network. If the media had said, â€Å"The Tamil protesters are keeping Torontonians hostage in their own city† vs â€Å"The Tamil protesters are bravely doing what needs to be done to save their families†. This could have resulted in Toronto turning against the Tamil community and possibly resulting in hate crimes, but instead the tone of the media was in favour of the protesters. Which has resulted in a positive reaction from Toronto and the Canadian government. The tone in which the facts are presented by the media, can easily change the point of view of the consumer, and can have either a positive or negative reaction regardless of the truth behind the facts. Lastly, the media uses its voice to target certain audiences for certain reactions. Who can the media target? In the case of Victoria George-Pazzano, a 29 year old woman who suffered a severe asthma attack while on vacation in Mexico became critically ill. Victoria’s family pleaded to the Canadian government and Ontario hospitals to bring her home,but were continuously told that there were no beds and doctors available to treat in all of Ontario. The family of Victoria then pleaded there case to the media, who in return targeted the government officials and found out that either the hospitals or the officials were lying to Victoria’s family because there were more than 20 beds available at the time. Because the media targeted the government with the right tone and direction of attention, the heat was put on the government for action because all of the attention was affecting there reputation. Without the media Attention, Victoria George-Pazzano would have died in a hospital bed in Cancun Mexico because the government of Canada pushed her aside. With these three weapons at the media’s disposal, namely the facts it chooses to reveal, the perspective it chooses to take and the people it wishes to target. The media holds a great deal of power and influence over society. Of course, it may be for a positive effect or a negative one. Would one rather live in fear of all the rapes, assaults, robberies and murders that are reported or live happy, not knowing about every crime that takes place? That is another debate altogether. But, one thing is for certain: the people should not live blindly at the word and mercy of the media or another. There should always be room for doubt, speculation and of course one’s own opinions. Although the media may carry a great influence over society, each person is entitled to think for oneself.

Inclusion Equal Opportunities And Diversity Education Essay Essay

In 21st century classrooms, there are more and more children coming from much more diverse backgrounds. Teachers need to teach these children with effective teaching methods and must therefore have pedagogical approaches that deepen their cultural understanding. Many of these children have a range of ability in language, abilities and culture. Centre for Studies on Inclusive Education (CSIE) stated that teachers must employ not only theoretically sounds but also culturally responsive pedagogy. Teachers must create a classroom culture where all children, regardless of their cultural or linguistic backgrounds are welcomed and supported and provided with the best learning opportunity. What is inclusion? Inclusive education is concerning equality and human rights. Inclusion is more than an understanding and a policy requirement. It is on the subject of respect and values which welcomes diversity in the classroom and a wider part of society. The inclusion statement n the National Curriculum (DfEE/QCA 1999) stated that differentiation from a wide variety of needs and the planning of lessons to ensure access and participation was part of normal teaching. This point was further emphasised by Overall & Sangster (2007) saying that it is about meeting the different needs of as many children as possible in mainstream schooling. What are equal opportunities? Equal opportunities are about being inclusive and fair in the way you deal with all children. Treating all children the same is not enough. Overall & Sangster (2007) define fair to be when the teacher meets the needs of every child as far as they can. What is diversity? Diversity is something that is becoming more and more popular in the classroom. In simple terms, diversity just means that are is a variety of different types of children in the classroom. Not only is it a professional standard to develop an understanding of the cultural diversity in their class but it is also a legal requirement (Children Act, 1989, 2004), but are these legal requirements being met? Are these evident in schools? Figures from the Department for Children, Schools and Families show that last year saw the biggest year-on-year increase in pupils from ethnic minorities. Across the country, they accounted for almost 22% in 2007 compared to 20. 6% in 2006. From these figures it is clear to see that inclusion, equal opportunities and diversity are part of the ‘norm’ classroom and need to be therefore addressed appropriately. I will now discuss what it means for a school to be inclusive and if a school is ‘effective’ does it mean that it has to be inclusive as well? I will also look at barriers to learning and how they are overcome. School Inclusion It is important for schools to be inclusive. Hayes (2004) believes that inclusion is best understood as an aim, aspiration or even a philosophy, rather than as a set of techniques that can be applied to a situation. It is important for a school to aim to be inclusive to everyone in the school, whether this is towards children, teachers or other members of staff. Inclusion tends to be regarded as ‘the right thing to do’ and it is this moral imperative than often makes teachers feel guilty about saying anything negative about inclusive policies and practices. It is important to remember that a positive attitude to inclusion has an impact on the process of developing inclusive teaching strategies (Halliwell, 2003). As a trainee teacher, it is important for me to understand that inclusion is a process that is influenced by a number of different factors and has a different meaning for everyone involved. From experience, I have seen inclusion being carried out. This occurred during assembly when the whole school came together for their Friday ‘celebration assembly’. During this assembly, birthdays were announced and the children came to the front. All teachers and children joined in with singing happy birthday while as the same time signing it. This was a lovely experience to observe. The school as a whole were including everyone. Although there are many different indicators of inclusion to reflect on such as policies, practises and experiences of individuals learning, it is also my aim to carry these out. Such policies include Inclusive Schooling (DfES 2001b). This document provides practical advice to schools and LEA’s on the inclusion framework and sets out seven principles of an inclusive education service. The Every Child Matters Policy (DfES 2003, 2004a, 2004b) has according to Arthur, Grainger and Wray (2006) ‘served to set educational inclusion within the broader context of radical change in the whole system of children’s services including explicitly shifting from intervention to prevention with services working together more effectively’. The overall aim of Every Child Matters is to reduce the number of children who experience educational failure, engage in offending or antisocial behaviour, suffer from ill health or become teenage parents (DfES 2003). The Every Child Matters aims are said to be at the heart of Children Act 2004 (Arthur, Grainger and Wray 2006). Finally, according to Overall and Sangster (2007) the idea of an inclusive school is one that will meet the needs of many pupils in a variety of ways; within special classes, through support for individuals, differentiation in the curriculum and carefully thought through teaching, is an exciting idea. This is something that I should really develop as part of my philosophy of inclusive education. Barriers Inclusion is about looking for ways of reducing the barriers to learning that may exist for children who present more challenging circumstances. Prejudice and stereotyping are often significant in creating and maintaining these barriers (Overall and Sangster 2007). Within The National Curriculum (DfEE/QCA 1999) three principles were set out to develop a more inclusive education. Within these principles, the third is to ‘overcome potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and group of pupils’. These groups of pupils can range from SEN to EAL to Gifted and Talented. Overcoming barriers is further emphasised in Inclusive Schooling (DfES 2001b) with one of the principles stating ‘schools, local education authorities and others should actively seek to remove barriers to learning and participation’. Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment is relevant to all children who have already been identified to have an emotional, mental or physical need. Teachers must plan to meet these needs and also the needs of the rest of the class at the same time. One method of doing this is to pair a pupil with EAL with a pupil who is good at English. Peer encouragement is a great way of encouraging talk. I witnessed an example with an emotionally vulnerable child. This particular child was getting frustrated and upset when they couldn’t do their times tables because other pupils around the table were counting aloud and therefore interfering with this pupil’s train of thought. To resolve this problem, the pupil was sent into a quieter room where there was full concentration of the subject. As a trainee teacher, I need to plan my lessons which overcome barriers which I may face in delivering a lesson or scheme of work. Conclusion Schools should all have an inclusion, equal opportunities and diversity policy in place and one that is being actively carried out by all pupils and members of staff. It is important that I am positive about the right for all children to be valued and to receive the best education available for them. This can be helped by implementing and receiving guidance from local education authorities or attending extra training days. From reading I have learnt to develop my own pedagogy with regard to inclusion, equal opportunities and diversity. As a training professional I have a unique opportunity to contribute to developing my own personal practice and help with developing policies with other colleagues. My aim now is to need all the needs of the children who I will be teaching both on placement now and in the future with my own class of children.

Current Issues for Strategic Information Systems Report Essay

Current Issues for Strategic Information Systems Report - Essay Example Lastly, the report offers a summary recommendation for technology adoption by GLM in future, including a costs outline of such an undertaking. The analysis of the impact of adopting future technology enables the company to identify technologies that prove beneficial (Palvia, 2003:161). The implementation of such technologies is integral to the sustainability and growth of GLM. Introduction The report has several parts that comprehensively analyze the adoption and benefits of new technology in the company as far as information systems and information management (IS and IM respectively) improvements are concerned (Ward and Joe, 2002:74). The first part reviews the present status of the IS and IM at GLM, and the impact of adoption of future technologies to the organization’s business culture, model, and structure in the next five years. ... The last part provides a set of recommendation to the organization with a clear outline on financial costs. This report highly recommends that GLM implement these proposals in order to achieve cost saving, improve the workplace environment, meet the demands of current and potential customers, and remain competitive in their market. Review of the Current IS and Future Technologies at GLM The Current GLM’s IS The current IS at GLM has potential for improvement. Drawing upon the pre-workshop document on the company’s IS system, the implementation, and use of information systems is less than ideal. This report provides an overview of the areas presently with IS in the organization in appendix 1 (Travis, 2004:94). From a consultant’s point of view, there is need for improvement on these areas, as discussed later in the report. Future Technologies Technology in the modern world is an integral asset to organization. This is evident from the increasing number of organiza tion and individuals embracing technology in the global market. It has thus become imperative for organizations to adopt technology in order to compete and expand effectively in the market. In this regard therefore, the objective by GLM to expand into the global market must go in hand with adoption of current technology, which will enable it to meet the needs of its current customers as well as attract technology-enthusiastic customers. Thus, GLM needs to leverage this knowledge and subsequently enhance the work processes and communication channels. To achieve this, this report analyzes the technologies that may prove beneficial to the business culture, business model, and structure of GLM as an organization. Among the most significant technologies, include cloud computing, customer relationship

Managing of diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Managing of diversity - Essay Example ting the apt workers is not the end of the task, they have to recruit employees from diverse backgrounds in their home operations and importantly in their foreign operations. That is, it is necessary that the management must ensure a constant availability of sufficient number of efficient employees from managers, executives, technical persons to laborers importantly from diverse backgrounds, for the efficient functioning of the organization and also to fulfill Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). So, recruitment of employees from diverse backgrounds will only give the desired results because it will work effectively in the interior environment as well as handle the issues that happen in the external environment of the specific organisation In organizations, workers will be like the five different fingers in one’s hand; different from one another, having different characters, attitudes, education, background and also ethnicity. But, some organizations will not have this diversity aspect, especially the ethnicity aspect, totally or not up to recognizable levels. So, certain organizations will introduce programs or strategies to recruit and assemble ‘collage’ of workers, so that the diversity element is incorporated into their organizational structure and culture. This incorporation of diversity will bring in many benefits and could also raise the image of the organization among diverse group of people. This is what many organizations like Nike, bp, Verizon, etc is trying to do through their Diversity programs. That is, all the companies are recruiting employees from diverse backgrounds through its Diversity programs to improve economically as well as ethically. So, this paper will focus on how divers ity can be managed optimally by an organization with Human Resource Manager (HRM) playing a crucial role, and with the aid of real life examples in the form Nike’s Diversity program as well as Southwest Airlines, Verizon and bp. As different humans could only

Animals are Friends, not Scientific Experiments Research Paper

Animals are Friends, not Scientific Experiments - Research Paper Example This paper seeks to quickly review animals as friends of man, and not scientific experiments. Animal research is a practice that has had an inhumane impact on animals. It is a cruel process which often involves discomfort to the animals, and in some instances, pain and death. Pain is a mental process which often cannot be observed, but it does not mean that it is not happening. Its physical impact can also be significant as observed from humans who manifest responses like screaming, crying, or even jerking away from the object or person causing them pain. If from the above-mentioned indicators we can deduce pain in humans, why is it that the scientists overlook the fact that animals also feel pain? When animals are stepped on or poked, they cry or jerk away. Animal testing involves hurting and painful procedures which include the injection of poisonous chemicals, the cutting of their abdomen, and the stressing of their bones until they break, and similar other procedures. All these p ainful acts are performed without anesthesia being administered. Scientists argue that anesthesia often interferes with the accuracy of their results. For which reason, they have no qualms about subjecting these animals to intolerable pain. Painful experiments on animals can make most people uncomfortable. For many years, much controversy has surrounded the practice of animal testing, and the subject of primates subjected to testing has been one of the core issues of this controversy (Conn, et.al., 2008). On one side, humans relate more to primates, more than any other animals and therefore, their eagerness on the use of such primates for experimentation is strong (Conn, et.al., 2008). The feelings of kinship with primates have often animal rights groups to express their protests against animal cruelty and testing. Those involved in primate testing however argue that these experiments are necessary in order to establish cures for diseases and the fact that primates have more in comm on anatomically to humans, make them the best candidate for experimentation (Guerrini, 2003). There are however inherent issues which are bound with this practice. It is evident that animals experience cruel and inhuman treatments through some of the experiments carried out on them. In some of these experiments, they are often forced to ingest household products and are then monitored to observe the results. Further, in other experiments, animals are often forced to ingest medicines before these medications are put into market. These experiments are carried out in order to ensure that they do not have any life-threatening side effects on human beings. To test corrosive chemicals, chemicals are often applied on the shaved backs of the animals and these chemicals expectedly burn the skins of these animals, often causing them much agony and pain (Larry, 2004 p145). According to the scientists, animals and human beings have a similar biological structure. This is a fragile foundation to base an argument on. Research has expressed that every animal species has a unique biological structure which may look similar to others, but are, in fact, very different. It has also been established that experimental results accrued from one species can have negative results on other species (Langley 2010). It is therefore wrong to conclude that the biological genetics of human beings resemble those of animals; and it is therefore wro

Take home question Financial Markets of Latin American Essay

Take home question Financial Markets of Latin American - Essay Example However, they -as well as other emerging markets as China or Eastern Europe- appear to be overcoming this crisis much better than more mature markets as USA or the European Union. Some analysts explain that this fact is due to these countries costume and tradition of facing continuous tensions and crisis, situation that have led them to develop "overcoming mechanisms"2. According to Manuel Romera, the Latin-American countries have few to fear from this situation, since they are "those countries that are the most used to difficult and tension moments, being so the most prepared to overcome the crisis". I coincide with this hypothesis because, to my mind, if during the coming decades these countries are able to achieve solid organisational models to simultaneously stimulate innovation and efficiency, it would be seen how theses economies experiment unknown levels of development. It should be beard in mind that Latin-American economies are rich in natural resources and primary materials (resources more and more precious in such a shortage world, characterised by a frantic economic growth). Nevertheless, and once the risk of contagion is being avoided, let's remark some other facts that condition the S

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 75

Summary - Essay Example They tend not to exaggerate any of their stories in an effort to look better and never put any effort into attempts to imitate others. Genuine leadership is not an imitation of what other leaders have done or are trying to do; it is the end product of our being freely and fully ourselves. Life is short, and we should try and spend time doing the things that we love though it might not always be easy and trouble free to do this. Before there can ever be a me and you, there must be a me. When one learns how to tell their own story, they are able to perceive the stories of other individuals in such a manner that they are able to cause for there be to an us in the place of a me. When make advances towards stepping into who you innately truly are, people start perceiving you as being real and build levels of both confidence and trust in you that no amount of PR or spin could ever possibly manufacture. People mostly tend to respond to a person if they are authentically and down rightly themselves. The development of the relationship with ourselves takes time. An integral part of living authentically is, learning how to trust or internal compasses and has absolute clarity on who we genuinely are. We should try and return to our life’s main passion and focus on being who we genuinely are. Our attempts to find our place in the world are not a onetime affair; they are an ongoing process that carries on throughout our lives. It is imperative at times for us to learn how to grant ourselves the permission to change our direction. We all have the capacity and power to change the roles we play in both our professional and personal lives. This should be encouraged to happen even if it seems to be challenging and upsets the status

Human Resources Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Human Resources Management - Essay Example Reference is made to UNITE, a quite powerful trade union in Britain. It is proved that the power of trade unions in Britain has been reduced compared to the past; still, the decisive role of trade unions in promoting employment rights cannot be doubted. In UK, trade unions are a key element of ‘the country’s industrial relations system’ (Singh 2011, p.51). In order to understand the role of trade unions in UK it is necessary to refer to their characteristics and their relationship with their members. In Britain trade unions represent the workers through the ‘shop steward framework (Singh 2011, p.51). The term shop steward refers to the member of a trade union who has, simultaneously, two roles; ‘he occupies an official position in the union and he also works in an organization’ (Singh 2011, p.51). The definition of trade unions is included in the 1913 Trade Unions Act. According to the above Act a trade union is ‘any combination, whether temporary or permanent, the principal objects of which are†¦. the regulation of the relations between workmen and masters†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Jackson 1982, p.69). It is also noted that trade unions have the power to intervene in conflicts developed between employees, or those developed between employers, i.e. it is not necessary that the one party is a worker and the other is a master (Jackson 1982, p.69). Trade unions in Britain have three objectives: a) to keep the level of wages standardized preventing reductions in employees’ real income; in the same context, trade unions have the power to intervene when issues related to hours of work or conditions of work appear (Singh 2011, p.51); b) to promote full employment for all workers across UK and c) to support ‘the increase of power of workers in Britain’ (Singh 2011, p.51); in fact, due to the interventions of trade unions workers have been given the chance ‘to participate

Gender and Aging Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Gender and Aging - Essay Example For instance, Ms. Beatrice engages in volunteering work in order to find time to share with her daughter and grandchildren (Anno. 2014). This helps her to feel better because of the company and the chance to interact with others. The aging services can help widows like Ms. Beatrice Newman cope with such challenges and age successfully by providing social occasions where they can interact with others. This is essential since it will make them feel appreciated and forget about their problems back at home. It would also be appropriate to encourage them to participate in volunteering activities where they can keep busy and socialize with other members of the society (Anno. 2014). This arises because the main challenge to them is loneliness and loss of touch of the family members. As a result, aging services can support caregivers by providing suitable facilities and conditions for taking care of the

Images of Women in Religion - Christian Gnosticism and Buddhism Essay

Images of Women in Religion - Christian Gnosticism and Buddhism - Essay Example The absence of feminine symbolism in modern religious tradition is consistent with an orthodox stance specifically inclined to resist social and political transformations that took place in the second century and resulted in increased prominence of women in all activities of daily life, including religion. Karen Lang builds from the primordial belief that divinity knows no physical boundaries, including gender: â€Å"The early Buddhist and Christian Gnostic assumption that beings once were luminous, incorporeal, and asexual, and that this state of perfection can be regained, motivates their quest for enlightenment†. Buddhism and Gnosticism share the view that humanity’s fall from divine grace springs from earthly desires, such as lust. Women, historically linked with seduction and sexuality, were therefore viewed in Buddhist and Gnostic myths as impure. Female fertility paralleled the earth’s fruitfulness, â€Å"†¦ for they associate the enjoyment of a woman’s sexuality with tasting the earth, or its fruits†. Human imperfection was described through the impurities of women’s bodies, but this was not exclusively meant for women since both religions believed that all human bodies were impure and therefore imperfect. In both cases, owing to a pre eminently egalitarian message with prospects for study, teaching and prominent leadership positions in the community, women were attracted to Buddhist and Gnostic communities. Lang aims to clarify that religious tradition did not always discriminate against women.

Recruitment Software Specification Essay Example for Free

Recruitment Software Specification Essay Features Functionalities of Recruitment Automation Software: This is an software for the placement consultants who work for their clients to recruit the best candidate for them. This software will have three different management systems, namely Candidate Management, Client Management and Recruiters Management. Also there will be master admin who can control all these activities. Some optional modules can also be suggested for the better management of the system. The features and functionalities: 1. Candidate Management a. All the candidate’s data can be stored in the database by filling up a form in which the name, phone, email, location, qualification, experiences, keywords and other related details of the candidate can be taken. b. The resume of the candidates can also be browsed and uploaded in the system c. The entire resume and the candidate profiles can also be searched by keyword, experience, location etc. 2. Client Management a. The client details like company name, address, contact person, phone, email, designation and the other related details can be entered in the form and saved to create the master of the clients b. The MOU with a client can be digitally uploaded in the system c. The client’s open positions can be entered and assigned to any recruiter with all the details (desired profile, job responsibilities etc.) d. The shortlisted candidate’s resume can be sent to the clients for final review/interview/written test e. The offer letter format of the client can be managed and it can be given to the candidates who are selected (closed position); similar activity can be done for the notice period agreement also f. When a position is closed, the billing of the same be sent to the client (invoice) g. If the bill is not cleared by the due date, the reminder email will be sent to the client continuously each time after a certain interval till the time the admin changes the billing status as â€Å"Received† 3. Recruiters Management a. Master (name, designation, address, Date of joining, qualification, salary etc.) b. Open position assignment with a deadline  c. Recruiters should be able to update the status of the candidates after any telephonic round of interview with them d. The candidate’s profile must be separated in such a manner that multiple recruiters do not work upon a same profile e. On the log in page the recruiters should be able to see the To Do List; e.g. To Call (23), Offer Letter (7), Joining (4), Open position (3) etc. f. The recruiters should be able to send the Daily Reports (which must not take them much time with no manipulation) to the admin with their remarks g. Recruiters can notify the admin if any position is closed 4. Reports a. Open position status (clients, positions, recruiter handling, update, last date to close etc.) b. Billing status (clients, positions closed, recruiter, amount as per bill, date to clear, received (y/n), etc.) c. Recruiter’s Performance analysis can be analyzed (recruiters, positions handled, open, closed, closing rate, revenue generated, monetary productivity (lifetime revenue / months worked) 5. Optional Features a. SMS alert for i. Billing reminder to client ii. Appointment reminder to candidate b. Flexibility to integrate the consultancy’s own JOB PORTAL keeping this system at the back†end c. Recruiter’s incentive calculation

Social Work Theories Older Adults

Social Work Theories Older Adults 1. Introduction This essay concerns the application of social work theory and practice with adults within the context of a specific legislative framework. The assignment specifically takes up different aspects of social work theory and practice that concern the carers of old and disabled individuals. It makes specific use of the case study on Betty, her daughter Elizabeth, and other members of Elizabeths family. The case study is provided in the appendix to this essay. It is considered as read and is thus not described in the body of this essay. The assignment deals with the role of carers in the UK social work infrastructure and their needs and rights. It also takes up the importance of interprofessional participation and partnership between social and health care professionals and carers in delivery of social and health care, including the management of risk. 2. Identification of Issue This assignment focuses on the responsibilities, difficulties, and needs of Elizabeth, the 49 year old daughter of Betty, who is 74 and has been living with Elizabeth and her family for the last 2 years. Elizabeth, who is white, is married to Charles (48), who is black and of African-Caribbean origin. They have two children, Mathew (22) and Elisa (19), who live with them. Betty suffered from a stroke two months ago and is recovering in hospital. She has developed poor left side mobility on account of the episode and will require a wheel chair to move about. She has been medically assessed as ready to return home, where Elizabeth is expected to care for her. The situation and the caring relationship, whilst transparent and logical, has become complicated because of Charless redundancy from employment and his strained relationship with Mathew, who is yet to start earning. The domestic environment could become disturbed because of the possibility of Charles resuming his old drinking habits, the tendency of Mathew to engage in substance abuse and his stealing from his grandmother to fund his drug purchases and the possibility of Elisas moving out to live with her boyfriend. An application of Eriksons theory of human development reveals that Betty is now firmly entrenched in her late adulthood, whereas Elizabeth is in her middle adulthood. Betty, if she is properly cared for, will find it easy to accept her life stage and prepare for her final years with complacency. For Elizabeth, these are years of activity and being in charge. Taking care of Betty will add meaning to her life, reduce stagnation, and establish a caring and stable home environment. Elizabeth is obviously in a complex and difficult situation and whilst she must care for her ailing mother, she also has responsibilities towards her husband and children. Social work policies in the UK detail the ways through which social and medical care should be provided to adults in need (Oliver Decoster, 2006, p 243). Specific policies exist for providing medical and social support to elderly people with mental and physical disabilities. Such services are provided through the aegis of social work practitioners, mental health professionals, medical professionals and medical workers. These diverse professionals are expected to work in partnership for the delivery of comprehensive social and medical care to the old and disabled (Oliver Decoster, 2006, p 243). With the majority of such service users being expected to be cared for in the community, in their homes and in the midst of their near relatives, carers form an extremely important component of the social work delivery proc ess (Stalker, 2003, p 67). Elizabeth, in her role as the primary care for Betty forms the pivot for delivery of social and health care services. This assignment delves into the social work infrastructure and policies in the UK that are available for carers and makes particular use of relevant frameworks including the Single Assessment Process and National Service Framework for Older People. The essay also discusses relevant sociological and psychological theories for human development and behaviour and examines the ways in which inter-professional practice and partnership of professionals with carers can help in improvement of social work delivery. 3. Social and Medical Care for Adults and Old People The official approach for providing social and medical care for older people was revamped and improved significantly after the publication of the White Paper on Modernising Social Services in 1998 and the adoption of a national agenda for improvement of care and services (Baker, 2004, p 12). The National Service for Older People (NSF-OP), which was adopted in 2001set standards for the promotion of better services and greater integration of health and social care services for people (Baker, 2004, p 12). The NSF-OP is developed around 8 standards, namely (a) age discrimination, (b) person centred care, (c) intermediate care, (d) general hospital care, (e) stroke, (f) falls, (g) mental health and (h) health promotion. The NSF for older people very importantly introduced the concept of person centred care, which aimed to ensure that older people were treated as individuals in their own right and received care packages that satisfied their individual needs, irrespective of boundaries between health and social services (Baker, 2004, p 12). These standards aimed to ensure the integration of health care and social work services for older people and ca;;ed upon health and social care workers to participate and collaborate with each other to provide holistic and rounded services to people in need (Baker, 2004, p 12). The person centred approach for provisioning of social and health care is an important outcome of the gradual development and acceptance of the social model of disability (Moulin, 2002, p 43). The still dominant medical model of disability assumes that disabilities result from the physical or mental limitations of individual persons and are largely unrelated to their social or geographical surroundings. It places the origin of a problem with a person and states that solutions can be found by focusing on the individual, rather than on his or her surroundings (Moulin, 2002, p 43). Whilst the medical model has for centuries dominated human approaches towards disabled people, recent decades have seen the emergence and the progressive acceptance of the social model, which views disability to be the consequence of social and environmental barriers that restrict people with disabilities from participating in society (Moulin, 2002, p 47). The person centred approach is routed in the social model and aims to empower people with disabilities by allowing them to participate and agree to the medical and social care plans that are made for them (Moulin, 2002, p 47). Such empowerment provides service users with significant independence to participate in their rehabilitation and treatment process and allows care plans to focus on rehabilitation and prevention, rather than on symptomatic treatment (Moulin, 2002, p 47). The single assessment procedure was introduced in the SAF- OP, specifically to further the standard concerning person centred care (Baker, 2004, p 14). The SAP facilitates a single assessment for the medical and social needs of individuals and calls upon respective agencies to work together for provisioning of appropriate and holistic care to individuals in need (Baker, 2004, p 14). The SAF-OP is particularly relevant for Betty, because it provides a framework for providing of holistic social and medical services to individuals who have experienced strokes. 4. The Role of Carers Whilst Bettys medical condition and social needs are certainly addressed through policies like the SAP, the SAF-OP, the progressively greater use of the social model, the person centred approach, the existing social health care infrastructure, the efforts of the individual carer, in this case her daughter Elizabeth, will play a critical role in the delivery of such care. The progressive elimination of hospitalisation and institutionalisation for people with physical and mental ailments and the replacement of such approaches and methods with community centred care commenced in the 1960s and progressively increased over the years through appropriate policy modifications. It is now widely accepted that people with disabilities live far more enriched, satisfied and productive lives amongst their families, friends and communities than in specialised institutions. Betty, after her recuperation from her stroke, is expected to come back into the community, live with her close relatives and family members, and be cared for by people who care for her. Such community care, whilst extremely desirable as an alternative to institutionalisation, however calls for the services of specific carers for individuals, who cannot manage their own activities, and thus need to be looked after by other people (Office for National Statics, 2006, p 1-2). Such carers, in the overwhelming majority of cases, constitute of family members, spouses, siblings, parents or even children (Office for National Statics, 2006, p 1-2) Betty, after her stroke, has reduced left side mobility and will need a wheel chair for her personal movement. Whilst she may, in all probability, be able to look after her own needs to some extent, it is probable that she will certainly need the care of another person. Elizabeth, her daughter and the person with whom she is living at present, is expected to fulfil the role of her carer. Carers occupy a unique role in the British social care infrastructure. Practically 11% of the population, i.e. approximately 6 million people, provide unpaid care in the UK to individuals in need. Whilst practically half of these carers fall in the age group between 45 and 64, many of them are very young as well as quite old. The majority of people who receive care live either in residential premises (Office for National Statics, 2006, p 1-2). Caring for an elderly person, as Elizabeth will be required to do, calls for significant amounts of sensitivity and commitment. Most people involved in care for older people look after parents or relatives who were previously used to looking after them (Weinstein, et al, 2003, p 114). Elderly people often wish to remain self reliant and make their own decisions as long as possible. Such changes in family relationships can often be complex and lead to situations of conflict if they are not handled with adequate care and thought (Weinstein, et al, 2003, p 115). Whilst caring for older people has to be handled with great sensitivity to avoid upsetting the people who are being cared for, it also calls for a great deal of hard work, effort, and self sacrifice on the part of carers (Williams Robinson, 2000, p 18). Carers often have to adjust their responsibilities towards their employers, if they are employed, and to their other family members who may need their emotional and physical support, in order to look after the individuals whose care has been entrusted to them (Williams Robinson, 2000, p 18). With carers playing critical roles in supporting and providing essential services to disabled and ailing elderly people, it is essential for them to work in close coordination and participation with responsible medical, health and social care professionals in order to facilitate the provisioning of holistic medical, social, physical and emotional support to their elderly wards (Stalker, 2003, p 81). Such partnership helps in better assessment of risks that are faced by persons in care and formulation of appropriate care and intervention plans. Social and medical care plans thus need to be carefully formulated by the concerned social workers after appropriate assessment with the use of person centred approaches and the involvement and agreement of the service user and the carer (Stalker, 2003, p 81). Elizabeth, as has been stated before is experiencing difficult domestic conditions at home because of the unemployment of her husband. Whilst her husband Charles did not previously have any objection to Bettys staying with them, his attitude might now change because of her illness as well as straitened domestic circumstances. He has a history of alcohol misuse and domestic abuse and his employment redundancy, as well as annoyance with Matthews unemployment, drug abuse and household thievery may upset him enough to relapse into his old ways. Elizabeth could in the normal course of events expect assistance from her two children in discharging her caring and household duties. This however looks improbable because of Elisas plans to shift in with her boyfriend and Matthews disturbed emotional state and surreptitious misuse of drugs. 5. Assessment of Needs of Carers Carers, like Elizabeth, perform vital and pivotal roles in the delivery of social care to individuals under their care, who are otherwise unable to manage, at home, without some form of support because of issues like disability, mental health needs, and illness or learning difficulties. Such carers have their own problems and needs that can easily be overlooked by the people around them. Elizabeths problems, as explained in the previous section, whilst not apparent are complex and real. The previous New Labour government recognised these needs, and introduced significant legislation for the protection of the rights of carers, through the enactment of the Carers and Disabled Children Act, 2000, and the Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act, 2004. The Carers and Disabled Children Act provides carers with the rights for separate assessments of their needs, if they provide or intend to provide regular and substantial care to others (Department of Human Services, 2003, p 18). The person under care is usually assessed for his or her needs under the provisions of the 1990 NHS and Community Care Act (Department of Human Services, 2003, p 18). This is the best way of helping, both the carer and the person in care. The services provided to people who are in care often helps to support carers through the provisioning of some of the care that is being given by carers. The Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act aims to assure that carers can avail of opportunities that others often take for granted (Department of Human Services, 2003, p 18). Assessments of needs of carers take into account the need of carers to continue with their work, return to work and excess education as well as training or leisure activities (Department of Human Services, 2003, p 19). The provisions of UK law state that carers are entitled to assessment, when they provide, or intend to provide, regular and substantial care to individuals in need, and the person being cared for, can access services from the Community Mental Health Team or the Department of Community Services (Department of Human Services, 2003, p 19). Such rights for assessment provide carers with (a) opportunities to reflect and discuss their own needs as carers, (b) share their caring experiences, (c) obtain recognition for their roles as carers, (d) obtain information and advice, (e) identify and discuss existing and potential difficulties, and (f) create contingency plans for circumstances that may not make it possible for them to continue in their caring roles (Stalker, 2003, p 83). Assessments are made to investigate the ways in which social and health care professionals and the existing infrastructure can help people in their caring roles by maintaining their health and wellbeing (Stalker, 2003, p 85). Such assessments concern issues like different aspects of individual caring roles, availability of breaks from caring, health issues of carers, maintenance of relationships with the person being cared for and others in the family, caring for home, accommodation, finances, work, education and training, support, emergencies, alternative arrangements and the future. As is evident, existing policies aim to make the assessment of carers as holistic as possible (Stalker, 2003, p 87). Such assessments take up a whole range of issues like the time being taken for caring, understanding the condition of the person being cared for, and difficulties in providing suitable care (Stalker, 2003, p 88). Health, relationships, finances, and work, are very important components of the assessment process, and social and health care professionals aim to assess whether carers can be helped in their relationships with people important to them and in their health, their finances and their leisure activity (D epartment of Human Services, 2003, p 19). Assessments for carers lead to personal discussions with them on the help required by them and the preparation of care plans that try to accommodate the wishes and constraints of carers to the maximum extent (Department of Human Services, 2003, p 21). The Department of Community Services can, after such assessment, provide help to both the carers and to the people who are being cared for. The persons who are being cared for can be helped with direct payments in order to allow them to purchase their own care, practical or personal care at home, respite care, adaptations and home equipment, and day care services (Department of Human Services, 2003, p 21). Carers can be helped with support in the form of (a) direct payments to help them to buy the support they need, (b) substitute care in order to enable them to take breaks from caring, (c) assistance with specific tasks and equipment to help them in their caring efforts, (d) advice and support in their role as carers and (e) short brea ks (Department of Human Services, 2003, p 21). Elizabeth can ask for an assessment, discuss her various problems with the social worker and try to work out, not only the best available care plan for Betty, but the ways in which she can obtain help to perform her caring functions effectively, maintain her home, help her children, and continue a good relationship with her husband. Conclusions This essay takes up the analysis of the case study of Elizabeth, her mother Betty, and her immediate family, and uses Elizabeths particular circumstances, as a would be carer for her mother, for an examination of existing legislation, theory and practice in areas of social and health care for adults with disabilities and their carers. Social work policies, practice, and theory for carers, as well as the persons they care for have evolved significantly over the last decade. Whilst assessment policies and intervention tools for adults with ailments or disabilities have been streamlined significantly in order to account for their individual needs and to empower them with independence in choosing their care and treatment plans, the importance of carers in the delivery of social work in a community care environment has come to the forefront. Carers are acknowledged to be critically important in the delivery of care. Social and health workers are expected to work collaboratively and in partnership, with each other and with carers, for the planning and delivery of holistic care and health services that take care of the individual needs of service users. Carers are also entitled to assessment of their needs and various forms of assistance to make their caring duties more effective and less onerous. Whilst Elizabeths responsibilities towards her mother and her family members are undoubtedly onerous, the social and health care policies of the country provide significant facilities that can help in making her responsibilities easier and her life more enriching and fulfilling.

Chemistry Essays Saline & Fluids in the Body

Chemistry Essays Saline & Fluids in the Body Saline and Fluids Using saline as an example, outline the importance of solutions in the body and what is the concentration of normal saline and how the concentration of saline is controlled in the body and what effects on the cells an increase in saline concentration would have. Our bodies are fifty tosixty percent water, which therefore makes water an essential fluid for ourbodies. The main transporting agent in our body is the cells, and solutions arenecessary to execute functions such as:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Chemical balance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Circulation of blood   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Transporting nutrients to the cells   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Elimination of waste   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  respiration The main component ofthe blood, perspiration, saliva, mucus, lymphatic fluids and digestive juicesis water. The function of water also ensures the lubrication of the joints,that the muscles, skin, and organs is moisturized. The temperature of the bodyis also aided by water. Two thirds of water is situatedwithin the cells intracellular, and one third of water is found in the sitesbetween the cells interstitial and in the blood plasma. The composition ofsolutes in the intracellular and extracellular water can vary. A highconcentration of potassium ions is found in the intracellular cells, and a highconcentration of sodium and chloride ion is found in the extracellular cells. It is precarious to thesurvival of the human body that the accurate balance of fluids and salts ismaintained and the right pH acid balance. If the body loses fluids and salts,then dehydration can occur, and this can cause the concentration of salts toalter causing electrolyte imbalance. One of the mostimportant solutions in the body is saline, which is a solution consisting ofsodium chloride and distilled water. Salt plays a perilous function in the accurateoperation of the human body, as well as all other forms of life. The averageperson contains about eight ounces of salt, which facilitates muscles to contract,digestion to occur, the floe of blood, wounds to repair and fluids to beproperly regulated. A litre of isotonic or normal (0.9%) saline contains 154mmol of NaCI, comparable to 9 g of salt or 3.6 g of sodium. The regulation of salineand water equilibrium in the body is an example of homeostasis. Homeostasis isthe preservation of balance, or constant conditions, in a biological organismby means of habitual mechanisms that neutralize influences tending towarddisequilibrium. The correct composition of extracellular fluids and watercontent in the body is maintained by the important role played by the kidneys. Osmolarityis the amount of particles dissolved in a certain volume of fluid. Theosmolarity of fluid can be altered by the volume of fluid or by the quantity ofsolute molecules. In the duration of a day, the kidneys will manage 180 litersof blood, and will produce 1.5 liters of urine. The volume of water excreted bythe kidney is regulated by the anti-diuretic hormone (ADH: also referred toas vasopressin; diuresis means water loss and is therefore referred to as awater loss hormone. If the concentration offluid in the body drops below normal, the osmoreceptors in the hypothalamuswill recognize the resulting increase in osmolarity. ADH will be released bythe hypothalamus, in response to the change in osmolarity. The amount of fluidvolume lost must be replaced by drinking additional fluid, thus ensuring thatosmolarity returns to equilibrium and recovering the fluid loss. If the concentration offluid in the body increases above normal, this will also modify the osmolarityof the circulating fluids. The decrease in osmolarity is regulated by thehypothalamus, which stops producing ADH. In the absence of ADH, the kidney permitsfluid loss from the body. The kidney consists of numerous nephrons in which itfilters solutions, and then selectively reabsorbs or secretes different plasmacomponents. The entire composition of the nutrient molecules and most of thewater will be reabsorbed, and returned to the bloodstream. The major extracellularsalt is NaCl. The levels of osmolarity of the circulating body fluids aredetermined by the sodium and the chloride content. The kidney establishes theconcentration of Na+ loss from the body (Cl or anadditional anion will proceed Na+, so if Na+ levels aremonitored anion levels counteract automatically). If there is inadequate Na+inside the body, this will be identified by the kidney, which commences acomplex series of events, established as the renin/angiotensin/aldosterone pathway.In response to a decreased concentration of Na+, the kidney dischargesrenin into the blood. Renin acts on a plasma protein, angiotensinogen changingit into angiotensin I Angiotensin I is asubstrate for a changing enzyme, found widely in the lungs, which changes itinto angiotensin II. Angiotensin II has remarkable biological activity, causingthe release of aldosterone acting on the adrenal cortex. Aldosterone is ahormone that operates on the kidney to inhibit Na+ loss from thebody. Inversely, should there be an excess of Na+ in the body, adecrease in renin discharge will lead to a deterioration in the aldosterone concentrationsand an increase in Na+ deficiency in the urine. Variation in the Na+concentration is a protracted process than that of circulating fluid levels andmay require hours to days for completion. The obstacle between theextra and intra cellular compartments is known as the cell membrane. Watercan occur liberally through biological membranes but many solutes cannot. Whenone section has a larger concentration of solutes, the direction of the flow ofwater is from the section with the depleted concentration to the section withthe larger concentration. This process is known as osmosis. Osmosis is the migrationof water from an area of high water concentration through a semi-permeablemembrane to a region of low water concentration. In a hypotonic solutionof saline, the concentration of the solute molecules outside the cells is lowerthan that the concentration of solutes inside the cell. This in turn willenable the water to diffuse into the cell, until equilibrium is established.This flow of water into the cell causes the cell to swell. References 1. Stryer, L.Biochemistry (4th Edition). Freeman, New York. 2000 2. Campbell,M.K. Biochemistry, (2nd Edition) Saunders College Publishing, 1995 3. Parsons, R.GCSE Double Science: Biology Revision Guide Higher (GCSE Double Science)Coordination Group Publications (2001) 4. Clancy, J.McVicar, A, Baird, N. Perioperative Practice: Fundamentals of HomeostasisRoutledge, an imprint of Taylor Francis Books Limited (2002) 5. Revise ASBiology (Revise AS Study Guide S.) Letts Educational Ltd (2004) 6. Chiras, D.Human Biology: Health, Homeostasis and the Environment Jones and BartlettPublishers International (1994)

Kids feel safe in Boston public school environment :: Journalism School Papers

Kids feel safe in Boston public school environment A Boston high school student stood alone, waiting for a public bus to take him home after school had let out. When he was approached by a group of kids who attempted to assault him, his first instinct was to run. He did not run to a neighbor's house. He did not bother to look for a police station. He simply ran to the safest place he knew — his school. He proceeded to bang on the double doors until a custodian reluctantly opened them. But it didn't matter. The kids had already dispersed when the student reached the school grounds. "He clearly thought it was a safe-haven because he ran back to the building and begged to get in," said John D. Sisco, the chief of school police in Boston. Sisco said students over the last 10 years have come to view their schools as an escape from the outside world. "In general, I believe the kids do feel safe," Sisco said. "Kids tell us that it's dangerous in the streets." In September, a 15-year-old Charlestown High School student was shot in the leg while walking to volunteer at a Boys & Girls Club after school. Boston Police Captain Bernard O'Rourke said the shooter was standing on the corner of Bunker Hill and Polk Streets, about 150 yards from the school, at about 2 p.m. when school let out. After the incident, extra police officers were temporarily assigned to cover the school, but they were soon called away to deal with other incidents. "It would be nice if they would have a police car there at dismissal but it just happened that day that there was no police car there," said Headmaster Michael Fung. Nathalie Martinez, who has lived in the development behind the school for 10 years, told the Boston Globe right after the incident that "usually it's pretty quiet around here, except when it's during the school year. It's crazy, and it's only the beginning of the school year. What's going to happen in the middle?" In response to this comment, Fung said of his 1,190 student campus, "it's always quiet if there are no people around." "Charlestown has the lowest crime rate in Boston," Fung said. "Lower than Beacon Hill." He said things like the shooting are "unpredictable" and that it was an "isolated case." "I usually go home real late, at like 8 or 9 [p.m.], and just go there to the bus stop and nothing ever happens.

The African Athena Controversy Essay -- Ancient History

With the absence of certainty, competitive plausibility is a realistic approach to trying to determine the influences that the Egyptians and Phoenicians had on the Ancient Greeks. Since the publication of the Bernal’s Black Athena volumes I and II, a great debate has surfaced. There is no question that the Egyptians and Phoenicians had an influence on the Greek culture, the questions that are being disputed is the exact nature of the relationship and what period of time this relationship existed. After reading the three articles presented, I have come to agree with Martin Bernal and his Revised Ancient Model of Greek origins. At one time Egypt was accepted as European, but that status began to erode and in the 1790’s Egypt was regarded as an African Nation. Prior to the 1820’s the most widely accepted theory of the origins of Greece was the Ancient Model. In this model, primitive tribes, Pelasigians, and others inhabited Greece. In certain regions of Greece, the Egyptians and Phoenicians settled, built cities, and civilized the natives. The Phoenicians were credited with having introduced the alphabet while the Egyptians taught the Pelasgians about irrigation (Bernal, p. 7). It was during this period, the Northern European scholars began to cast doubt on the colonization of ancient Greece by the Egyptian and Phoenicians and their cultural development of that time (Bernal, p. 7). â€Å"Historiographical developments cannot be linked to the availability of any evidence† (Bernal, p. 7). Sadly, there were some great discoveries found after the models changed, but they were ignored, like Jean-Francois Champollion findings, he had begun to decipher the hieroglyphics during 1820’s, the decipherment of cuneiform, and the first arc... ...ilization and led me to agree with Bernal’s Revised Ancient Model. References Berlinerblau, J. (1999). The Aryan Models. Heresy in the University: The Black Athena controversy and the reponsibilities of American intellectuals [Portfolio reading set]. Retrieved from University of Massachusetts at Boston: http://www.UMB.edu Bernal, M. (2001). Introduction Black Athena writes back [Portfolio reading set]. Retrieved from University of Massachusetts at Boston: http://www.UMB.edu Lefkowitz, M. R. (1996). Ancient history, Modern Myths. Black Athena Revisited [Portfolio reading set]. Retrieved from University of Massachusetts at Boston: http://www.UMB.edu The African Athena Controversy [Portfolio reading set]. (2012, June). Retrieved from University of Massachusetts at Boston, CEHD, CLA, CPCS, CSM, and CNHS Writing proficiency evaluation (WPE): http://www.UMB.edu The African Athena Controversy Essay -- Ancient History With the absence of certainty, competitive plausibility is a realistic approach to trying to determine the influences that the Egyptians and Phoenicians had on the Ancient Greeks. Since the publication of the Bernal’s Black Athena volumes I and II, a great debate has surfaced. There is no question that the Egyptians and Phoenicians had an influence on the Greek culture, the questions that are being disputed is the exact nature of the relationship and what period of time this relationship existed. After reading the three articles presented, I have come to agree with Martin Bernal and his Revised Ancient Model of Greek origins. At one time Egypt was accepted as European, but that status began to erode and in the 1790’s Egypt was regarded as an African Nation. Prior to the 1820’s the most widely accepted theory of the origins of Greece was the Ancient Model. In this model, primitive tribes, Pelasigians, and others inhabited Greece. In certain regions of Greece, the Egyptians and Phoenicians settled, built cities, and civilized the natives. The Phoenicians were credited with having introduced the alphabet while the Egyptians taught the Pelasgians about irrigation (Bernal, p. 7). It was during this period, the Northern European scholars began to cast doubt on the colonization of ancient Greece by the Egyptian and Phoenicians and their cultural development of that time (Bernal, p. 7). â€Å"Historiographical developments cannot be linked to the availability of any evidence† (Bernal, p. 7). Sadly, there were some great discoveries found after the models changed, but they were ignored, like Jean-Francois Champollion findings, he had begun to decipher the hieroglyphics during 1820’s, the decipherment of cuneiform, and the first arc... ...ilization and led me to agree with Bernal’s Revised Ancient Model. References Berlinerblau, J. (1999). The Aryan Models. Heresy in the University: The Black Athena controversy and the reponsibilities of American intellectuals [Portfolio reading set]. Retrieved from University of Massachusetts at Boston: http://www.UMB.edu Bernal, M. (2001). Introduction Black Athena writes back [Portfolio reading set]. Retrieved from University of Massachusetts at Boston: http://www.UMB.edu Lefkowitz, M. R. (1996). Ancient history, Modern Myths. Black Athena Revisited [Portfolio reading set]. Retrieved from University of Massachusetts at Boston: http://www.UMB.edu The African Athena Controversy [Portfolio reading set]. (2012, June). Retrieved from University of Massachusetts at Boston, CEHD, CLA, CPCS, CSM, and CNHS Writing proficiency evaluation (WPE): http://www.UMB.edu

Hugh Prathers Notes to Myself :: Notes to Myself Essays

Sometimes mankind has to ask the question ‘what is it that makes up the actions and determines the type of interaction that we display when around other people?' Notes to Myself is the contemporary world's way of questioning the value of putting on facades. The novel also questions things we know as ‘ trivial' such as watching a cat sleep on our belly or staring at clouds in the sky. The author used an interesting form for writing his collection, omitting page numbers and leaving no indication as to what subject the reader should expect to be encountering upon reading sections. His views are interesting to say the least. Focusing on self meditation and self reliance, he proceeds to describe human interaction and what he really is thinking when exposed to different situations. For instance, he describes a conversation with a young lady in which she wanted to ‘just be friends' while he being ‘male' can do nothing about the fact that he may be sexually aroused by her whether they were ‘just friends' or not. This type of unconventional expression of human emotion is the color of all of the selections. The author does not wish to conceal feeling nor put on different faces in different situations but be himself and be happy being himself at all times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interesting stands on happiness are also expressed. Boredom is vaguely related to happiness by the rationalization that one can be happy simply by picking lint off of the floor. While his thoughts are genuine, one can almost comprehend the randomness of human thought. There is a wrinkled cellophane wrapper on my desk and it reflects my image just as water does. Randomness is definitely one of this books strong points. (That random sentence beforehand was a personal example of the wandering mind).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is the type of book that you would not want to read between commercials but one that warrants a good hour and a half (at least) of quiet Hugh Prather's Notes to Myself :: Notes to Myself Essays Sometimes mankind has to ask the question ‘what is it that makes up the actions and determines the type of interaction that we display when around other people?' Notes to Myself is the contemporary world's way of questioning the value of putting on facades. The novel also questions things we know as ‘ trivial' such as watching a cat sleep on our belly or staring at clouds in the sky. The author used an interesting form for writing his collection, omitting page numbers and leaving no indication as to what subject the reader should expect to be encountering upon reading sections. His views are interesting to say the least. Focusing on self meditation and self reliance, he proceeds to describe human interaction and what he really is thinking when exposed to different situations. For instance, he describes a conversation with a young lady in which she wanted to ‘just be friends' while he being ‘male' can do nothing about the fact that he may be sexually aroused by her whether they were ‘just friends' or not. This type of unconventional expression of human emotion is the color of all of the selections. The author does not wish to conceal feeling nor put on different faces in different situations but be himself and be happy being himself at all times.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Interesting stands on happiness are also expressed. Boredom is vaguely related to happiness by the rationalization that one can be happy simply by picking lint off of the floor. While his thoughts are genuine, one can almost comprehend the randomness of human thought. There is a wrinkled cellophane wrapper on my desk and it reflects my image just as water does. Randomness is definitely one of this books strong points. (That random sentence beforehand was a personal example of the wandering mind).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is the type of book that you would not want to read between commercials but one that warrants a good hour and a half (at least) of quiet

Regent Park

Chapter 7 Essay Q’s 1. ABC Corporation, a Canadian firm, wants to float a bond issue in the United Kingdom. Which choices does the company have? Discuss the main characteristics of each option. What do you recommend? Answer: ABC Corporation can issue foreign bonds (Bulldogs) or Eurobonds. Foreign bonds are bonds issued by a foreign borrower in a national market, in the national currency, and subject to the national securities regulations. Eurobonds are bonds sold in countries other the country that issued the denominating currency.Foreign bonds tend to be registered bonds and subject to the local regulations while Eurobonds tend to be bearer bonds. Generally, foreign bonds are more costly than Eurobonds. Therefore, Eurobonds are likely the better option. page: 157-158 2. A- Canada Inc. has issued a dual-currency bond that pays $555. 10 at maturity per SF1,000 of par value. The company’s cash flows are exclusively in Canadian dollars. a) What is the implicit $/SF exchang e rate at maturity? b) Will the company be better or worse off if the actual exchange rate at maturity is $0. 6123/SF? Answer: a) $555. 10/SF 1,000 = $ 0. 5551 b) The company will be better off.Page: 175, problem 3 3. ZZZ Corp. wants to issue zero-coupon bonds with a 10-year maturity. The implied yield to maturity on these bonds is 5% and ZZZ Corp. wants to raise $10,000,000. (Assume no transaction costs). How much money will ZZZ Corp. have to pay at maturity of the bond? Answer: 10,000,000 (1. 05)10 = $16,288,946. 27 4. Assume Bank of Montreal has two zero-coupon bonds outstanding, each for a face value $100,000,000. Bond A matures in 10 years and sells at a discount of 35% off face value and bond B matures in 20 years and sells at a discount of 60% off face value. Calculate the implied yield to maturity of each bond.Answer: Bond A: 650,000,000(1 + i)10 = 100,000,000 i = 4. 4% Bond B: 400,000,000(1 + i)20 = 100,000,000 i = 4. 67% 5. What happens to the present value of the bonds in 4. , if the implied yield to maturity increases by 1%? Answer: Bond A: 100,000,000/(1. 054)10 = 59,100,872. 35 The present value of the bond decreases by 65,000,000 59,100,872. 35 = 5,899,127. 65 Bond B: 100,000,000/(1. 0567)20 = 33,186,836. 18 The present value of the bond decreases by 40,000,000 33,186,836. 18 = 6,813,163. 82 Chapter 8 [Question] 1. Assume that Nestle shares are trading at SF 300 in Zurich and $ 51 in New York. Each share equals 4 ADRs.The current exchange rate is SF1. 5/$. In the absence of transaction costs, can you make an arbitrage profit? Answer: Yes. Buy one share in Zurich for SF 300 or $ 200 (300/1. 5), exchange to ADRs and sell the ADRs for 4*51 = $204; profit $4 [Question] 2. Assume that Nestle shares are trading at SF 300 in Zurich and $ 51 in New York. Each share equals 4 ADRs. The current exchange rate is SF1. 5/$. If transaction costs are $1 per ADR, can you make an arbitrage profit? Answer: No, transaction costs = potential profit Potential profit in the absence of transaction costs: Buy one share in Zurich for SF 300 or $ 200 (300/1. ), exchange to ADRs and sell the ADRs for 4*51 = $204; profit $4 [Question] 3. What factors go into the decision to cross-list on a foreign exchange? Answer: When deciding whether to cross-list shares on a foreign exchange, the firm has to consider the expected benefits and costs. The benefits may be: to establish a broader investor base for its stock, to establish name recognition in foreign capital markets, thus paving the way for the firm to source new equity and debt capital from investors in different markets, and to expose the firm’s name to a broader investor and consumer groups.The costs include: listing fees, reconciliation of the accounting standards of two countries, compliance with the regulations of the foreign exchange, and investor relations. page: 187. [Question] 4. Assume that Accor shares are trading at A$2. 5 in Sydney and $28 in New York. Each ADR equals 20 shares. The current exchange rate is A$1. 5/$. In the absence of transaction costs, can you make an arbitrage profit? Answer: Yes. Buy one ADR in New York for $28 (or A$42), exchange to shares and sell the shares for A$50; profit A$8 [Question] 5. Assume that Accor shares are trading at A$2. 5 in Sydney and $28 in New York.Each ADR equals 20 shares. The current exchange rate is A$1. 5/$. At what transaction cost per share would there be no profit opportunity? Answer: A$8/20 = A$0. 4 Buy one ADR in New York for $28 (or A$42), exchange to shares and sell the shares for A$50; profit A$8 less transaction cost of 20*. 4 = A$8; profit = 0 Chapter 9 – I don’t believe there will be anything from here tho Chapter 10 [Question] 1. The following information is given: Both parties want to engage in an interest rate swap. Assume that S Bank will arrange for an interest rate swap between X Company and Y Company for 0. % . Also, assume that X Company gets 2/3 of the interest savings available. a) Which company has a better credit rating? b) What is the quality spread differential? c) What is X Company’s preferred type of debt? What rate of interest does it pay on this debt after the swap? d) What is Y Company’s preferred type of debt? What rate of interest does it pay on this debt after the swap? e) Illustrate the cash flows from this swap. Assume that X Company pays LIBOR to S Bank. Answer: a) X Company b) QSD = 2 1. 3 = 0. 7 c) Floating LIBOR . 4 d) Fixed 6. 8% e) [Question] 2.The following information is given. ABC Inc. and XYZ Inc. have agreed to swap their debt payments so that each firm gets its preferred debt terms. They can arrange an interest rate swap through Big Bank. Big bank charges 0. 15% for its services. The remaining savings from the interest rate swap are equally shared by A and B. QSD: 1% . 25% = . 75%; after bank fees: . 75% . 15% = . 60% savings available a) Does ABC Inc. prefer fixed or floating rate debt? What rate does it pay on its p referred debt? b) Does XYZ Inc. prefer fixed or floating rate debt? What rate does it pay on its preferred debt? ) What are the total interest savings available in this interest rate swap? d) Which company has a better credit rating? Answer: a) ABC Inc. prefers floating and pays LIBOR + . 2 b) Interest Savings: 0. 6%. QSD bank fees = (6 5) (LIBOR + . 75 LIBOR + 0. 50) 0. 15 c) XYZ Inc. prefers fixed and pays 5. 7% d) Company ABC has a better credit rating [Question] 3. The following information is given. Boeing and Airbus have agreed to swap their debt payments so that each firm gets its preferred debt terms. Each firm will save the same amount in percentage terms. ) Does Boeing prefer fixed or floating rate debt? What rate does it pay on its preferred debt? b) Does Airbus prefer fixed or floating rate debt? What rate does it pay on its preferred debt? c) What are the total interest savings available in this interest rate swap? d) Which company has the advantage in fixed rate debt? Answer: a) Boeing prefers floating and pays LIBOR + 0. 05%. b) Airbus prefers fixed and pays 5. 5%. c) Interest Savings 0. 4%. d) Boeing has the advantage in fixed dollar debt. [Question] 4. ABC Corporation has entered into a 10-year interest rate swap with a swap bank. ABC Corp. ays the swap bank a fixed-rate of 6 percent annually on a notional amount of EUR100,000,000 and receives LIBOR – ? percent. What is the price of the swap on the seventh reset date, assuming that the fixed-rate at which ABC can borrow has decreased to 5%. Answer: PV of a hypothetical bond issue of EUR100,000,000 with three remaining 6 percent coupon payments at the new fixed rate of 5 percent is EUR100,000,000/1. 1576 = EUR86,385,625. 54 PV of the three coupon payments is: (6,000,000/1. 05) + (6,000,000/1. 1025) + (6,000,000/1. 1576) = EUR 16,339,488. 18 PV of the Bond and its coupon is = 102,725,113. 1 Therefore, the price of the swap = 100,000,000 102,725,113. 61 = 2,725,113. 61 [Question] 5. Canada Corporation enters into a 2-year interest rate swap with Bank A in which it agrees to pay the swap bank a fixed-rate of 5 percent annually on a notional amount of US$1,000,000 and receive LIBOR – 1 percent. Determine the price of the swap on the first reset date, assuming that the fixed-rate at which Canada Corporation can borrow has stayed unchanged. Answer: PV of a hypothetical bond issue of US$ 1,000,000 with one remaining 5 percent coupon payments at the fixed rate of 5 percent is US$1,000,000Therefore, the price of the swap = 1,000,000 1,000,000 = 0 Chapter 11 [Question] 1. A US investor bought shares in ABC Inc. on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange 2 years ago for EUR 10,000. The exchange rate at that time was EUR 1. 20/USD. Currently, the shares are worth EUR 11,000 and the exchange rate is EUR 0. 80/$. Calculate the investor’s annual percentage rate of return in terms of the U. S. dollars. Answer: The annual percentage rate of return is: 28. 45%. 2-year rate of ret urn = (11,000/0. 8 10,000/1. 2)/(10,000/1. 2) = 0. 65 (1 + r)2 = 1. 65 r = 0. 2845 [Question] 2. A US investor bought shares in ABC Inc. n the Frankfurt Stock Exchange 2 years ago for EUR 10,000. The exchange rate at that time was EUR 1. 20/USD. Currently, the shares are worth EUR 11,000 and the exchange rate is EUR 0. 80/$. The investor had sold EUR 10,000 (the principal investment amount at the same time that the stock was purchased) forward at the forward exchange rate of EUR 1. 15/$. What is the dollar rate of return? Assume that the unhedged portion of the investment is exchanged at the current exchange rate. Answer: The annual dollar rate of return is 9. 25%. 2-year rate of return = (10,000/1. 15 + 1,000/0. 8 10,000/1. )/(10,000/1. 2) = 0. 1935 (1 + r)2 = 1. 1935 r = 0. 0925 [Question] 3. In May 2003 when the exchange rate was Yen 110/$, Nissan Motor Company invested ? 1,100,000,000 in pure-discount U. S. bonds and liquidated the investment one year later when the exchange rat e was Yen 105/$. The Yen rate of return earned on this investment was 10%. a) Calculate the dollar amount that the bonds were sold at. b) Calculate the dollar rate of return of this investment. Answer: a) The dollar amount that the bonds were sold at is: $11,523,809. 0. 1 = (X*105 1,100,000,000)/1 ,100,000,000) b) The dollar rate of return is:15. 4%. (11,523,809 10,000,000)/10,000,000 = . 1524 [Question] 4. A Canadian investor buys shares in DaimlerChrysler on the New York Stock Exchange when the stock’s price and the exchange rate were US$ 40 and US$0. 70/C$ respectively. One year later the investor sells the shares for US$ 41 and the exchange rate is US$0. 80/$. a) Calculate the investor’s annual percentage rate of return in terms of the U. S. dollars. b) Calculate the investor’s annual percentage rate of return in Canadian dollars. Answer: a) Rate of return: (41 40)/40*100 = 2. 5% b) Purchase price in Canadian dollars = 40/. 70 = 57. 4 Selling price in Canadi an dollars = 41/. 80 = 51. 25 Therefore, the Canadian dollar rate of return is: R(C$) = [(51. 25 57. 14)/51. 25] 100 = 10. 313% Chapter 12 1. How can operating exposure be managed? Answer: The object of managing operating exposure is to stabilize cash flows when exchange rates are fluctuating. There are a number of ways in which operating exposure can be managed: (1) selecting low cost production sites (2) using a flexible sourcing policy (3) diversification of the market (4) product differentiation and R&D efforts (5) financial hedging page: 302-304 [Question] 2.Banff Inc. is headquartered in Calgary and produces high-end living room furniture. The firm has a subsidiary in Germany. The wooden frames of the sofas are made in Calgary by an independent contractor and then shipped to Germany. The German subsidiary then upholsters the sofas using Belgium fabrics. Each frame costs the subsidiary C$1,500. The materials and labour for the upholstery amount to euro 2,000 per sofa. Fixed ove rhead costs are euro 1,500,000 for the subsidiary. Banff Inc. expects to be able to sell 3,000 Sofas for 5,000 euros each. The firm can depreciate 1,000,000 euros per year.The German income tax rate is 40%. The current exchange rate is C$1. 5/euro. How would the operating cash flows (expressed in Canadian dollars) change if the exchange rate is C$1. 6/euro, all else equal? Answer: The operating income would increase by C$340,000. [Question] 3. Banff Inc. is headquartered in Calgary and produces high-end living room furniture. The firm has a subsidiary in Germany. The wooden frames of the sofas are made in Calgary by an independent contractor and then shipped to Germany. The German subsidiary then upholsters the sofas using Belgium fabrics.Each frame costs the subsidiary C$1,500. The materials and labour for the upholstery amount to euro 2,000 per sofa. Fixed overhead costs are euro 1,500,000 for the subsidiary. Banff Inc. expects to be able to sell 3,000 Sofas for 5,000 euros each. The firm can depreciate 1,000,000 euros per year. The German income tax rate is 40%. The current exchange rate is C$1. 5/euro. How would the operating cash flows (expressed in Canadian dollars) change if the exchange rate is C$1. 4/euro, all else equal? Answer: The operating income would decrease by C$ 340,000. [Question] 4. Banff Inc. s headquartered in Calgary and produces high-end living room furniture. The firm has a subsidiary in Germany. The wooden frames of the sofas are made in Calgary by an independent contractor and then shipped to Germany. The German subsidiary then upholsters the sofas using Belgium fabrics. Each frame costs the subsidiary C$1,500. The materials and labour for the upholstery amount to euro 2,000 per sofa. Fixed overhead costs are euro 1,500,000 for the subsidiary. Banff Inc. expects to be able to sell 3,000 Sofas for 5,000 euros each. The firm can depreciate 1,000,000 euros per year.The German income tax rate is 40%. The current exchange rate is C$1. 5/e uro. How would the operating cash flows (expressed in Canadian dollars) change if the exchange rate is C$1. 4/euro, the German inflation rate is 3% but the firm will not be able to raise the price for its products and due to new competition from the Russian market (with a more favorable exchange rate) unit sales drop to 2,500? Answer: The operating income would decrease by C$ 1,276,000. [Question] 5. ABC Inc. , a Canadian paper manufacturer, has a subsidiary in the United States which sources its wood from Canada.The US dollar depreciates rapidly. Discuss the likely competitive and conversion effects of the depreciation of the US dollar. Answer: The depreciation of the US dollar may alter the firm’s competitive position in the US market place. First of all, the input costs of the subsidiary in terms of US dollars are increasing. If the competitors source their raw materials in the United States, the competitive position of ABC Inc. ’s subsidiary will be eroded. The con version effect implies in this case that the US dollar operating cash flows will be translated into a lower Canadian dollar value. page: 297-298Chapter 13 1. Sonnenschein A. G. , a German retailer of solar panels just bought panels for US $ 100,000 to be paid in 120 days. As the financial manager, you are responsible for making a recommendation on the best hedging choice available to Sonnenschein A. G. You check with your banker and find out the following: The spot bid and ask rates are USD 1. 1001/EUR and USD 1. 0953/EUR respectively and the 120-day forward rates are EUR 0. 8850/USD and EUR 0. 8950/USD. Determine the net payables if Sonnenschein uses a forward hedge to manage its payables. Answer: US$ 100,000*0. 8950 = EUR 89,500 Question] 2. Pile-of-Bones Inc. , headquartered in Regina, just bought snowblowers for US $ 100,000 to be paid in 90 days. As the financial manager, you are responsible for making a recommendation on the best hedging choice available to Pile-of-Bones Inc. You check with your banker and find out the following: The current spot rate is C$ 1. 35/US$ and the 90-day forward rate is C$1. 36/US$. The interest rates are 5% in the United States and 6% in Canada. a) What are the net payables if Pile-of-Bones uses a forward hedge? b) What are the net payables if Pile-of-Bones uses a money market hedge? ) Which type of hedge should Pile-of-Bones use? Answer: a) 100,000*1. 36 = 136,000 b) 100,000/(1 + . 05/4) = 98,765. 43 98,765. 43*1. 35 = 133,333. 33 133,333. 33*(1 + . 025) = 136,666. 67 c) Pile-of-Bones should use forward hedge. [Question] 3. Soleil Inc. , a French manufacturer of sunscreen, has agreed to sell sunscreen to a Danish retailer for 2 million Danish kroner to be received in 180 days. The current spot rate is DKR5. 02/EUR and the 180-day forward rate is DKR5. 23/EUR. The current interest rates are 5% in Denmark and 4% in France. Should the firm use a forward hedge or a money market hedge?Explain. Answer: The net proceeds from a forw ard hedge are: 2,000,000/5. 23 = 382,409. 17 The net proceeds from a money market hedge are: 2,000,000/(1. 05) = 1,903,761. 90 1,903,761. 90/5. 02 = 379,434. 64 379,434. 64*1. 04 = EUR394,612. 02 Since the net proceeds from the money market hedge are higher than from a forward market hedge, Soleil should use the money market hedge. [Question] 4. Quebec Inc. , manufactures prefabricated houses in Quebec and sells them all over the world in local currencies. The firm has just received an order from China for renminbi 8,280,000 to be paid at delivery in 1 year.The Chinese renminbi is pegged to the US dollar at an exchange rate of 8. 28 per dollar. Does Quebec Inc have a transaction exposure? Explain. Answer: Quebec Inc is exposed to exchange rate risk. First of all, the Chinese government may choose to change the exchange rate at which the renminbi is pegged or drop the peg altogether within the next year. Even if the government does not intervene, Quebec Inc. is exposed to the US doll ar-Canadian dollar exchange rate since the renminbi is pegged to the US Dollar and not the Canadian dollar. [Question] 5. Fashion Shoes Inc. anufactures its shoes in Milano, Italy. The company just received an order from the United States for USD 1 million to be received in one year. The current spot rate is EUR 1 /USD and the 1 year forward rate is EUR 1. 01/USD. The current interest rates are 4% in the United States and 5% in Italy. A call option on the US dollar is available with a strike price of EUR 1. 01/USD and a premium of EUR 0. 03 and a put option is available with a strike price of EUR 1/USD and a premium of EUR 0. 025/USD. Determine the net proceeds from a forward hedge and an options hedge. Which option should Fashion Shoes use?Answer: Forward hedge: USD 1,000,000*1. 01 = EUR 1,010,000 Option hedge: Use the put option on the USD. Net proceeds from the options hedge: Strike price: USD 1,000,000*1 = EUR 1,000,000 Less premium in year 1 euros: 1,000,000*0. 025(1 + . 05) = 26,250 net proceeds: 1,000,000 26,250 = 973,750. The choice of the hedging strategy depends on exchange rate expectations. The option will provide a minimum of EUR 973,750 but if the dollar strengthens (i. e. the spot rate in one year is greater than EUR1. 03625/USD) the option will provide higher cash flows than the forward hedge.

Medical and Environmental Electronic Devices Corporation Essay

Background Medical and Environmental Electronic devices corporation was founded in 1959. Initially the core business was related to applications in medical device technology. The company started new business of Environmental control applications and achieved its current name in 1964. By 1979, MEED achieved 31% market share in its market area. MEED’s competitors had only 20% and11% shares. MEED has headquarters 21 countries around the world including Westland and Michigan. Integrated Circuit Group was set up MEED to meet its need for the customized circuits as semi-conductor industry is shrinking due to the backward integration of major competitors, redirections and acquisitions. Hallmarks of MEED culture were ambiguity, freedom, flexibility, risk taking and a supportive attitude towards employees. There was no formal planning in MEED or even firs loosely coordinated companywide plan was undertaken in 1980. Sales were growing at 30% per year for t he last five years, topped $1 billion in 1979. Profits for 1979 were $107 million. Tom Duglass is the manager of MEED since 1977. ICG is experiencing a shortage of human resource and is only providing 5-8% of MEED’s annual demand. New plant set by ICG is also experiencing problem in startup. The HRD Department headed by Barbara Hamlin is unable to fulfill their duty of providing the human resource which is required for the sound working of ICG. Employee’s profile Tom Douglas Group manager Dom Raffaelli Manager, ICG Advanced design Les Hogan Manager, ICG material Kenny Lash Manager of operations, ICG plant Barbara Hamlin Director, Human Resource Development and planning Qualitative facts The Jackson Michigan, manufacturing plant, which began operation in July 1979, was still experiencing difficulties in start-up and it was now the beginning of 1980. Barbara Hamlin in HRDP position was in charge for the forecast of the IC Group’s human resource needs, with special attention to professional and managerial personnel and to design and implement programs to meet those needs. MEED designed, manufactured, sold and serviced complex medical and environmental control systems. The labor market was exceedingly tight for exempt employees, especially the highly trained engineers critical too ICG’s work. MEED’s culture was unstructured, informal; make it happen, rapid growth, positive approach towards people. There was no emphasis on formal planning Douglas sought to reorient ICG recruiting toward meeting needs with existing employees and recent college graduates. Given the MEED culture, it was also unreasonable to except that any one program manager would remain long enough to see one component through its entire life. Materials acquisition function was divided into two groups an operation group that focused on such functions as production purchasing and a strategic group that deal with the commodity managements, IC Group manufacturing and custom projects. In the past a buyer in the operations group could become a supervisor in operations, now a buyer had the additional option of staying with the acquisition but moving to a job in a strategic group The greater attention to manpower planning might have led MEED to locate ICG closer to the major sources of trained engineers, or perhaps even to recast its plan to enter the semiconductor industry. Employee mobility need at MEED also made planning difficult. According to  personnel policy, an exempt employee was considered movable after he or she had been in a job for one year. Bosses and subord inates found it difficult to conduct regular performance appraisals; they were supposed to be conducted at least once a year as part of an employee’s salary review. Quantitative facts Medical and Environmental Electronic Devices Corporation was founded in 1959 Sales, growing at more than 30% per year for the last five years, topped $1 billion in 1979; profiles for 1979 were $107 million. The goal was to ensure that by FY1985, 50% of professional hires would be new college graduates. At the beginning of 1980, Ambrose’s group had openings for two out of five supervisory positions, and 13 out of 37 subordinate engineering slots. In 1980, ICG had 623 employees (plus 8 staff personnel), and 106 open positions to be filed. Annual turnover, while not high by industry standards, was running close to 10% among exempt and 20% among non exempts. The average number of employees for 1979 totaled 24,900 and another were expected to be hired as MEED continued its rapid growth during fiscal 1980. Starting as an idea and a group of 5 people in 1972, ICG had 66 people in 1975, but began its real growth in 1977, reaching 448 employees at the beginning of fiscal year 1980. ICG was only manufacturing 5% to 8% of MEEDS semiconductor needs instead of the 20% planned. It took about 3 years of work at ICG for a college graduate be fully trained, but by working with these colleges to develop programs and by providing equipment and dollar donations, ICG hoped to shorten on-the-job training to 1-1/2 years. A week lost could mean approximately $100,000 lost in profit before taxes for MEED. Core Problem The main issue that MEED was facing was that there was an urgent need that there was no formal planning due to which there was a need for the company to make a proper amendments in HRM of the company and to make policies and procedures and implement them effectively as there was a shortage of Human Resource management at all levels at MEED. They were not having specialized engineers and managers in the required numbers is affecting the corporation. There was a significant problem in attracting engineers capable of the state of the art work that ICG technology demanded. The option of simply hiring  in good people now met resistance from those who pointed out that there were no free slots for these people until the growth actually took place. An estimation was made that IC group’s exempt attrition would rise to an average of 15% per year and non exempt to 35% unless the group improved its recruitment, career development, performance, appraisals and promotion practices. ICG would need 241 hires in order to bring the employee total up to the target for the end of FY 1980. If we look at the exhibits 4 and 5 it could be observed that Barbara is at a very lower level in the hierarchy, and is given vey less authority. If a separate HR department is created with giving all HR responsibilities to the HR department than possibly all most the problems could be solved. Other problems Recommendations Repositioning of Barbara Hamlin in organizational structure We think that she should report directly to Dave Bertram, the president of MEED’s to minimize the distortion between them and Barbara can stamp the authority and she will not have to take approvals from group heads. She is the one who have identified the problems in the system so she should be able to exercise authority so she can solve the problems. Having the backing of the president of MEED’s, people will know that she is a credible source of high authority and she should be followed. Once there is clarity in chain of command, then Barbara should concentrate in making of new human resource department which will include recruitment and selection, compensation and appraisal, training and development which is not addressed in the company till now. Hiring the right people Problem of ICG can be solved as there is low performance by the managers and engineers are working as managers and company don’t have to hire right workforce and as a result they are performing at the top level. Supply of efficient workforce is also limited; that is also one of the reasons engineers are working as managers. Moreover, it is told in the case study that other companies have made collaborations with universities and they  hire their technical staff and engineers automatically after they graduate. It is best for both student and company because student will get job immediately after he graduates and company can get fresh graduates that are fit for the organization. In exhibit 8, it is written â€Å"at institutes, we work with real projects†; that means student can get a taste of professional life and projects even when they are students. Good compensation to retain employees The employment industry of China is very competitive. In order to get best results in the company, company should be able to retain the right employees who are worth it. HR department should make organized and intelligent decision in retaining particular employees. As it is written in the case that giving $1000 a month and working for 20 years has become a standard of industry. Other than that, when an individual leaves the job, he or she gets a 30% pay rise on an average; that means when labor in the market start doing job hopping it will take employees pays up automatically. Standardize the operating procedure The first and foremost step that Barbara needs to take is that she should make procedure same for everyone. For e.g. in this case it was written that managers thought HRD is just for training the employees. So, Barbara should start working and should make everything formal including job analysis, job description, training & development and compensation plans. Employees should have awareness of HR department of the company and employees should know clearly that what are they required to do. Once HR department comes in and take steps to make things formal; then company’s environment will also become professional as it is desired by HR department. Training and development Company is not very serious about the training of the employees as position of management development is vacant from some time. Training is only given to manufacturing department in the company but it should be also offered to the designing department of the company. Training of design department will lead to more innovative designs and less flaws in the system. Exit interviews When an employees is leaving the company; he just have to go but one thing that company can do extra is the exit interviews; as company can get a new point of view of the employee about the flaws of the company and how they can be improved. Cause of leaving company should be asked from the employees that also point out significant errors in the company’s operations. Analysis of exhibits If we compare FY80, 81 and the current year in association to number of employees (exempt and non exempt) to the departments (advanced design, manufacturing and material) it could be clearly seen that currently there is a decrease in the number of employees in comparison to the year 80 and 81.Currently there are 6 managers in advanced design, 11 in manufacturing and 6 in material, where as in the FY 1980 there were 30 managers and 1981 there were 47. Moreover, in the advanced design there are currently 97 employees with 116 in 1980 and 150 in 1981. In manufacturing currently 322, 1980 there were 564 and in 1981 there were 854. In the materials currently they have 204 employees in comparison to 1980 where there were 266 and in 1981 there were 425. Overall a decrease in number of employees could be observed. Exhibit 2 talks about the hiring requirements projections. The exhibit depicts the year period. It could be clearly seen that for all the three departments in association to the years there was an increasing trend. Exhibit 3 talks about the financials of 10 years from (1970 to 1979). It could be clearly seen that there was an increase in sales net income and stockholders’ equity of MEED since the 7 year period. Though the sales were not steady but and increasing trend is observed.